Gunston (cigarette)

Gunston was established in the 1950s by the Winston Tobacco Company in South Africa.[2] It enjoyed significant popularity in the South African market until its sales began to decrease, with consumers increasingly favoring other brands like Peter Stuyvesant and Marlboro.

On April 28, 1972, a trademark request for the phrase "Gunston cigarettes" was submitted and subsequently approved on June 19, 1973. This trademark remained valid until June 19, 2004.[5]

In December 1999, the Independent Online reported that Gunston, along with brands like John Player International, Camel Plain, and Gitanes, faced the possibility of being banned if the manufacturers did not reduce the tar content in these brands. Manufacturers were given a three-month window to comply with the new regulations, and they did so. These regulations were aligned with the 1999 recommendations from the World Health Organization, which set a maximum limit of 15 mg of tar and 1.5 mg of nicotine in cigarettes. It was also planned to further reduce these limits to 12 mg of tar and 1.2 mg of nicotine after two or three years.[6]

Pack of Gunston with a text warning above

Various magazine and poster advertisements were made to advertise the brand. Some ads also included Team Gunston (a Formula One team owned by the Rhodesian racing driver John Love) and the "Gunston 500", a South African surf competition.[7][8] The slogan that was frequently used was "Men Rate Gunston Great".[9]

Some radio advertisements for Springbok Radio were also made.[10][11]

• Tobacco smoking