State Express 555
State Express 555, commonly called 555 or Three-Fives, is a British-origin Virginia-blend cigarette brand with a particularly strong historical association with China and international motorsport.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
State Express 555 is a cigarette brand whose roots lie in the late-nineteenth-century London tobacco trade. The brand concept was inspired by an American railway journey: Sir Albert Levy, a London tobacco merchant, reportedly encountered the Empire State Express while visiting the United States in 1893. The train’s reputation for speed helped provide the imagery and name for a range of State Express tobacco products. State Express was established in London on 10 March 1896. Its original owner was the Ardath Tobacco Company, a business associated with Albert Levy that had previously operated under other names, including Albert Levy & Thomas and La Casa de Habana. The State Express trademark system used repeated three-digit numbers, registered in the United Kingdom in 1907. Different numbers represented different tobacco blends or products. Although the range included numbers such as 444 and 777, State Express 555, a Virginia tobacco blend introduced in 1896, became the leading product and ultimately Ardath’s flagship cigarette. The brand’s corporate ownership developed through the tobacco industry’s consolidation and the division of Ardath’s rights. In 1925, British American Tobacco acquired Ardath’s rights outside the United Kingdom, while Imperial Tobacco retained the British and Irish rights. BAT later acquired Imperial’s share in 1961, giving it full control of Ardath’s trademarks. In the 1920s and 1930s, State Express 555 became one of BAT’s most important brands in China. Historical accounts describe it as a dominant premium cigarette in that market, although sales were disrupted after the establishment of the People’s Republic and the subsequent rise of state control and communism. The brand was later reintroduced to China. State Express 555 has long been marketed through international associations rather than only through pack design. Its best-known sponsorship platform was motorsport. The brand appeared in Hong Kong–Beijing rallying and became closely identified with Subaru’s blue-and-yellow World Rally Championship cars from 1993 to 2004. Where tobacco advertising restrictions applied, the brand was represented by three crescent moons. The same visual identity appeared in Formula One through British American Racing and, particularly at Chinese Grands Prix, through Honda’s use of the 555 World Racing identity. The brand also sponsored badminton, snooker, rugby league, the Asian Open, the World Rally Championship, and other sporting or broadcast properties. These activities helped position 555 as an internationally recognizable, aspirational tobacco name, especially in East and Southeast Asia. In 2013, China National Tobacco and British American Tobacco formed CTBAT International Co. Ltd., which holds the worldwide rights to State Express 555. The brand remains an active cigarette brand, although its distribution, advertising, packaging, and sponsorship are subject to differing tobacco regulations across markets.
History
The State Express name emerged from the late-nineteenth-century tobacco business of Sir Albert Levy, a London merchant who is said to have drawn inspiration from the Empire State Express railway during a visit to the United States in 1893. The railway’s public image as a fast and prestigious service supplied the central idea for a tobacco range associated with speed and modern travel. State Express was established in London on 10 March 1896. It was originally produced and owned by the Ardath Tobacco Company, a London tobacco concern whose earlier identities included Albert Levy & Thomas and La Casa de Habana. Levy registered the Ardath name in Ireland in 1895, and the company adopted the Ardath Tobacco Company name in 1901. The State Express numerical trademarks were registered in the United Kingdom on 18 February 1907. The early range used repeated three-digit numbers to distinguish blends. State Express 444, for example, was associated with Macedonian leaf, while 777 used Turkish tobacco. Other State Express products included cigars and tobacco, and export catalogues listed additional brand names. The most commercially successful product was State Express 555, a Virginia-blend cigarette introduced in 1896. It became Ardath’s flagship and gave the number 555 lasting international significance. During the 1920s and 1930s, BAT developed a powerful position in China, with State Express 555 among its most important brands. The brand reportedly exceeded five billion units in sales in 1937. Its Chinese prominence was interrupted by political change and the rise of communist rule, but 555 was subsequently reintroduced. The brand became closely embedded in popular accounts of twentieth-century Chinese political and commercial history, including claims that Mao Zedong favored the cigarettes; such claims are part of the brand’s historical mythology and should not be treated as a basis for broader conclusions about consumer behavior. A major ownership division occurred in 1925, when BAT acquired Ardath’s overseas rights while Imperial Tobacco retained rights in the United Kingdom and Ireland. BAT ultimately obtained Imperial’s share in 1961. This gave BAT full control of Ardath’s trademarks, although later international rights arrangements changed as the tobacco industry developed joint ventures and regionally structured operations. From the late twentieth century, State Express 555 became strongly associated with sports marketing. It sponsored rallying, including the Hong Kong–Beijing Rally, and became the signature sponsor identity on Subaru’s World Rally Championship cars from 1993 through 2004. The blue-and-yellow livery remained influential even after sponsorship ended. The brand also appeared in Formula One through British American Racing and Honda, with especially prominent use at Chinese Grands Prix. Tobacco advertising restrictions led organizers and teams to replace 555 marks with three crescent moons in some countries. Outside motorsport, the brand sponsored badminton, snooker competitions, rugby league, the Asian Open, the World Rally Championship, and other events. These campaigns positioned 555 as a premium international cigarette brand with an emphasis on speed, competition, travel, and East Asian recognition. In 2013, BAT and China National Tobacco created CTBAT International Co. Ltd. to hold worldwide rights to the brand. State Express 555 remains active, although tobacco-control laws limit the forms of promotion and sponsorship available to it in many markets.
- 2013
CTBAT International established
[1]China National Tobacco and BAT formed CTBAT International, which owns the worldwide rights to State Express 555.
- 2004
Subaru WRC sponsorship period ends
[1]The principal State Express 555 sponsorship of Subaru’s WRC program ended, although the blue-and-yellow visual style continued to influence Subaru rally branding.
- 1993
Subaru World Rally Championship sponsorship begins
[1]State Express 555 became the prominent sponsor identity on Subaru’s World Rally Championship cars.
- 1961
BAT obtains full Ardath control
[1]BAT acquired Imperial Tobacco’s interest in Ardath and gained full control of its trademarks.
- 1937
Reported sales exceed five billion units
[1]Historical accounts cited sales of more than five billion State Express 555 units during the year, reflecting the brand’s strength in China and other markets.
- 1925
Overseas rights transferred to BAT
[1]BAT acquired Ardath’s rights outside the United Kingdom, while Imperial Tobacco retained the British and Irish rights.
- 1907
Three-digit trademarks registered
[1]The repeated-number State Express marks, including 555, were registered in the United Kingdom on 18 February 1907.
- 1896
State Express established in London
[1]The State Express brand was founded in London on 10 March 1896, with State Express 555 introduced as a Virginia tobacco blend.
- 1893
Railway inspiration for the State Express name
[1]While visiting the United States, Sir Albert Levy reportedly drew inspiration from the Empire State Express, whose speed and prestige influenced the later tobacco brand concept.
Products and positioning
A premium, internationally marketed cigarette brand built around speed, railway heritage, three-digit numbering, Chinese market recognition, and motorsport sponsorship.
Cigarettes · 1896
State Express 555
The flagship State Express product is a Virginia-blend cigarette introduced in 1896. It became the most successful member of the numbered State Express range and developed a particularly strong association with China, international travel, premium tobacco marketing, and motorsport sponsorship.
Cigarettes and tobacco products · 1896
State Express numbered range
The original State Express portfolio used repeated three-digit marks to distinguish tobacco blends. Historical examples included 444, associated with Macedonian leaf, and 777, associated with Turkish tobacco. The broader range also included cigars and other tobacco products, although 555 became the commercially dominant member.
Marketing campaigns
- 2000555 World Racing at selected Formula One events
China · International
From 2000 through portions of the Honda-owned BAR period, 555 World Racing branding was displayed prominently at Chinese Grands Prix, where the brand had especially strong recognition.
Outcome. Tobacco sponsorship pressure and changing European legislation eventually led Honda to remove commercial sponsorship logos and adopt an Earth-themed livery from 2007.
- 1999British American Racing Formula One branding
International
When British American Racing entered Formula One, the team planned to use 555 World Racing branding on one car and Lucky Strike branding on the other. FIA restrictions prevented the intended split presentation, leading to a combined livery in the team’s debut season.
Outcome. The arrangement was unpopular and was revised for 2000, when 555 branding became smaller except at selected events and markets.
- 1993Subaru World Rally Championship
International
State Express 555 sponsored Subaru’s World Rally Championship program from 1993 to 2004, creating the brand’s most recognizable blue-and-yellow motorsport livery.
Outcome. The livery became a defining visual identity for both 555 and Subaru rallying. In jurisdictions prohibiting tobacco advertising, three crescent moons replaced the 555 marks.
- 1989Asian Open sponsorship
Asia
The brand sponsored the Asian Open from 1989 to 1992.
Outcome. The sponsorship supported State Express 555’s profile across Asian sporting markets.
- 1985555 World Racing rally sponsorship
Hong Kong · China
555 World Racing logos appeared on cars competing in the Hong Kong–Beijing Rally from 1985 to 1987.
Outcome. The program established the brand’s early modern association with rallying.
- 1984State Express Challenge Cup
United Kingdom
The rugby league Challenge Cup was branded the State Express Challenge Cup in 1984.
Outcome. The naming sponsorship connected 555 with a prominent British rugby league competition.
- 1980Summer Olympics sponsorship
International
State Express 555 sponsored the 1980 Summer Olympics.
Outcome. The campaign gave the brand visibility through a major international sporting event.
- 1979Badminton sponsorship
International
State Express 555 sponsored badminton in 1979 and again in 1982, extending the brand’s sports-marketing presence beyond tobacco retail.
Outcome. The sponsorship formed part of the brand’s broader association with competitive sport.
- 1979State Express snooker sponsorship
United Kingdom · International
State Express sponsored the World Challenge Cup from 1979 to 1983; the competition was renamed the World Team Classic in 1981.
Outcome. The sponsorship linked the brand with televised professional snooker during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Brand decisions
2013
Worldwide rights transferred to CTBAT InternationalM&ABackground
BAT and China National Tobacco created a joint venture for international tobacco-brand rights.
Action taken
CTBAT International Co. Ltd. was established to own the worldwide rights to State Express 555.
Aftermath
The brand became part of a jointly structured BAT–China National Tobacco international portfolio.
1961
BAT consolidates Ardath ownershipM&ABackground
Imperial Tobacco had retained the British and Irish Ardath rights after the 1925 division.
Action taken
BAT bought Imperial Tobacco’s share of Ardath.
Aftermath
BAT gained full control of Ardath’s trademarks, including State Express 555.
1925
BAT acquires Ardath overseas rightsM&ABackground
The sale of Ardath divided the brand’s geographic rights between BAT and Imperial Tobacco.
Action taken
BAT took the rights outside the United Kingdom, while Imperial Tobacco retained the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Aftermath
The division remained until BAT acquired Imperial’s Ardath interest in 1961.
Recent events
- 2013
CTBAT International formed to hold worldwide brand rights[1]
M&A · Other
China National Tobacco and British American Tobacco established CTBAT International Co. Ltd., which holds the worldwide rights to State Express 555.
- 1961
British American Tobacco gains full control of Ardath trademarks[1]
M&A
BAT bought Imperial Tobacco’s share of Ardath, consolidating control of Ardath’s trademarks, including State Express 555.
- 1925
British American Tobacco acquires overseas Ardath rights[1]
M&A · Other
British American Tobacco acquired Ardath’s rights outside the United Kingdom, while Imperial Tobacco retained the British and Irish rights to the brand.
Sources1 sources
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