In August 2001, Imperial Tobacco announced that it had entered into an agreement with Philip Morris International for the distribution and sale of Marlboro, Raffles and Chesterfield cigarettes in the U.K. In May 2011, the name of the brand was changed from Raffles to Virginia S by Raffles. At the time, a pack of 20 cigarettes costed £6.76. Xavier Ducarroz, Marketing Director at Philip Morris said the following about the name change: "Raffles continues to be a successful range, but we were conscious that the brand needed to be refreshed. Virginia S. offers the same classic taste that adult smokers of Raffles have grown to love with a much more modern, contemporary look and feel".
Advertising
Various poster and magazine adverts were made to promote the brand in the 1980s and 1990s. A lighter and toiletries with the Raffles logo were also made. Philip Morris International would introduce various special offers during the 1980s and 1990s via many leaflets. If you bought a pack or a carton of Raffles cigarettes, you would get a free Tumbler glass, a T-shirt, a cafetière, a Wallet and so on. Other special offers included a 75pence off if you handed over a voucher at a Kwik Save store in the United Kingdom, a free pack offer when the Raffles 10-pack variant was introduced, a third free pack if you bought 2 packs of Raffles cigarettes and so on.
Controversy
Off-license manager loses job over Lamont lies
In December 1992, it was reported that an off-license manager who claimed that Norman Lamont bought cheap champagne and cigarettes at his shop had left his job after admitting he made up the story. His deputy, who also confessed to fabricating the report but was not directly responsible, had been disciplined and would return to work, a company spokesman said. David Newton, manager of the Thresher's branch in Praed Street, Paddington, West-London, and John Onanuga, his assistant, attended a disciplinary hearing at Thresher's headquarters in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. They had claimed the Chancellor spent £17.47 on a bottle of Bricout champagne and a pack of Raffles cigarettes at their branch on 16 November 1992. The story was denied by the Chancellor and by Thresher's, who said that it was "wholly inaccurate". Mr Lamont said he bought three bottles of wine at a branch near Marble Archthe day before, while returning from his official residence in Buckinghamshire. The Treasury produced a till receipt backing his claim. In a statement, Thresher's said that Mr Newton "was primarily responsible for the fabrication and for what has taken place since". It did not disclose the action taken against Mr Onanuga.
