BrandPlayer's (Canadian versions)

The ”Hero” trade mark, which was used on most Player’s brands sold in Canada until 2007.

History

In Canada, Player's cigarettes (manufactured by the John Player and Sons division of Imperial Tobacco Canada) have been among the most popular brands of the past half-century. The brand started out with Player's Medium, which was manufactured in Canada at least as early as 1912. This was later followed by Player's Mild (renamed Player's Plain in 1966), which in the early 1960s was Canada's most popular cigarette brand. (A cork-tipped version of Player's Mild was also produced, and sold until the early 1970s.) Player's Filter was introduced in 1961 in regular size (75 mm), and in king size in 1965.

Player's Medium was discontinued sometime in the mid-1970s. The brand family was expanded by the introduction of Player's Light in 1976, and with Player's Extra Light in regular and king size in 1980 and 1983, respectively. A new version of Player's Medium (filter tipped, and with a "tar" rating falling between the Filter and Light varieties) was rolled out in 1988.

Smooth Player's Light (reputedly smoother than Player's Light) debuted in 1992, followed by the introduction of Player's Premiere in 1997. The latter brand had a chamber in the filter tip which contained seminola and charcoal granules; it did not last for very long. Player's Silver was introduced in 2003; it was named "Silver" (instead of Ultra Light) since there was discussion by the government at that time about banning light/mild discriptors from cigarette packaging.

The Player’s name in Canada is also attached to John Player Special (introduced in the early 1970s), Player’s Special Blend (an American-blend cigarette introduced in 1984), and John Player Standard (a discount brand introduced around 2007). Another sub-brand, Player's Black, was also introduced in 2007. Available in Red (full flavour), Gold (light), and Silver (extra light) varieties, it was a slow-burning cigarette that was sold in a unique side-slide box. It was discontinued in 2010, though the side-slide boxes were retained, being currently used for the packaging of Player's 20-count king sized varieties.

Go to Brand John Player Special (Virginia Blend)
Go to Brand John Player Standard
Go to Brand Player's Special Blend

The above-mentioned banning of light and mild discriptors occurred in 2007, which led to a substantial pruning of the Player's brand family. Player's Filter was renamed Player's Original Flavour, Player's Light was renamed Player's Rich Flavour, and Player's Extra Light was renamed Player's Smooth Flavour. Player's Medium, Smooth Player's Light and Player's Silver were discontinued. Also of note was Imperial Tobacco's ceasing of Canadian manufacturing activities in 2008; today, all of Imperial's brands (including Player's) are made at the B.A.T. factory in Monterrey, Mexico and shipped to Canada for sale.

Cigarette Packs

Current Brands

• Player's Mild (Plain) (Version 1--1950s) (photo 1) S-20-B
• Player's Mild (Plain) (Version 1) (photo 2) S-20-B
• Player's Mild (Plain) (Version 2--1960s) S-25-B - Canada
• Player's Plain (Version 3--1970s-1988) S-20-B
• Player's Plain (Version 3--1970s-1988) S-25-B
• Player's Plain (Version 4--1988-1996) S-25-B
• Player's Plain (Version 5--1996-2004) S-20-B

• Player's Filter (Version 1a--early 1960s) S-20-B
• Player's Filter (Version 1b--late 1960s) KS-20-H
• Player's Filter (Version 2--1970s-1988) S-20-B
• Player's Filter (Version 2--1970s-1988) S-25-B
• Player's Filter (Version 2--1970s-1988) KS-25-B
• Player's Filter (Version 3--1988-1996) S-20-B
• Player's Filter (Version 3--duty-free--1988-1996) S-25-B
• Player's Filter (Version 4--1996-2004) S-20-B
• Player's Filter (Version 4--1996-2004) KS-20-H
• Player's Filter (Version 4--duty-free--1996-2004) S-25-B
• Player's Filter (Version 5--duty-free--2004-2007) S-25-B

• Player's Light (Version 1--1976-1988) S-20-B
• Player's Light (Version 1--1976-1988) KS-20-H
• Player's Light (Version 1--1976-1988) KS-25-B
• Player's Light (Version 2--duty-free--1988-1996) KS-25-B
• Player's Light (Version 3--1996-2004) S-20-B
• Player's Light (Version 3--1996-2004) KS-20-H
• Player's Light (Version 3--1996-2004) S-25-B
• Player's Light (Version 3--duty-free--1996-2004) KS-25-B
• Player's Light (Version 4--duty-free--2004-2007) S-25-B

• Player's Extra Light (Version 1--1980-1988) S-20-B
• Player's Extra Light (Version 1--1980-1988) S-25-B
• Player's Extra Light (Version 2--1988-1996) KS-20-H
• Player's Extra Light (Version 3--1996-2004) S-20-B
• Player's Extra Light (Version 3--1996-2004) KS-20-H
• Player's Extra Light (Version 3--duty-free--1996-2004) S-25-B
• Player's Extra Light (Version 3--duty-free--1996-2004) KS-25-B
• Player's Extra Light (Version 4--duty-free--2004-2007) S-25-B

Discontinued Brands

• Player's Medium (Plain) (Version 2--1962) S-20-H

• [Canadian ad for Player’s Premiere, 1997.]
• Player's Premiere (1990s) S-20-B
• Player's Premiere (1990s) KS-20-H

• [Canadian ad for Player’s Medium, 1988.]
• Player's Medium (Filter) (Version 1--1988-1996) S-20-B
• Player's Medium (Filter) (Version 1--1988-1996) KS-25-B
• Player's Medium (Filter) (Version 2--1996-2004) S-20-B
• Player's Medium (Filter) (Version 2--1996-2004) KS-20-H

• Player's Smooth Lights (Version 1--1992-1996) S-20-B
• Player's Smooth Lights (Version 1--1992-1996) KS-20-H
• Player's Smooth Lights (Version 1--1992-1996) KS-25-B
• Player's Smooth Lights (Version 2--1996-2004) S-20-B
• Player's Smooth Lights (Version 2--1996-2004) KS-20-H

• Player's Silver (Ultra Light) (2000s) S-20-B
• Player's Silver (Ultra Light) (2000s) KS-20-H
• Player's Silver (Ultra Light) (2000s) S-25-B

• Player's Black and Red [Full Flavour] (2007-2010) KS-20-B - Canada

See Also

Other 'P'-brand cigarettes

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