ITG Brands Adds to Winston Brand Family

GREENSBORO, N.C. — ITG Brands LLC is expanding its Winston cigarette family.

Winston Select builds on the success of the brand by tapping into the opportunity in the non-menthol gold segment, according to ITG Brands. 

The cigarette, which features a white filter tip and king box, joins Winston Red at retail this month. 

"The name speaks of our selection of choice tobacco that brings flavor, character and quality together in one select blend," said Leonard Jones, vice president of marketing. 

According to the company, the product performed "exceptionally well" with adult smokers in a blind taste tests.

Promotional support for retailers includes the same high-value buydowns as other brands in the Winston family of brands as well as specially marked 50-cents off pack promotions in April and June. Point-of-sale support includes exclusive posters and point-of-sale kits as well as family counter mats, with select pieces showcasing the tagline, "Meet the New Gold Standard."

Winston Select also joins the rest of the Winston brand family engagement programs, including campaigns using direct mail, digital and print advertising.

Greensboro-based ITG Brands is the third-largest tobacco company in the United States and offers a broad portfolio of cigarette, cigar and electronic cigarette brands including Winston, Kool, Salem, Maverick and USA Gold cigarettes; Dutch Masters, Backwoods and Phillies cigars; and blu eCigs electronic cigarettes.  

ITG Brands was formed in 2015 when United Kingdom-based Imperial Brands, then known as Imperial Tobacco Group, closed on its $7.1-billion acquisition of the Winston, Kool and Salem brands from Reynolds American Inc. and the Maverick and blu eCig brands from Lorillard Inc.