Navy Cut Tobacco was a brand of cigarettes originally manufactured by
Imperial Brands
Imperial Brands plc (originally the Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain & Ireland, and subsequently Imperial Tobacco Group plc) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, England. It is ...
(formerly
John Player & Sons) in
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. Named "Player's Navy Cut," the brand gained popularity in Britain, Germany, and British Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, later expanding to the United States.
The brand's packaging featured a distinctive logo of a sailor in a 'Navy Cut' cap.
The term "Navy Cut" reportedly originated from sailors' practice of binding tobacco leaves with string or twine, allowing the tobacco to mature under pressure, and then slicing off a "cut" for use. The product was also available in pipe tobacco form.
Packaging
The cigarettes were initially available in tins, later transitioning to cardboard containers resembling classic matchboxes and eventually adopting the flip-top design common among cigarette brands in the 1950s.
Marketing
The brand's imagery, featuring a sailor known as "Hero," evolved over time but retained its appeal to consumers. Advertising campaigns emphasized the product's quality and universal appeal. Player's Medium Navy Cut became the most popular variant, especially in the South of England and among the middle class.
Despite its popularity, the brand was discontinued in the UK by the end of 2015.
See also
*
Navy cut tobacco
*
Wills Navy Cut
*
List of cigarette brands
References
External links
Imperial Brands website
{{Smoking nav
Cigarette brands
Products and services discontinued in 2015
Navies