306. Boss…Sigarilyo!! BOSS CIGARETTES of Fortune Tobacco Corp., 1971

DETAIL FROM BOSS CIGARETTE Print Ad, 1971

By the start of the new 1970s decade, Lucio Tan;s Fortune Tobacco Corporation was riding the wave of success courtesy of its banner brand, Champion Cigarettes. The brand would later be joined by equally successful brands like Hope Luxury Cigarettes, More, and Fortune. 

There were other less known brands like Mark, Terra, and Westpoint, but hopes were high on FTC’s BOSS CIGARETTES, introduced in 1971, which was backed by solid advertising and marketing supports. The product line, that included  Modern white filter/ Super Kings and Menthol 100s,were pushed in the market with print ads, premium items, and a TV commercial, featuring a memorable tagline—“Boss…sigarilyo!”.

BOSS Print Ad, 1971, Photo source: Pinterest

In a time when cigarette advertising was not regulated, BOSS CIGARETTES continued to be available in the Philippine market through the early 2001. Since Jan. 1, 2007, when Republic Act 9211 was passed, all cigarette commercials on television, cable television and radio have been prohibited. The FTC portfolio was streamlined, and  BOSS CIGARETTES was dropped from the product line.