OUR HISTORY

THE YEAR OF THE SWAN
CELEBRATED 125 YEARS!

Swan is synonymous with a variety of products – filters, papers, lighters – but the iconic brand started its life in Liverpool in 1883 as a new style of match.

The first Swan matches were cotton wick dipped in wax and in 1895 they were replaced by Swan White Pine Vestas which had wooden splints. It was not until 1908 that the ‘White Pine’ was dropped and the term ‘Swan Vestas’ stood alone.

The changing of the Swan
The original brand image, created by Collard & Co, depicted a Swan on a pond with rushes and water lilies in the background. The current identity may no longer have the rushes and lilies, but it still carries the serene image of the gliding swan.

In 1959 the iconic Swan changed direction on the pack and rather than gliding to the left, it changed to the right, but the Swan inside the box remained unchanged. The simple explanation was the introduction of the new one-piece inner box design.

The Swan underwent a trial rework in 1965 when it was turned black. Though the image was still striking, the new look never made it the final print. Another trial image, which made it on the pack during the 1970’s where the detail of the Swan’s wings were removed to make way for a price label. This design was short lived as it impaired the image of the Swan so the price tag was demoted to the back of the box.

Today’s Swan is smaller than her predecessors, is clean cut, white and still retains its regal profile that was created during the Victorian era.

A different kind of match box
With its striking yellow, green and red colouring the current Swan boxes have strong stand out on all retail displays, but it was only in 1900 that the first of such packs were created. The box was initially a flat cardboard box with mauve on a white label, and over the years it has been modified to follow design trends.

One of the most unusual Swan boxes was The Knapsack that came out in 1903 and was a metal box, gold or silver, with a spring lid. Between 1920 and 1939 Swan put into production their ‘Dainty Swan Vestas’ which were designed for their female customers. They came in presentation cases of 12 small boxes with the inscription “For My Lady” on the case. The original sets of 12 came in six different colours, but this later changed to each “Dainty Box” coming in its own individual colour.

One of the most impressive designs was the ‘Royal Swan Vestas’ which were originally set to be introduced in 1914, but because of the First World War the run was postponed. It was later picked up in 1958 for the Christmas trade when Swan produced four different coloured boxes – red, green, maroon and blue – and it included gold leaf lettering. The matches were ‘double-dipped’ so that the tips were gold and the second half was the same colour as the box.

The word of Swan
The first Swan poster was put into circulation in 1912 advertising Swan Vestas and it ran with the slogan “The Smokers Match. Refuse all imitations – insist upon having Swans”. With the advent of the Second World War changes were made within the match industry and as a result of shortages all luxury brands disappeared. Swan supported the national cut-back by stating on all of their packs “Use Matches Sparingly”.

After the war, the slogan “The Smokers Match” returned to the box and was a strong part of the brand’s advertising campaign until the mid 1980’s.

Something for the customers
Swan has always ensured that they give their customers something to thank them for their loyalty through a variety of promotions.  One of the most novel promotions was introduced in between 1914 – 1917 where a free life insurance policy was inserted into every box and covered the amounts of £100, £200 and £500. Among the conditions of the insurance was that the box of Swan Vestas much be on the person at the time of the accident and that the death must be due to an injury received while travelling.

Celebrating the 125th year and beyond
2008 is the 125th anniversary of the Swan brand name and it will be celebrated the milestone with some limited edition eye-catching Swan Vestas collectors packs.

Over the years the Swan name has expanded and has moved on from its humble beginnings. In a mature category Swan Vestas increased its market share to 16.8% (MAT to July 2008) reconfirming it’s status as the number one match brand in the UK. The Swan Brand is now a stalwart in the smokers’ requisites category, with its filters having an increased market share of 82.7% (MAT to December 2008).

In order to keep the brand sharp and up-to-date, Swan has an ongoing research programme to understand their consumer better. This has resulted in Swan recently launching a new and improved Swan Green papers which are chlorine free and have improved stickability from a totally natural gum. The launch of the Swan Combi pack – which comprises 50 Swan Extra Slim Filters & 50 Swan Green Papers in one pocket handy pack was a direct result of extensive consumer research, and sales have indicated strong acceptance.

With a brand heritage dating back to 1883 the world’s favourite Swan looks set to be around for at least another 125 years.