The History of Capri

Sometime in 1986 (perhaps earlier!), Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. decided to create a "niche" market by developing the slimmest cigarette manufactured to date*. A December, 1986 article in Advertising Age announced that B&W was introducing a new brand, targeted mainly at the female smoker population. This new brand was intended to compete with Virginia Slims, the major female-oriented brand. Thus, the Capri brand was born, and test-marketed in Louisiana. In the Fall of 1987, Capri was introduced in limited markets around the country, accompanied by 2- and 3-page advertisements in major women's magazines and outdoor advertising.

The first Capri packaging billed these ultra-slim cigarettes as "Trim & Light". Having a circumference of 17mm, Capri was much slimmer than standard cigarettes (at 25mm), and even slimmer than other "slim" varieties (at 21-23mm). The slimmer cigarettes meant a change in the way they were placed in the pack. Regular and slim cigarettes are normally packed as 20 cigarettes in 3 rows, in a 7-6-7 configuration. Capri's slimness called for the 20 cigarettes to be packed in 2 rows of ten. The resulting pack was just slightly wider than other slim packs, but not as thick.

In the 1987-88 timeframe, a Capri newspaper coupon insert featured a sweepstakes. The grand prize was a shopping trip for 2 to Paris, France.

In late 1989 or early 1990, the introduction of Virginia Slims' Superslims prompted a change to the Capri pack. The "Trim & Light" was replaced by "Super Slims", and a thin gold line was added around the perimeter of the pack's front and back faces.

Shortly after, in the Spring of 1990, B&W introduced an extension to the Capri line. The longest, slimmest cigarettes available were dubbed "Luxury Length" when Capri 120's were released. (They were test-marketed in Florida, and possibly other southern states. The first 120s had a filter design like the 100s, with the "Capri" running lengthwise, with a colored stripe underneath.)

Several years later, possibly after losing market share to Virginia Slims' Superslims (an ultra-light), B&W introduced Capri Ultra Lights. Advertised in national women's magazines, it was several weeks later before the Ultra Lights hit store shelves.

Side note: The "Capri" brand name was formerly used by Brown & Williamson, several times! It wasn't until the current incarnation of Capri that it was marketed as a ultra slim cigarette. Click here to see a picture of an older Capri pack (unfolded), circa 19??. Click here for the 1967 version.

* According to a cigarette pack collector, there have been ultra slim cigarettes (with a circumference of 20mm or less) since the 1930's.

Some information and pictures courtesy of Burnt Offerings.

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