Yabba dabba cough! when the flintstones shilled cigarettes

Among all the cartoon characters that have ever been used to sell products, it’s perhaps a bit puzzling that a prehistoric family appears to have been the most popular. So for this edition of our “Rewind” series, we focus on The Flintstones.

Way beyond their brand of vitamins, The Flintstones have used their clout to advertise products that most definitely did not exist during the Stone Age Winston Cigarettes, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Dove, to name a few.

But historical accuracy was never a strong point for the popular prime time show, which ran for six seasons from 1960 to 1966 (and continued in syndicated heaven for decades after). After all, Fred and Co. regularly celebrated Christmas.

When the show first aired, Winston Cigarettes was a presenting sponsor. That might have been because network execs were marketing the show to adults. Remember, Fred and Wilma were one of the first couples to appear in bed, on screen, during prime time (the show even implied that Barney and Betty had trouble conceiving children, leading to their adoption of Bamm Bamm). And the ads also threw in a bit of sexism in one of them, Barney and Fred watch their wives do a whole load of chores. “I hate to see them work so hard,” says Barney. Fred suggests going round to the back of the house so they won’t have to watch anymore, where they promptly light up.

These were the times when commercials were integrated in the middle of the action call it the 1960s’ version of native advertising. Grape jelly goes well with cigarettes, apparently. One commercial in a commercial spot showed Fred watching television when a Welch’s Grape Jelly spot came on. Pebbles, Fred and Wilma’s baby girl, asked for grape juice (although the brand wasn’t explicitly mentioned) during the show, and the company even sold special glass jars with scenes featuring the characters.

Miles Laboratories (now Bayer), the makers of Alka Seltzer, had Fred call out to his unseen “Ma,” asking her where the antacid was. It introduced its Flintstones vitamin brand in the late 1960s.

In 1970, Congress passed an Act banning the advertisements of cigarettes on television and radio. Although they never actually showed Barney getting lung cancer, in 1986, the Flintstones did a PSA for the American Cancer Association. In fact, when the series went into syndication, a more standardized set of opening credits were used, which removed references to season one sponsor Winston.

Fred and Barney also talked about the joys of Busch Beer in a promo short that was created for the company’s employees.

As late as 2005, Wilma appeared in an ad campaign out of Ogilvy & Mather Chicago for Dove’s hair styling products, alongside Jane Jetson. “My hair has been stuck in the Stone Age,” she says. A print campaign showed her looking fab with a blowout and some volumizing mousse and has she lost a few pounds, too?

In this article

Rewind

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Brandwinston – cigarettes pedia

Winston cigarettes were introduced in 1954 by Tobacco Company and became the first nationally popular filtered cigarette. The cigarettes derive their name from the town in which RJR is based Winston Salem, North Carolina. Winston became the best selling brand of cigarettes in the United States. It held the N1 spot from 1966 to 1975.

In 1999, Winston Salem introduced a new cigarette to the Eastern European market, the Winston One Cigarette. The cigarette got its name from having only one mg of tar, yet having a full mg of nicotine. Eastern European smokers were not satisfied with the new cigarette, sales began to drop, and the line was discontinued in 2001. Since then Winston One has been marketed as an ultra light cigarette currently available on the European market. This product features a very low 0.1 mg of tar per cigarette. This is one of the lowest in the marketplace, especially in Eastern Europe.

Between 1972 and 2003, Winston was known for its sponsorship of NASCAR’s premier championship, the Winston Cup. The brand also sponsored both IHRA and NHRA drag racing.

In the early part of the 21st century, Winston is still one of the top 10 brands in the U.S due to very successful Winston’s promotional events, class if its tobacco and pure American spirit. Winston cigarettes are made in the best American tradition. Delicate combination of soft flavor and original aroma of the bouquet in tobacco’s blend expresses the exquisite simplicity and harmony characteristic for modern culture.

Between 1972 and 2003, Winston was known for its sponsorship of NASCAR’s premier championship, the Winston Cup. The brand also sponsored both IHRA and NHRA drag racing.

Today Winston cigarettes are sold in 80 countries and are the fourth in sales among international tobacco brands.

Cigarette Packs

Winston (Charcoal Filter Filters) KS 20 H USA
Winston (Charcoal Filter Super Mild) KS 20 H USA
Winston (Charcoal Filter1 mg) L 20 H USA
Winston (Cigarillos Con Filtro) KS 20 S Mexico
Winston (International) L 20 B USA
Winston (Lights gold and white) KS 20 S USA
Winston (Lights white and red) KS 20 H USA
Winston (Lights white and red) KS 20 S USA
Winston (Lights white and red) L 20 S USA
Winston (Twenty) KS 20 H (red) USA
Winston (Ultra Lights) KS 20 S USA
Winston (Ultra Lights) L 20 S USA
Winston (Ultra) KS 20 S USA
Winston (Ultra) L 20 S USA
Winston (collection version) (Balanced Blue 00’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Balanced Blue 50’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Balanced Blue 60’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Balanced Blue 70’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Balanced Blue 80’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Balanced Blue 90’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Classic Red 00’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Classic Red 50’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Classic Red 60’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Classic Red 70’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Classic Red 80’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (collection version) (Classic Red 90’S) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (gold Filters) L 20 S USA
Winston (gold Filters) L 4 H USA
Winston (gold Menthol) L 4 H USA
Winston (gold) L 20 S USA
Winston (silver Menthol) L 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above ‘Filters’ on red) KS 10 H Chile
Winston (with eagle from above ‘Filters’ on red) KS 20 H Chile
Winston (with eagle from above ‘Filters’ on red) KS 20 S Peru and Chile
Winston (with eagle from above ‘Filters’ on red) L 20 H Switzerland
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Lights) KS 20 H USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Lights) KS 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Lights) L 20 H USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Lights) L 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Ultra Lights) KS 20 H (white and red) USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Ultra Lights) KS 20 S (white) USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) (Ultra Lights) L 20 S (white) USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) KS 20 H USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) KS 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above in the right) L 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Balanced Blue) KS 20 H Germany and Spain
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Balanced Blue) KS 20 S Germany and Greece
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Balanced Blue) KS 25 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Balanced Blue) KS 25 S Germany and Greece
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Classic Red) KS 20 H Germany and Spain
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Classic Red) KS 20 S Germany and Greece
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Classic Red) KS 25 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Classic Red) KS 25 S Germany and Greece
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Filters) KS 20 H Russia and USA
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Fine White) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Fine White) KS 25 H Germany and Greece
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Fresh Menthol) KS 25 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Lights) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Subtle Silver) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Subtle Silver) KS 25 H Germany and Greece
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor Super Lights) KS 20 H Germany
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor) KS 20 H (Balanced Blue) Spain
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (American Flavor) KS 20 H (Classic Red) Spain
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (Filters) KS 20 H USA
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) (Lights) L 20 H USA
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) KS 20 H England and USA
Winston (with eagle from above on the top) KS 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Lights white and red) KS 10 H Germany and France and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Lights white and red) KS 20 H Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Lights white and red) KS 25 H Germany and France and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Lights white and red) L 20 H Switzerland
Winston (with eagle from above) (Lights white) KS 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Menthol Lights) KS 20 H Sweden and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Menthol) KS 20 H Sweden and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Mild) KS 20 H Switzerland and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Super Lights) KS 20 H France and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Ultra Lights) KS 20 H Greece and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) (Ultra Lights) KS 25 H Belgium and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) KS 10 H Germany and France and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) KS 20 H Spain and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) KS 25 H Germany and France and USA
Wins
ton (with eagle from above) KS 30 H South Africa and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) L 20 H Switzerland and USA
Winston (with eagle from above) L 20 S (gold) USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Lights) KS 10 H France and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Lights) KS 20 H Switzerland and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Lights) KS 20 S Peru and Chile
Winston (with eagle from below) (Lights) KS 25 H France and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Lights) L 20 S Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Menthol Lights) KS 25 H France and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (One 1) KS 20 H Japan
Winston (with eagle from below) (One 1) L 20 H Japan
Winston(Japan)
Winston (with eagle from below) (One) KS 20 H Switzerland and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Super Lights) KS 20 H France and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Ultra Lights) KS 20 H France and Germany and USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Ultra Lights) KS 25 H France and Germany and USA
Winston eVo (Evolved Rich blend) Plastic Flask KS 20 U.S.A.
Winston Lights eVo (Evolved Light blend) Plastic Flask KS 20 U.S.A
Winston KS 20 H USA
Winston KS 20 S USA
Winston KS 4 H USA
Winston L 20 S USA
Winston (with eagle from below) (Medium) KS 20 S Iran
Winston Blue (T rkiye 2009)
Winston Red (Georgia 2010)(T rkiye llegal cigarettes)
Winston Blue (Georgia 2010)(T rkiye llegal cigarettes)

External Links Vintage Print Advertising

Gallery of classic graphic design featuring Winston cigarettes

Vintage Television Advertising

Collection of American television advertisements for Winston cigarettes