View source for Raffles (cigarette)

{{Short description|British cigarette brand}}
{{infobox brand
| name= Raffles
| logo=
| image= [[File:Raffles Cigarettes (Full Flavour).jpg|250px]]
| caption= An old British pack of Raffles cigarettes
| type= [[Cigarette]]
| currentowner= [[Philip Morris USA]] in the U.S., [[Philip Morris International]] outside of the U.S.
| producedby= [[Philip Morris USA]] in the U.S., [[Philip Morris International]] outside of the U.S.
| origin= [[United Kingdom]]
| introduced=
| discontinued= May 2011
| related= 
| markets= [[United States]], [[United Kingdom]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cigarettespedia.com/index.php/BrandRaffles|title=BrandRaffles - Cigarettes Pedia|website=www.cigarettespedia.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zigsam.at/B_Players.htm|title=Players|website=www.zigsam.at}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zigsam.at/B_Raffles.htm|title=Raffles|website=www.zigsam.at}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cigarety.by/brand.php?n=10&l=17&p=0&w=RAFFLES+|title=Brands|website=www.cigarety.by}}</ref>
| previousowners= [[Imperial Tobacco]]
| trademarkregistrations= 
| ambassadors= 
| tagline= ''"One Step Ahead"''
| website= 
| footnotes = Carcinogenicity: [[IARC group 1]]
}}

'''Raffles''' (also known as '''Players''' in the [[United States]]; now '''Virginia S by Raffles''') was a British brand of [[cigarette]]s which was owned and manufactured by [[Philip Morris USA]] in the U.S. and by [[Philip Morris International]] outside of the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cigarettespedia.com/index.php/BrandRaffles|title=BrandRaffles - Cigarettes Pedia|website=www.cigarettespedia.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/spicetrail/raffles.html|title=About the Raffles Family Collection|first=Annabel|last=Gallop|website=www.bl.uk}}</ref>

==History==
In August 2001, [[Imperial Tobacco]] announced that it had entered into an agreement with Philip Morris International for the distribution and sale of [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]], Raffles and [[Chesterfield (cigarette)|Chesterfield]] cigarettes in the U.K.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imperialtobacco.com.tr/en/tarihce.php|title=Imperial Tobacco Türkiye|website=www.imperialtobacco.com.tr}}</ref>

In May 2011, the nme of the brand was changed from Raffles to Virginia S by Raffles. Philip Morris Marketing Director Xavier Ducarroz described the rename as a move to a "contemporary look and feel."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.talkingretail.com/products-news/tobacco/philip-morris-unveils-virginia-s-the-new-name-and-look-for-raffles-cigarettes-10-05-2011/|title=Philip Morris unveils Virginia S – the new name and look for Raffles cigarettes|date=10 May 2011|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conveniencestore.co.uk/products/phillip-morris-rebrands-raffles/217982.article|title=Phillip Morris rebrands Raffles|publisher=}}</ref>

==Advertising==
Various poster and magazine adverts, as well as promotional merchandise, were made to promote the brand in the 1980s and 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.magazine-advertisements.com/tobacco-products-ads.html|title=Tobacco Products Ads|website=Advertisement Gallery}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interesting-treasures.co.uk/shop/tobacciana-leaflets/1986-raffles-cigarettes-pack-offer-leaflet/|title=1986 Raffles Cigarettes Pack Offer leaflet|website=www.interesting-treasures.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.butlins-memories.com/brochuresimages/holmag1985/page02.htm|title=Pages 2 & 3 - Contents|website=www.butlins-memories.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Tobacco smoking]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}{{Philip Morris International}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raffles (Cigarette)}}
[[Category:Philip Morris brands]]