Pall Mall
A British-origin cigarette brand introduced in 1899 and now marketed internationally by British American Tobacco, with R. J. Reynolds responsible for the United States business.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Pall Mall is a cigarette brand whose name comes from Pall Mall, a London street in the St James's area associated historically with private clubs and upper-class social life. The brand was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1899 by the Black Butler Company, which positioned it as a relatively premium cigarette for affluent consumers. Its name, visual identity, and early marketing drew on the social associations of the London location. The brand changed ownership in 1907, when the American Tobacco Company acquired Butler & Butler. Under American ownership, Pall Mall became an important vehicle for cigarette-format and manufacturing experiments. The company used the brand to introduce or promote innovations including the 1939 king-size format, which established an 85-millimetre cigarette length that later became a standard reference point in the industry, and a tobacco-stuffing method promoted as producing a smoother experience. Pall Mall subsequently introduced 100-millimetre cigarettes, commonly called longs, in 1966. Pall Mall achieved its greatest prominence in the United States around 1960, when it was reported to be the country's leading cigarette brand. Its advertising relied on distinctive slogans, including the 1940s line "The cigarette which travels the smoke further" and the later claim "Outstanding...and they are mild." The brand also developed substantial exposure through sponsorship of radio and television programs. Its competitive position weakened in the mid-1960s, when Winston overtook it amid a major advertising campaign. The ownership structure changed again in the 1990s and 2000s. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation acquired Pall Mall and Lucky Strike in 1994 as the former American Tobacco Company divested its tobacco brands. Brown & Williamson merged with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 2004, with the surviving company continuing under the R. J. Reynolds name. In the United States, Pall Mall became associated with the Reynolds portfolio. Outside the United States, British American Tobacco manufactures and sells the brand and describes Pall Mall as one of its key international drive brands. The brand was repositioned as a value brand in the early 2000s. In 2001 it was relaunched in the United States as a savings brand with an expanded filtered-cigarette range. During the Great Recession its positioning was described as a premium-style product sold at a sub-premium price. Reported U.S. volume and market-share growth between 2006 and 2010 reflected this value strategy, but those figures belong to a historical period and should not be treated as current performance data. Pall Mall's product family includes filtered and unfiltered cigarettes, traditional and menthol variants, king-size and 100-millimetre formats, and color-coded versions such as Red, Blue, Black, White, and Green. In the United States, the brand's packaging and product descriptors were modified because of regulatory restrictions on terms such as Light, Ultra Light, and Mild. The brand therefore combines a long heritage identity with market-specific product, packaging, and ownership arrangements. Its red pack, Art Nouveau-style lettering, heraldic shield with two lions, knight's helmet, and the Latin phrase "In hoc signo vinces" remain among its most recognizable historical design elements.
History
Pall Mall was introduced in 1899 by the Black Butler Company in the United Kingdom. The name refers to Pall Mall, a street in London's St James's district that was historically associated with private clubs and elite social life. This association informed the brand's original positioning as a higher-end cigarette for upper-class consumers. In 1907, the American Tobacco Company acquired Pall Mall through the purchase of Butler & Butler. The new owner used the brand as a platform for product and manufacturing experimentation. In 1939, Pall Mall promoted a king-size cigarette measuring approximately 85 millimetres, a format that later became widely standardized. The brand also promoted a tobacco-stuffing method claimed to make smoking easier on the throat. In 1966 it introduced 100-millimetre cigarettes, commonly known as longs. Pall Mall reached its strongest U.S. position around 1960, when it was described as the leading cigarette brand in the country. Its advertising included the 1940s slogan "The cigarette which travels the smoke further" and the later slogan "Outstanding...and they are mild." The brand sponsored radio programs including Ripley's Believe It or Not and The Big Story, and later appeared as a sponsor of television programs such as M Squad and MGM Parade. Its U.S. position declined in the mid-1960s as Winston gained ground through a highly visible advertising campaign. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation acquired Pall Mall in 1994 along with Lucky Strike, during the divestiture of brands by the former American Tobacco Company. Brown & Williamson merged with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company on July 30, 2004. The surviving company continued under the R. J. Reynolds name and retained the U.S. Pall Mall business. Outside the United States, British American Tobacco manufactures and sells Pall Mall; the brand is treated within BAT's international portfolio as one of its drive brands. The U.S. brand strategy shifted in 2001, when Pall Mall was repositioned as a savings brand and expanded with filtered variants. During the Great Recession, the product was marketed as a premium-style cigarette at a sub-premium price. The source material reports substantial U.S. share and volume growth from 2006 to 2010, but these are historical figures rather than current performance indicators. Pall Mall's product family has included filtered and unfiltered cigarettes, menthol and non-menthol variants, king-size cigarettes, and 100-millimetre formats. Packaging and naming changed in the United States during the late 2000s. The Ultra Lights pack color was changed in 2007, and hard-pack descriptors were converted to color names in 2009 in response to forthcoming restrictions on descriptors such as Light, Ultra Light, and Mild. In 2012, Reynolds introduced Pall Mall Black and Pall Mall White menthol variants, with the traditional menthol style identified as Pall Mall Green. In 2015, U.S. regulators required the removal of two specified Pall Mall varieties from stores. The brand's historical visual identity includes large Art Nouveau-style Pall Mall lettering, a red pack, a white coat of arms with two lions and a knight's helmet, and the Latin motto "In hoc signo vinces." Pall Mall has also appeared in popular culture, including references in the fiction and commentary of smoker Kurt Vonnegut and a scene in the 1973 film Badlands.
- 2015
Two varieties ordered off U.S. store shelves
[1]The FDA required removal of two specified Deep Set Recessed Filter Pall Mall varieties.
- 2012
Black and White menthol variants introduced
[1]Reynolds introduced Pall Mall Black and Pall Mall White in the U.S. menthol range.
- 2004
Brown & Williamson and R. J. Reynolds merge
[1]The merger placed the U.S. Pall Mall business within the surviving R. J. Reynolds company.
- 2001
U.S. value repositioning
[1]The U.S. brand was repositioned as a savings product and expanded its filtered-cigarette range.
- 1994
Brown & Williamson acquisition
[1]Brown & Williamson acquired Pall Mall and Lucky Strike.
- 1966
100-millimetre cigarettes introduced
[1]Pall Mall launched longer cigarettes known as longs.
- 1960
Peak U.S. popularity
[1]Pall Mall was reported to be the leading cigarette brand in the United States.
- 1939
King-size format promoted
[1]The brand promoted an approximately 85-millimetre cigarette format that later became standard in the industry.
- 1907
Acquired by American Tobacco
[1]Pall Mall became part of the American Tobacco Company through the acquisition of Butler & Butler.
- 1899
Brand introduced in the United Kingdom
[1]The Black Butler Company introduced Pall Mall as a cigarette aimed at upper-class consumers and named after a London street.
Products and positioning
Historically introduced as a premium cigarette, Pall Mall later developed a value-oriented or sub-premium positioning in the United States while retaining a broad international cigarette-brand role.
Cigarette
Pall Mall Red
A red-associated Pall Mall variant and one of the brand's principal mainstream product designations. The color system became especially important in the U.S. after conventional descriptors such as Light and Mild were restricted.
Cigarette
Pall Mall Blue
A blue-associated Pall Mall cigarette designation. The brand has used blue packaging and color naming for particular strength or taste variants in market-specific portfolios.
Menthol cigarette · 2012
Pall Mall Black
A U.S. menthol variant introduced by R. J. Reynolds in 2012 and described in the source material as full flavor.
Menthol cigarette · 2012
Pall Mall White
A U.S. menthol variant introduced alongside Pall Mall Black in 2012 and described as smoother.
Menthol cigarette · 2012
Pall Mall Green
The color designation used for the traditional menthol style in the U.S. Pall Mall range after the introduction of Black and White.
100-millimetre cigarette · 1966
Pall Mall Longs
A longer cigarette format introduced in 1966. The product extended Pall Mall's format experimentation beyond the shorter king-size format.
Filtered cigarette
Pall Mall Deep Set Recessed Filter
A filtered U.S. product family that included a blue variety and a menthol variety. The FDA required both specified varieties to be removed from stores in 2015.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Premium product at a sub-premium price
United States
During the Great Recession, Pall Mall was marketed as offering a premium-style product at a lower, sub-premium price.
Outcome. The source material associates this value strategy with historical U.S. market-share and volume growth through 2010.
- 1956M Squad sponsorship
United States
Pall Mall sponsored the NBC television program M Squad; star Lee Marvin appeared in commercials broadcast during episodes.
Outcome. The sponsorship linked Pall Mall with a nationally distributed television program before the U.S. television cigarette-advertising ban.
- 1955MGM Parade sponsorship
United States
Pall Mall was an alternating sponsor of MGM Parade during the 1955–56 television season.
Outcome. The brand gained additional entertainment-program exposure.
- 1950Outstanding...and they are mild
United States
A slogan used during the 1950s and early 1960s presented Pall Mall as both distinctive and mild.
Outcome. The campaign supported the brand's prominent mid-century positioning.
- 1940The cigarette which travels the smoke further
United States
A Pall Mall advertising slogan highlighted the brand's longer cigarette format and claimed that its smoke traveled farther.
Outcome. The slogan became part of the brand's mid-century U.S. advertising history.
- 1940Ripley's Believe It or Not sponsorship
United States
Pall Mall sponsored the radio program Ripley's Believe It or Not during the 1940s.
Outcome. The sponsorship expanded the brand's radio-era visibility.
- 1940The Big Story sponsorship
United States
The brand sponsored The Big Story during the 1940s and 1950s.
Outcome. Pall Mall maintained exposure through a recurring broadcast sponsorship.
Brand decisions
2015
Regulatory removal of two U.S. varietiesOtherBackground
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration required certain tobacco products to be removed from retail distribution.
Action taken
Two Pall Mall Deep Set Recessed Filter varieties, Blue and Menthol, were required to be removed from stores.
Aftermath
The specified products were discontinued or removed from U.S. retail availability.
2012
Expansion of the U.S. menthol rangeProduct launchBackground
Pall Mall's U.S. portfolio was being managed through color-coded product variants.
Action taken
Reynolds introduced Pall Mall Black and Pall Mall White, while identifying the traditional menthol style as Pall Mall Green.
Aftermath
The launch broadened the brand's menthol assortment in the U.S. market.
2009
Color-based product descriptors adopted in the United StatesOtherBackground
U.S. restrictions were scheduled to prohibit cigarette descriptors such as Light, Ultra Light, and Mild.
Action taken
R. J. Reynolds changed the descriptors on Pall Mall hard packs to color designations and coordinated cigarette-ring and filter lettering with the package colors.
Aftermath
The color system became the principal naming approach for the affected U.S. hard-pack variants.
2004
Brown & Williamson–R. J. Reynolds mergerM&ABackground
Brown & Williamson and R. J. Reynolds combined their tobacco operations.
Action taken
The companies merged on July 30, 2004, with the surviving company continuing under the R. J. Reynolds name.
Aftermath
R. J. Reynolds continued manufacturing and selling Pall Mall in the United States, while BAT handled the brand outside the United States.
2001
U.S. repositioning toward valueStrategyBackground
Pall Mall needed a clearer role in the U.S. cigarette portfolio and was being developed for value-conscious consumers.
Action taken
The brand was repositioned as a savings brand and expanded with filtered varieties.
Aftermath
Pall Mall became an important growth and value brand within the U.S. Reynolds portfolio.
1994
Brown & Williamson acquisitionM&ABackground
The former American Tobacco Company was shedding tobacco brands.
Action taken
Brown & Williamson acquired Pall Mall together with Lucky Strike.
Aftermath
The brand later entered the R. J. Reynolds system through the 2004 Brown & Williamson–R. J. Reynolds merger.
1907
Transfer to American Tobacco CompanyM&ABackground
Pall Mall was part of Butler & Butler when the company was acquired by American Tobacco.
Action taken
American Tobacco brought the brand into its portfolio and subsequently used it for format and manufacturing experimentation.
Aftermath
Pall Mall developed into a major U.S. cigarette brand and later reached the top of the U.S. market.
Recent events
- 2015
FDA requires removal of two Pall Mall varieties from U.S. stores[1]
Regulation
The FDA required two Pall Mall products, Deep Set Recessed Filter Blue and Deep Set Recessed Filter Menthol, to be removed from stores.
- 2012
R. J. Reynolds introduces Pall Mall Black and White menthol variants[1]
Product launch
The U.S. business launched Pall Mall Black, described as full flavor, and Pall Mall White, described as smoother; the established menthol style was identified as Pall Mall Green.
- 2009
Pall Mall replaces light-style descriptors with color names[1]
Regulation · Other
The U.S. business changed descriptors on hard packs to color designations in anticipation of restrictions on terms such as Light, Ultra Light, and Mild.
- 2007
Pall Mall changes Ultra Lights packaging color[1]
Other
R. J. Reynolds changed the packaging color for Pall Mall Ultra Lights from light blue to orange to reduce confusion with the Lights variant.
- 2004
Brown & Williamson merges with R. J. Reynolds[1]
M&A
Brown & Williamson merged with R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The surviving company retained the R. J. Reynolds name and continued the U.S. Pall Mall business.
- 2001
Pall Mall is repositioned as a savings brand in the United States[1]
Product launch
The U.S. business repositioned Pall Mall toward value and added several filtered varieties.
- 1994
Brown & Williamson acquires Pall Mall[1]
M&A
Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation acquired Pall Mall and Lucky Strike as the former American Tobacco Company divested its tobacco brands.
- 1966
Pall Mall launches 100-millimetre longs[1]
Product launch
The brand introduced longer, 100-millimetre cigarettes in the United States.
- 1960
Pall Mall reaches leading U.S. cigarette-brand position[1]
Other
The brand reached the height of its U.S. popularity and was reported as the country's number-one cigarette brand.
- 1939
Pall Mall introduces king-size cigarette format[1]
Product generation
Pall Mall was used to promote an approximately 85-millimetre king-size format, an innovation that later became an industry standard.
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