Philip Morris
A long-established cigarette brand owned by Philip Morris International in most markets and by Philip Morris USA in the United States.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Philip Morris is an eponymous cigarette brand with roots in England and a long history in the United States and international tobacco markets. The brand was introduced to the United States in 1847, while the Philip Morris company was incorporated in New York in 1902. Before the company acquired its first cigarette factory, in Richmond, Virginia, in 1929, its products were manufactured under license by the Stephano Brothers of Philadelphia. The brand developed through several product and packaging changes during the twentieth century. Philip Morris English Blend was introduced in 1933 as a regular-size, non-filter cigarette. Its name changed to Philip Morris Special Blend in 1948. King-size and queen-size formats followed in 1953, alongside filtered, non-filtered and menthol variants. The brand subsequently used names and formats including Multifilter, Menthol and Commander. Some variants used charcoal filters and plastic packaging, reflecting the period's intense competition over filtration, flavor and perceived smoothness. Philip Morris became particularly visible through mass-media sponsorship and recognizable advertising personalities. Beginning in 1933, the company used Johnny Roventini, a small-statured bellhop whose “Call for Philip Morris!” performance became closely associated with the brand. Philip Morris also sponsored the television series I Love Lucy during the 1950s and supported CBS news programming, including Douglas Edwards and the News and later broadcasts following Walter Cronkite's succession. These arrangements placed branded cigarette imagery and sponsorship messages within some of the most influential American media of the era. The brand's marketing changed after consumer research in the mid-1950s suggested that earlier advertising had left an association with irritation. Philip Morris replaced its long-running brown package with a lighter design, retired Roventini for a period and promoted a gentleness-oriented message. The change was followed by a reported rise in first-quarter sales in 1956 compared with the prior year, although the brand later revived elements of its earlier identity, including Roventini and the “Call for Philip Morris!” line. In 1960, the king-size product was repositioned as Philip Morris Commander with nautical-themed advertising. Philip Morris has also been part of the wider cigarette industry's use of targeted marketing. From the 1960s, tobacco companies expanded advertising in Black newspapers, magazines and urban neighborhoods, while promoting menthol products and sponsoring community organizations and events. This history is now discussed in the context of tobacco industry's racialized marketing practices and the unequal health burden associated with cigarette use. In current commercial structure, Philip Morris is manufactured and sold by Philip Morris International in markets outside the United States, while Philip Morris USA handles the brand in the United States. The brand has been sold across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and other regions. In Italy, the Diana cigarette brand was renamed and redesigned as Philip Morris in 2015. The brand remains distinct from Marlboro and from Philip Morris International's IQOS heated-tobacco product system, although both sit within related corporate portfolios.
History
The Philip Morris cigarette brand traces its roots to the tobacco business associated with Philip Morris in England. It entered the United States in 1847, long before the later creation of Philip Morris International as a separate international company. The American corporate entity was incorporated in New York in 1902. Until the acquisition of a Richmond, Virginia, cigarette factory in 1929, products carrying the Philip Morris name were made under license by the Stephano Brothers of Philadelphia. A major period of brand development began in 1933 with the launch of Philip Morris English Blend, a regular-size, non-filter cigarette. Advertising featured Johnny Roventini, a bellboy whose high-pitched “Call for Philip Morris!” delivery made him a distinctive commercial symbol. The name changed to Philip Morris Special Blend in 1948. During the 1950s, the brand broadened its range with king-size and queen-size formats, filtered and non-filtered versions, and menthol products. The company also experimented with charcoal filtration and plastic packaging in variants launched during the 1960s. The brand participated heavily in the golden age of American broadcast sponsorship. Philip Morris supported I Love Lucy during the 1950s, with cigarette-pack imagery appearing in original broadcasts. It also sponsored CBS news programming, including Douglas Edwards and the News and broadcasts associated with Walter Cronkite's early period at the network. These sponsorships helped connect the brand with mainstream family entertainment and news, while later advertising continued to use music, announcers, package redesigns and recurring slogans. By the middle of the 1950s, the company was reassessing the effectiveness of its advertising. Consumer research reportedly found that people associated Philip Morris with irritation because prior campaigns had emphasized the absence of an alleged manufacturing irritant. The brand responded with a white package featuring stripes and a revised logo, together with advertising focused on gentleness. Johnny Roventini was temporarily retired, although the character and “Call for Philip Morris!” identity later returned. The brand also used messages concerning mildness and young adult smokers, themes that reflected broader cigarette-industry marketing practices and later became ethically and legally controversial. In 1960, the king-size product was renamed Philip Morris Commander and given a nautical presentation. The brand's visibility declined over subsequent decades as consumer preferences shifted and Philip Morris's portfolio concentrated more heavily on other names, especially Marlboro. Nevertheless, Philip Morris cigarettes continued in selected markets. Manufacturing and ownership arrangements diverged geographically: Philip Morris USA retained responsibility in the United States, while Philip Morris International became responsible for the brand in most international markets after the separation of the international tobacco business from Altria. The brand's history also intersects with tobacco industry's targeted outreach to Black communities. From the 1960s onward, cigarette companies increased advertising in Black media and urban neighborhoods and promoted menthol products as part of a broader effort to respond to public-health criticism and expand market share. Historians have documented how these practices contributed to higher menthol-cigarette use and disproportionate tobacco-related harms in Black communities. This is an important part of the Philip Morris brand's social and marketing context, even where the specific source material concerns the industry more broadly rather than a single campaign. Philip Morris remains available in a number of countries, though its exact product range and manufacturing arrangements vary by market. In Italy, the Diana brand adopted the Philip Morris name and appearance in 2015. The current brand should not be confused with Philip Morris International's corporate identity or with IQOS, a separate heated-tobacco product system marketed by the same international tobacco group.
- 2015
Italian Diana rebrand
[1]Diana cigarettes in Italy were renamed and visually redesigned as Philip Morris.
- 1960
Commander repositioning
[1]The king-size product was renamed Philip Morris Commander and given nautical-themed marketing.
- 1953
Longer and filtered formats added
[1]King-size, queen-size, filtered, non-filtered and menthol formats were introduced.
- 1948
Special Blend naming adopted
[1]English Blend was renamed Philip Morris Special Blend.
- 1933
English Blend launched
[1]A regular-size, non-filter Philip Morris English Blend cigarette was introduced.
- 1929
First company-owned cigarette factory
[1]The company acquired a cigarette factory in Richmond, Virginia.
- 1902
New York incorporation
[1]The company associated with the brand was incorporated in New York.
- 1847
Introduction in the United States
[1]The Philip Morris cigarette brand was introduced to the United States after originating in England.
Products and positioning
A heritage cigarette brand historically positioned around blend character, smoothness, mildness and multiple formats, with later market-specific packaging and variant adaptations.
cigarette · 1948
Philip Morris Special Blend
The successor to Philip Morris English Blend, this cigarette was a principal mainstream expression of the brand after the 1948 renaming. It was offered in non-filter and later multiple size and packaging configurations, with availability and specifications varying by market.
cigarette · 1960
Philip Morris Commander
Introduced as a renamed king-size Philip Morris product in 1960, Commander used a nautical identity in its advertising. The variant illustrates the brand's practice of adapting its name, packaging and promotional theme as competition intensified.
filtered cigarette · 1963
Philip Morris Multifilter
Multifilter was a filtered Philip Morris line introduced in the 1960s and associated with charcoal filtration. It was part of the brand's response to changing consumer interest in filtered cigarettes and differentiated packaging.
menthol cigarette · 1953
Philip Morris Menthol
The menthol expression formed part of the brand's expanded 1950s and 1960s range. Like other menthol cigarettes, its market availability and legal status have varied substantially across countries.
Controversies
2020
Montana sues tobacco companies over settlement payments
Montana sued tobacco companies, alleging they withheld $43 million in settlement payments owed to the state. The state’s motion alleges that the companies used annual disputes to improperly reduce or delay their payments; these are allegations, not a reported court determination.
2019
Thai court fines Philip Morris Thailand
A Thai court found Philip Morris Thailand guilty of evading taxes by under-declaring the value of imported cigarettes and ordered it to pay a fine of 1.2 billion baht ($39.7 million).
1960
Racially targeted tobacco marketing
The brand's history sits within the tobacco industry's expansion of advertising and sponsorship directed at Black communities, including promotion of menthol products. Historians and public-health researchers have criticized these practices for exploiting racial disparities and contributing to unequal tobacco-related health outcomes.
Marketing campaigns
- 1960Commander nautical campaign
United States
The renamed Philip Morris Commander used nautical imagery and related promotional themes to distinguish the king-size product.
Outcome. Created a new identity for the king-size line during a period of extensive cigarette-brand repositioning.
- 1960Targeted Black-community tobacco marketing
United States
Philip Morris was part of an industry environment that expanded tobacco advertising in Black newspapers, magazines and urban neighborhoods and supported community events and organizations. Historical accounts connect these practices with the promotion of menthol cigarettes and the growth of smoking in Black communities.
Outcome. The practices contributed to long-term criticism of tobacco industry's racialized marketing and public-health effects.
- 1955Gentleness repositioning
United States
Following research into negative consumer associations, Philip Morris introduced a lighter package design and shifted messaging toward gentleness and a more positive brand presentation.
Outcome. The source reports that first-quarter sales in 1956 were 26 percent higher than in the comparable prior-year period.
- 1950I Love Lucy sponsorship
United States
Philip Morris sponsored I Love Lucy during its original television run, with brand imagery appearing in some original broadcast credits and presentation materials.
Outcome. Expanded the brand's association with mass-market television entertainment; the sponsorship ended during the 1950s.
- 1933Call for Philip Morris!
United States
Johnny Roventini promoted the brand as a bellboy character using the distinctive “Call for Philip Morris!” delivery across radio, television and print advertising. The campaign became one of the brand's best-known historical identities.
Outcome. Established a highly recognizable advertising character, which was later retired and then revived.
Brand decisions
2015
Rebrand Diana as Philip Morris in ItalyStrategyBackground
The Italian market used the Diana cigarette name before the change.
Action taken
Diana changed its name and visual appearance to Philip Morris.
Aftermath
The Philip Morris name gained a stronger role in the Italian cigarette portfolio.
1960
Convert the king-size line to CommanderGeneration changeBackground
Philip Morris sought to refresh the identity of its king-size cigarette.
Action taken
The king-size product was renamed Philip Morris Commander and promoted with nautical imagery.
Aftermath
Commander became a distinct historical variant within the Philip Morris portfolio.
1955
Replace the brown package and revise advertisingStrategyBackground
Consumer research reportedly found that earlier claims had left the brand associated with irritation.
Action taken
Philip Morris introduced a white striped package, revised its logo presentation, emphasized gentleness and temporarily retired Johnny Roventini.
Aftermath
The reference reports a 26 percent increase in first-quarter sales in 1956 compared with the first quarter of the previous year, while earlier advertising elements were later revived.
First-quarter sales growth. 26% year-over-year increase (First quarter of 1956 versus first quarter of 1955)
1948
Rename English Blend as Special BlendStrategyBackground
The brand adjusted its name after operating under the English Blend identity since 1933.
Action taken
The product was renamed Philip Morris Special Blend.
Aftermath
The Special Blend name became a principal historical expression of the brand.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Philip Morris Limited appoints Bahar Demirci as Senior Director of Smoke-Free Products[4]
Reported:
Philip Morris Limited, the UK and Ireland affiliate of Philip Morris International, appointed Bahar Demirci as Senior Director of Smoke-Free Products, overseeing smoke-free product portfolios in the UK and Irish markets and leading the smoke-free transition across online and offline channels. She succeeds Baris Ozcan, who was appointed Vice President Smoke-Free Products Category Europe Region at PMI.
- Unconfirmed
Montana sues tobacco companies over settlement payments[2]
Reported:
Montana sued tobacco companies, alleging they withheld $43 million in settlement payments owed to the state. The state’s motion alleges that the companies used annual disputes to improperly reduce or delay their payments; these are allegations, not a reported court determination.
Montana sues tobacco companies over settlement payments[5]
Reported:
Montana sued several tobacco companies, including Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, alleging that they withheld $43 million owed to the state under a tobacco settlement agreement. The allegations are claims in the lawsuit, not a determination of liability.
Thai court fines Philip Morris Thailand[3]
Reported:
A Thai court found Philip Morris Thailand guilty of evading taxes by under-declaring the value of imported cigarettes and ordered it to pay a fine of 1.2 billion baht ($39.7 million).
Sources5 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/philip-morris · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled