Brand performance
We recognise that our business starts with our consumers and our brands, and our balanced portfolio is designed to deliver sustained growth.
Global Drive Brands in 2010
Lucky Strike
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
26(2009: 26)
- Volume growth
+2%(2009: +4%)
- Number of markets
60+(2009: 60+)
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
Pall Mall
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
73(2009: 68)
- Volume growth
+8%(2009: +10%)
- Number of markets
100+(2009: 80+)
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
Kent
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
61(2009: 61)
- Volume growth
-1%(2009: -4%)
- Number of markets
70+(2009: 70+)
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
Dunhill
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
48(2009: 41)
- Volume growth
+18%(2009: +9%)
- Number of markets
120+(2009: 120+)
- Cigarettes sold
(billion)
Other international brands
- Cigarettes sold (billion)
-
150(2009: 147)
-
- Volume growth
-
+2%(2009: +3%)
-
Our other international brands are sold in around 150 markets worldwide
Our leading brands
We have four leading Global Drive Brands (GDBs) that provide around 34 per cent of Group total revenue. These brands are Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike and Pall Mall.
Dunhill offers a range of premium and super-premium cigarettes and cigars at the top end of the market. Sold in more than 120 countries, key markets include South Korea, Malaysia, Brazil, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Australia.
Kent is our largest premium brand, sold in more than 70 countries. Key markets include Russia, Japan, Kazakhstan and Romania. The brand was successfully launched in South Korea in 2010.
Lucky Strike was launched in 1871 and is now sold in more than 60 countries. Key markets include Germany, Spain, Japan, France, Italy, Argentina and Chile.
Pall Mall is our leading global value-for-money brand. Introduced in 1899, it now offers a range of cigarette and make-your-own products sold in more than 100 countries. Key markets include Germany, Russia, Uzbekistan, Mexico and Malaysia.
Other international brands
Other key brands in our portfolio include Vogue and Viceroy. Vogue is a premium brand selling in more than 55 countries. Key markets include Russia, South Korea, France, Italy and Canada. Viceroy is sold in more than 40 countries. Introduced in 1936, key markets today include Turkey, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Argentina.
Other famous international brands, familiar to smokers around the world, include Kool, Peter Stuyvesant, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and State Express 555.
The market in 2010
Continued economic uncertainty in 2010 has had an adverse effect on consumer confidence in some markets. This has presented us and our competitors in the legitimate tobacco industry with further challenges from illicit trade, and total global volumes declined slightly during the year, partly due to some consumers down-trading to cheaper illegal products.
High-performing brand portfolio
Despite this, our GDBs and other international brands continued to grow in 2010, adding to the value of our business across the Group. Our overall GDB volumes grew by 7 per cent, driven by offering value-adding innovation to consumers and successful brand migrations.
Since 2005, the GDB share of our global volumes has increased by 11 percentage points. In 2010, our international brands as a whole accounted for more than 50 per cent of total volumes for the first time.
Key local brands with high consumer loyalty such as Yava in Russia and Free in Brazil continue to play an important role in our brand strategy, as they help us maintain a broad portfolio that meets specific consumer needs.
We are confident that our brand portfolio, balanced across markets, segments and price points, and supported by consumer-relevant innovation, remains well positioned to continue its success.