Collection: True

Lorillard spent two years developing its newest low-tar, low-nicotine cigarette in the 1960s, finally releasing True and True Menthol nationally by November 1, 1966. The non-menthol Trues were often referred to as “True Blues,” because they came in a blue and white pack (whereas True menthols came in a green and white pack). The nickname is reminiscent of the American idiom, “true-blue,” which denotes loyalty, faithfulness, and trustworthiness.

As is the case with the majority of products on the market, brands of cigarettes were named in order to send particular messages to consumers. The brand name “Kool,” for example, not only reminds consumers of the throat-cooling sensation of menthols, but it also speaks to the word’s meaning in slang; to be “cool” is to be hip and trendy. The choice of certain brand names also extends to tobacco companies’ efforts to ease the concerns of worried smokers. Indeed, when the tobacco companies could no longer rely on explicit health claims in their advertisements due to FTC regulation, they developed countless methods to subliminally convey the same message, including brand name.

This is no different with True, and in fact, the brand name of this cigarette serves to convince consumers that the cigarettes are healthier or less harmful. An internal industry document reveals that True was created for “the health concerned smoker whom previous research has shown to be True’s target market” (1). Indeed, consumers are meant to feel as if they can depend upon and trust True to be “true-blue” and to have the consumer’s best interest at heart.

“DUP OF ID 01817666/7673.” Jan 1967. Lorillard. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/yiu54c00.