Fortuna (cigarette)

Fortuna

Product type	Cigarette
Owner	Altadis, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco
Country	Spain
Introduced	1974; 51 years ago (1974)
Markets	See Markets
Previous owners	Tabacalera
Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1

Fortuna is a spanish brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by the Spanish company Altadis, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco. Fortuna is Spanish for “fortune” or “luck”.^{[citation needed]}

History

An old Spanish pack of Fortuna cigarettes, with a Spanish text warning at the bottom of the pack

Fortuna was first introduced in 1974 in Spain by Tabacalera, a Spanish tobacco conglomerate that is now half of the Altadis corporation. When Fortuna was launched in 1974, the market was dominated by black tobacco and the few international brands of blonde (light) cigarettes that were very expensive for the Spanish smoker. As a response to this, Tabacalera launched Fortuna cigarettes which were a type of blonde tobacco with a filter. With Fortuna came the first American blonde-flavored cigarette and in its first six months almost 700 million cigarettes were sold. Ten years later, it spread internationally, first in France, and then in countries like Italy, Morocco, and the United States. For more than thirty years, Fortuna has been sold in Spain on the blonde cigarette market.^[1] The tobacco mixture used in Fortuna cigarettes is of a Virginia type.

In April 2008, Altadis changed the pack design to a "new and modernized look" and reduced the number of its big pack cigarettes from 25 to 24, with the aim of setting a round price (which was €3,00 at the time). Altadis's primary rival is Philip Morris International.^[2]

In 2013, Fortuna was the fourth best-selling brand in Spain with more than 184,000,000 packs sold.^[3]

In 2015, the taxes of Fortuna, Ducados, and Nobel were once again increased from €4.40 to €4.45; an increase of 5 cents.^[4]

In December 2016, Altadis raised the price of their Fortuna, Ducados, and Nobel brands by 10 cents, while opting to keep their Fortuna soft pack brand at €4,45.^[5][6]

Advertising

Tabacalera and Altadis made various poster and magazine advertisements in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s to promote the Fortuna brand.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]}

Besides poster and magazine adverts, a few TV adverts were also made. Some were made for Spain, but also for other countries such as Venezuela.^{[19][20][21][22]}

A few telephone cards have also been made, featuring Fortuna adverting on them.^[23][24]

Other memorabilia that Tabacalera made during the time, includes lighters, calendars, and game cars, featuring Fortuna advertising.^{[25][26][27][18]}

Sponsorship

The 2003 Fortuna Yamaha YZR-M1, driven by Carlos Checa (pictured top) and the 2006 Fortuna Honda RC211V, driven by Marco Melandri with alternative livery

Grand prix motorcycle racing

Fortuna was a sponsor of various teams within the Grand Prix motorcycle racing classes. In races where anti-tobacco laws were in place (such as France and Germany) the Fortuna name was replaced with the "Spain's N°1" logo.

MotoGP

Fortuna sponsored the Pons Racing team in the 500cc class in 1995 and 1996.^[28][29]

Fortuna sponsored the Gresini Racing team in the MotoGP class in 2002 and 2006.^[30][31][32]

Fortuna sponsored the official Yamaha MotoGP team in the MotoGP class, along with Gauloises, from 2003 until 2005.^[33][34]

Fortuna sponsored the satellite Yamaha MotoGP Tech 3 team in the MotoGP class from 2003 until 2005.^[35]

250cc

Fortuna sponsored the Gresini Racing team in the 250cc class in 2002 and 2003.^[36]

Fortuna sponsored the Honda team in the 250cc class in 2004 and 2005.^[37]

Fortuna sponsored the Aprilia Racing team in the 250cc class in 2006 and 2007.^[38][39]

Sportscar racing

Fortuna sponsored the Brun Motorsport team in the 1980s.^[40][41][42]

Markets

Fortuna is mainly sold in Spain, but was or still is sold in Morocco, Italy, France, Austria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Venezuela, and Brazil.^[43][44][45] In the United States, Fortuna cigarettes are manufactured by Commonwealth Brands in Reidsville, North Carolina.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Tobacco smoking

References

1. "Descubre nuestro gran abanico de marcas - Altadis - Imperial Tobacco España". Altadis.com. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
2. "Fortuna renueva imagen y reduce a 24 cigarrillos su cajetilla - Noticia - Gran Consumo - MarketingNews.es". www.marketingnews.es. 2 April 2008. Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
3. "Las 10 marcas de cigarro más mortales". MiMaravatío.com. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
4. "Ducados, Fortuna y Nobel también se encarecen y suben 5 céntimos". 23 January 2015.
5. EP (21 December 2016). "Altadis sube 10 céntimos el precio de los cigarrillos Fortuna, Nobel y Ducados". El País – via elpais.com.
6. "Altadis eleva 10 céntimos el precio de sus marcas de cigarrillos Ducados, Fortuna y Nobel". 21 December 2016.
7. "FORTUNA CIGARETTE TOBACCO TABAC TABACO - AD PUBLICITE ANUNCIO - SPANISH - 2183 - eBay". eBay.
8. "Fortuna cigarette tobacco tabac smoking-AD publicite advert-English - 2184 - eBay". eBay.
9. "RECORTE anuncio tabaco cigarrillos fortuna". todocoleccion.net.
10. "CLIPPING RECORTE ANUNCIO TABACO CIGARRILLOs fortuna - eBay". eBay.
11. "CLIPPING RECORTE ANUNCIO TABACO CIGARRILLOs fortuna - eBay". eBay.
12. "CARTEL PUBLICITARIO TABACO FORTUNA.. ENVIO GRATIS¡¡¡". todocoleccion.net.
13. "PUBLICIDAD PRENSA 1985 - FORTUNA - CIGARRILLOS TABACO". todocoleccion.net.
14. "Calendario de bolsillo-Publicidad Tabaco-Fortuna-1991-02". www.el-trastero.eu.
15. "Postal 024924 : Publicidad Fortuna para liar". todocoleccion.net. Archived from the original on 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
16. "CALENDARIO PUBLICIDAD FORTUNA, TABACO, 1991, CAL1035". todocoleccion.net.
17. "CALENDARIO FOURNIER, PUBLICIDAD TABACO FORTUNA, SULF, 1988, ORIGINAL, CAL6922". todocoleccion.net.
18. "CALENDARIO FOURNIER, PUBLICIDAD TABACO FORTUNA, BARCO VELA, 1988, ORIGINAL, CAL6921". todocoleccion.net.
19. 625rayas (13 November 2010). "ANUNCIO TABACO FORTUNA". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14 – via YouTube.
20. Chucho Lopez (5 December 2013). "Comerciales de cigarro Fortuna". Archived from the original on 2020-05-12 – via YouTube.
21. MARIO CUEVAS (12 January 2009). "Anuncio de tabaco". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14 – via YouTube.
22. miguelier (1 March 2007). "Comercial del Yesquero Fortuna (Venezuela)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14 – via YouTube.
23. "Tarjeta telefónica: Tabaco Fortuna (Telefónica, España) (Tobaco) Mar:P-155". Colnect.
24. "Tarjeta Telefónica Fortuna en El Coleccionista". www.el-coleccionista.es.
25. "MECHERO BRIO, PUBLICIDAD CIGARRILLOS FORTUNA". todocoleccion.net. Archived from the original on 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
26. "MECHERO ENCENDEDOR PUBLICIDAD FORTUNA CAJETILLA CIGARRILLOS". todocoleccion.net.
27. "BARAJA POKER COMAS. PUBLICIDAD TABACO CIGARRILLOS FORTUNA". todocoleccion.net.
28. "Team profile: Pons Racing: history". Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
29. "Fortuna HONDA PONS NSR500'96". www.kaz32.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-20. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
30. Sports, Dorna. "Gresini excited by Fortuna Honda team". www.motogp.com.
31. "Gresini confirms Michelin, Fortuna exit". 30 October 2006.
32. "Gresini Honda Loses Fortuna Cigarette Sponsorship". www.roadracingworld.com. 30 October 2006.
33. "Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Feature - MCNews.com.au". 25 December 2004.
34. "Fortuna Yamaha launch at Jerez". 20 February 2003.
35. "Hervé Poncharal Yamaha Tech3 MotoGP Interview".
36. Sports, Dorna. "Official entry list for 250cc World Championship". www.motogp.com.
37. Sports, Dorna. "Fortuna Honda make official presentation in Madrid". www.motogp.com.
38. Sports, Dorna. "Fortuna Aprilia to set to work next week". www.motogp.com.
39. Sports, Dorna. "Fortuna Aprilia duo head early 250cc leaderboard". www.motogp.com.
40. "Quando le corse fumavano". 29 October 2015.
41. others, The Zen Cart® Team and. "SLOT.IT CA03F - Porsche 962C LH #17 'FORTUNA' 2nd Le Mans 1986 [CA03F] - $69.00 : Armchair Racer, Slot Cars, Scalextric, Ninco, Fly, Carrera". www.armchairracer.com.au.
42. "Figsbury's most recent Flickr photos - Picssr". picssr.com.
43. "BrandFortuna. - Cigarettes Pedia". Cigarettespedia.com. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
44. "Fortuna". Zigsam.at. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
45. "Brands". Cigarety.by. Retrieved 1 January 2018.