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

See Also

• Other «W» Brand Cigarettes