Lark (cigarette)

Last updated
Lark
Lark cigarettes logo.png
LARK Black Label.JPG
Pack of Japanese Lark Black Label
Product type Cigarette
Owner Altria
Produced by Philip Morris International
Country United States
Introduced1963;61 years ago (1963)
DiscontinuedFebruary 8, 2022 (United States)
MarketsSee Markets
Previous owners Liggett & Myers
Tagline"Richly Rewarding, yet Uncommonly Smooth"
Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1

Lark is an American brand of cigarettes, owned by Altria Group, and manufactured by Philip Morris USA in the United States and Philip Morris International for the rest of the world. [1]

Contents

History

Introduced by Liggett & Myers in 1963, and notable for its charcoal filter and past advertising campaigns, Lark was launched in 1963 by Liggett & Myers with its trademark charcoal filter in an effort to halt a five-year downward drift in sales. [2] The distinguishing feature of the brand, both in terms of physical characteristics and taste was the 3-piece "Keith" filter (named for Dr. Charles H. Keith, "Supervisor of Physical Chemistry" for Liggett & Myers, who developed it)- the middle section of which contains small charcoal granules, which purportedly reduces the harshness of the cigarette's smoke.

Liggett & Myers underwent several name changes over the years but kept the Lark brand in their product mix until 1999, when Liggett Vector Brands Inc. sold Lark, along with the L&M and Chesterfield brands for $300 million to Philip Morris Companies Inc., later known as Altria. (The sale involved only domestic rights; Philip Morris already owned the international rights to the three brands, which it had purchased in the late 1970s.) [3] [4] [5]

Since its introduction and despite several prominent advertising campaigns, among which was one featuring people on the street being asked to "Show us your Lark pack", Lark has never held a large share of the U.S. cigarette market. As of 2008, the brand had less than 1% of the U.S. market share, but was extremely popular in Japan. U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan II smoked Larks.[ citation needed ] Comedian George Carlin parodied the "Show us your lark" ad on the album AM & FM (1972).

Advertising history

From its introduction in 1963, the brand came in a maroon-colored package with white print (the trademark shield was initially white but was soon changed to gold along with some of the other graphics). And for most of the brand's life it has sported the slogan "Richly Rewarding, yet Uncommonly Smooth".

Although Philip Morris continues to promote the brand heavily in Japan, it receives little to no advertising in the United States. This would explain why its share of the U.S. market has declined over the years since experts generally agree that cigarette brands usually lose market share when they are no longer promoted. [6]

Past advertising campaigns, however, have been conspicuous. Much of the advertising, particularly that in print, centered on the charcoal filter and its effect on taste. [7] [8] [9] [10] The most extensively run and best remembered advertisement, however, was a television spot from the 1960s in which an off-screen narrator exhorted those on the street to "show us your Lark pack". Meanwhile, throughout the piece the William Tell Overture blared while the words "have a Lark, have a Lark, have a Lark today" were sung to the overture's melody. Everyone it seemed had a pack of Larks and was only too happy to show them.[ citation needed ]

Another notable advertisement campaign from the early 1970s featured a hot-air balloon with the Lark brand name and colours. [11] The balloon was a symbol for the "smoothness" of Lark cigarettes. [12]

Lark was also advertised in the 1980s with James Bond style appearances by Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore in Japanese TV commercials. [13] [14] Future Bond Pierce Brosnan also advertised Larks in two commercials that aired only in Japan. In the late 1980s, Philip Morris allegedly spent $350.000 to have the Lark brand appear in the Licence to Kill film. [15]

Parodies

Markets

Lark is sold in Brazil, Germany, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, South Korea, Ecuador and Japan. [18] [19] [20]

Controversy

Charcoal filter and health concerns

Because of its unique activated charcoal filter, from its inception Lark has been the subject of inquiry into whether it is safer or more harmful than cigarettes in general.

According to Anne Landman with the American Lung Association of Colorado, "The technique used in the marketing of Lark through hospitals and the medical profession was exactly similar to that used in the marketing of Kent in 1952." Ms. Landman's research, which began in 1998, further reveals that Liggett & Myers’ marketing campaign several months before the release of the Surgeon General's 1964 Report on Smoking and Health was directed at creating the rumor that medical scientists endorsed Lark as the safest cigarette. This marketing technique is credited for Lark's sales surpassing those of Kent in the Buffalo area and nearly doing so in the Houston area. [21]

Perhaps the biggest controversy about the reputed safety of Lark cigarettes was created by the publication of It Is Safe to Smoke by science writer Lloyd Mallan. Mallan recounts the findings of numerous scientists who all conclude based on the research conducted that smoking can be rendered harmless or considerably less harmful if the cigarette is equipped with a charcoal filter. Other brands mentioned in the book with charcoal filters include Philip Morris multi-filter, Galaxie, and Tempo. [22]

Subsequent research questioned whether the charcoal filter might have actually made Lark a more dangerous cigarette. A paper published in March 1997 by J.L. Pauly, et al., offered the following conclusion:

"Charcoal granules are incorporated into cigarette filters to aid in removing toxins in cigarette smoke. In studies of Lark, a popular American cigarette with a charcoal filter, charcoal granules were observed on the filter surface, and were released from the filter when the cigarettes were smoked. During smoking, the toxin-containing charcoal granules are inhaled or ingested. The specific adverse health effects of inhaling or ingesting carbon granules have not been addressed; nevertheless, the smoker, as an educated consumer, should be informed of the possible health risks." [23]

Charcoal filter and decrease of cancer

In January 1964, Louis Fieser, a member of the Surgeon General's Advisory Committee on Smoking and Lung Cancer, said that Lark cigarettes were probably safer than all other brands.

Fieser, Sheldon Emery Professor of Organic Chemistry, recommended that smokers who were unable to quit should switch to Larks. According to Fieser, the charcoal for the Lark filter was specially developed to screen out gases known to depress the action of cilia in the respiratory tract. While at the time Larks were the only cigarette to use this special charcoal, there was no reason why other cigarette manufacturers could not add the substance to their filters and thereby achieve the same probable level of safety as Larks.

"Speaking as a scientist," Fieser stated, "this filter represents a definite encouraging advance." He emphasized, however, that at least 20 years would have to lapse before mortality statistics of the type reviewed by the Surgeon General's committee would be available on the new filter. Fieser said that he, at the time, smoked Larks and occasionally a pipe. Though he stated that the safest course of action would be to stop smoking he refused to say whether he had any plans to quit.

The report of the Surgeon General's committee, of which Fieser is a member, concluded that "cigarette smoking is a health hazard of sufficient importance in the United States to warrant appropriate remedial action." [24]

Sponsorship

All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship

The 1996 F1 GTR of Team Lark on display. FoS20162016 0625 082817AA (27801509712).jpg
The 1996 F1 GTR of Team Lark on display.

Lark was the main sponsor of the Team Goh team which featured two McLaren F1 GTR cars to race in the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship under the name "Team Lark GTR". [25] Debuting at the opening round at Suzuka Circuit, the Lark team took a 1-2 finish, with winners Naoki Hattori and Ralf Schumacher. At the following round at the Fuji Speedway, David Brabham and John Nielsen would take victory for the Lark McLaren. However, in the next two rounds, the Japanese rivals would overcome the McLarens, only to have Team Lark return to take victory in the final two rounds of the season. At the Sugo round, Lark badly damaged their one chassis, requiring them to borrow chassis #04R from GTC Competition as a replacement for the final JGTC round. With four victories on the season, Team Lark captured the GT500 teams championship ahead of factory squads from Toyota and Nissan.

Team Lark would not return to defend their title in 1997, and no McLarens raced in the series. McLarens would return though in 1999 with Team Take One purchasing McLaren F1 GTR #19R, a 1997-spec car, for competition in GT500. The competition from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan had improved since the McLaren last raced, and therefore Team Take One struggled to be competitive, achieving only a best 9th place at Mine Circuit.

24 Hours of Le Mans

Team Goh also participated in the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Lark livery, but it was censored because France prohibited sponsorship of tobacco products in sports. [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altria</span> American tobacco corporation

Altria Group, Inc. is an American corporation and one of the world's largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes, and medical products in the treatment of illnesses caused by tobacco. It operates worldwide and is headquartered in Henrico County, Virginia, just outside the city of Richmond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlboro</span> Cigarette brand

Marlboro is an American brand of cigarettes owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA within the United States and by Philip Morris International outside the US except Canada where the brand is owned and manufactured by Imperial Tobacco Canada. Marlboro's largest cigarette manufacturing plant is located in Richmond, Virginia.

Philip Morris USA is an American tobacco company. They are a division of the American tobacco corporation Altria Group. It has been the leading cigarette manufacturer in the U.S. since the late 20th century. Its major brands include Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson & Hedges, Merit, and Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament (cigarette)</span> American brand of cigarettes

Parliament is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA in the United States and Philip Morris International outside of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlboro Man</span> Marlboro cigarette icon used in advertising for Marlboro.

The Marlboro Man is a figure that was used in tobacco advertising campaigns for Marlboro cigarettes. In the United States, where the campaign originated, it was used from 1954 to 1999. The Marlboro Man was first conceived by advertising executive Leo Burnett in 1954. The images initially featured rugged men portrayed in a variety of roles but later primarily featured a rugged cowboy or cowboys in picturesque wild terrain. The ads were originally conceived as a way to popularize filtered cigarettes, which at the time were considered feminine.

Benson & Hedges is a British brand of cigarettes owned by American conglomerate Altria. Cigarettes under the Benson & Hedges name are manufactured worldwide by different companies such as Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, Philip Morris USA, British American Tobacco, or Japan Tobacco, depending on the region. In the UK, they are registered in Old Bond Street in London, and were manufactured in Lisnafillan, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, before production was moved to Eastern Europe in 2017.

West is a German brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Imperial Brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesterfield (cigarette)</span> Brand of cigarette in United States

Chesterfield is a brand of cigarette, named after Chesterfield County, Virginia. The brand is owned by conglomerate Altria and produced by its subsidiary Philip Morris USA.

Liggett Group, formerly known as Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company, is the fourth largest tobacco company in the United States. As of 2014, Liggett Group was the fourth largest American tobacco company by gross revenue, though it was considerably smaller than the top three. Its headquarters are located in Durham, North Carolina, though its manufacturing facility is 30 miles to the west in Mebane, North Carolina. The company is a subsidiary of holding company Vector Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L&M</span> American cigarette brand

L&M is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Altria and Philip Morris International. The name comes from the tobacco company founded in 1873 called Liggett & Myers, predecessor of today's Liggett Group, by whom L&M was originally produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mevius</span> Japanese cigarette brand

Mevius, previously called Mild Seven, is a Japanese brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Japan Tobacco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eve (cigarette)</span> American brand of cigarettes

Eve is an American brand of cigarettes currently owned and manufactured by the Liggett Group in the United States. Outside of the U.S., Philip Morris International is the manufacturer of the brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Morris International</span> American multinational tobacco company

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is an American multinational tobacco company, with products sold in over 180 countries. The most recognized and best selling product of the company is Marlboro. Philip Morris International is often referred to as one of the companies comprising Big Tobacco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merit (cigarette)</span> American brand of cigarettes

Merit is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA in the United States and Philip Morris International outside the United States.

<i>Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc.</i> 1992 United States Supreme Court case

Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc., 505 U.S. 504 (1992), was a United States Supreme Court case. In a split opinion, the Court held that the Surgeon General's warning did not preclude lawsuits by smokers against tobacco companies on the basis of several claims. The case examined whether tobacco companies could be liable for not warning the consumer "adequately" of the dangers of cigarettes as well as ultimately held the stance that smoking was in fact a free choice. The ruling also questioned the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 to determine whether the warning labels on the cigarette products by law had to be less or more alarming than the warning issued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobacco politics</span> Politics surrounding the use and distribution of tobacco

Tobacco politics refers to the politics surrounding the use and distribution of tobacco, likewise with regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women and smoking</span> Tobacco consumption among women

Tobacco smoking has serious negative effects on the body. A wide variety of diseases and medical phenomena affect the sexes differently, and the same holds true for the effects of tobacco. Since the proliferation of tobacco, many cultures have viewed smoking as a masculine vice, and as such the majority of research into the specific differences between men and women with regards to the effects of tobacco have only been studied in-depth in recent years.

Cambridge is a brand of cigarettes, currently owned by the conglomerate Altria, and manufactured by Philip Morris International. In the U.K., Cambridge was manufactured by Rothmans International up until 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Morris (cigarette)</span> American cigarette brand

Philip Morris is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned by Philip Morris International. Cigarettes are manufactured by the firm worldwide except in the US, where Philip Morris USA produces tobacco products.

References

  1. "Building Leading Brands". www.pmi.com.
  2. "Personalities: Jul. 24, 1964". 24 July 1964. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012 via www.time.com.
  3. "Liggett Vector Brands - Age verification". liggettvectorbrands.com.
  4. "History of Vector Group Ltd. – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com.
  5. "Redirecting..." www.altria.com.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  6. Day, Sherri (September 18, 2003). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; R.J. Reynolds to Quit Marketing 2 Cigarette Brands". The New York Times. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
  7. "Paperboy News". paperboynews.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  8. "Lark cigarettes – brandhot.de". www.brandhot.de.
  9. "Lark Cigarettes Taste The Good Things Ad 1964". www.goantiques.com.
  10. "Magazine Ad For Lark Cigarettes, Smoky Stinky Bus, Put Gas Trap Filter On Me, 1970 - Magazines Ads and Books Store". magazinesadsandbooks.com.
  11. "Lark Cigarette Hot Air Balloon 1972 Ad". www.goantiques.com.
  12. "Lark cigarettes – brandhot.de". www.brandhot.de.
  13. Eyes On Cinema (1 June 2015). "Roger Moore in Japanese Lark cigarettes commercial (1988)" via YouTube.[ dead YouTube link ]
  14. 懐かしアーケードゲーム (5 March 2017). "【懐かCM】1983年 LARK ラークマイルド ~Nostalgic CM of Japan~" via YouTube.[ dead YouTube link ]
  15. Jamieson, Patrick; Romer, Daniel (22 July 2008). The Changing Portrayal of Adolescents in the Media Since 1950 . Oxford University Press, USA. p.  266. ISBN   978-0-19-534295-6 via Internet Archive. lark cigarettes.
  16. "Stan Freberg". Archived from the original on 2003-06-24. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  17. "SNL Transcripts: George Carlin: 10/11/75: Show Us Your Guns". snltranscripts.jt.org. 8 October 2018.
  18. "BrandLark - Cigarettes Pedia". www.cigarettespedia.com.
  19. "Lark". www.zigsam.at.
  20. "Brands". www.cigarety.by.
  21. "KENT -- The Safer Cigarette Myth". www.tobaccofreedom.org.
  22. Laffler, William D. (March 6, 1967). "Cigarette Industry Booming". Telegraph-Forum. p. 14.
  23. Pauly JL, Stegmeier SJ, Mayer AG, Lesses JD, Streck RJ (1997). "Release of carbon granules from cigarettes with charcoal filters". Tob Control. 6 (1): 33–40. doi:10.1136/tc.6.1.33. PMC   1759537 . PMID   9176984.
  24. "Lark Cigarettes May Cut Cancer Risk, Fieser Says - News - The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com.
  25. 1 2 "Livery: McLaren F1 GTR Liveries - Andy Blackmore Design".
  26. "Scalextric SICA10I Slot.it Mclaren F1 GTR n.44 Le Mans 1997". www.scalextric.com.
  27. "Things I Like". Pinterest.
  28. "Aoshima 07464 McLaren F1 GTR 1997 Le Mans 24H #44 1/24 Scale Kit". Plaza Japan.
  29. "#44 Team Lark McLaren McLaren F1 GTR BMW: Keiichi Tsuchiya, Gary Ayles, Akihiko Nakaya at 24 Hours of Le Mans". Motorsport.com.