Embassy Regal Cigarettes’ “Reg” Campaign

Forgotten Adverts · 1992

Published

“Reg” was a character-led British advertising campaign for Embassy Regal cigarettes, associated with Imperial Tobacco. It was active in 22 October 1992, when a Commons debate referred to Reg as the character leading Regal’s billboard campaign. The campaign used Reg as a recurring comic device in advertising. Its use ended in December 1993 at the Advertising Standards Authority’s request or following its advice.

Why It Mattered

It became a significant tobacco-advertising controversy after a 1994 BMJ study found its strongest appeal among teenagers, particularly smokers aged 14–15, rather than its stated adult audience. The campaign was withdrawn after a complaint to the ASA. The Media Leader reported that the ASA found no formal code breach but advised against running the campaign again and asked for it to be pulled.

Campaign Format

- Reg was a recurring comic character device for Embassy Regal cigarettes. - A Commons debate of 22 October 1992 described Reg as leading Regal’s billboard campaign.

Reception Study

- A 1994 BMJ study used surveys of 5,451 schoolchildren aged 11–15, 437 children aged 5–10 and 814 people aged 15–65, alongside discussion groups. - The study found the campaign’s greatest appeal among teenagers, especially smokers aged 14–15. - Its purported adult target group of 35–55 was comparatively unappreciative.

Withdrawal

- The Health Education Authority complained about the campaign. - The Media Leader’s 15 December 1993 report said the ASA found no formal code breach but advised against further use and requested discontinuation. - Parliamentary records say Imperial Tobacco discontinued Reg in advertisements in December 1993, except for a Welsh snooker promotion already under way.

Associated With

Imperial Tobacco - advertiser or agency

Defining Feature

Recurring comic character used in Embassy Regal cigarette advertising

Status

Discontinued - December 1993

Primary Records

- **Commons Chamber Debate, 22 October 1992** - **Embassy Regal Tobacco Advertisements — Early Day Motion Amendment** - **Lowe Howard-Spink / Imperial Tobacco Regal ‘Blue’ Campaign Creative Brief** - **Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2006 — Explanatory Memorandum** · Archived copy

Image Sources

- **Image 1** - **Image 2** - **Image 3** - **Image 4**

Rights Notice

Images are included for historical and archival reference. Rights holders may contact Forgotten Archive through the publishing account to request a credit correction or removal.

Gallery

Blue Embassy Regal cigarette advert reading “Reg on smoking.” A black-and-white cut-out portrait of a smiling bald man appears beside the line “I smoke ’em because my name’s on ’em.” and a hand holding a Regal pack. Tar, nicotine and smoking warning text runs along the bottom.
Source
Credit

Embassy Regal advertising artwork; scan preserved by Dave Dye's Stuff from the Loft

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

Reg's name supplied the joke in this Embassy Regal advert, using an intentionally literal character to make the cigarette brand memorable.

Purple Embassy Regal cigarette advert headed “Reg on the greenhouse effect.” A black-and-white cut-out portrait of Reg appears beside the line “My tomatoes seem to grow better under glass.” and a hand holding a Regal pack. Tar, nicotine and smoking warning text runs along the bottom.
Source
Credit

Embassy Regal advertising artwork; scan preserved by Dave Dye's Stuff from the Loft

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

Reg's misunderstanding of the greenhouse effect turned a topical phrase into a deliberately simple-minded advertising punchline.

Blue Embassy Regal cigarette advert headed “Reg on the Stock Exchange.” A cut-out head appears above two open hands holding dark cubes and loose tobacco beside the line “I’d never swap my cubes for gravy granules.” A Regal pack and smoking warning appear at right and below.
Source
Credit

Embassy Regal advertising artwork; scan preserved by Dave Dye's Stuff from the Loft

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

The Stock Exchange execution continued the campaign's wordplay, replacing financial language with Reg's everyday understanding of a stock cube.

Light-blue Regal Mild cigarette advert reading “Reg’s twin brother Al smokes Mild.” A black-and-white cut-out portrait of a dark-haired man appears beside the line “I smoke ’em because my name’s on ’em.” and a hand holding a Regal Mild pack. Tar, nicotine and smoking warning text runs along the bottom.
Source
Credit

Regal Mild advertising artwork; scan preserved by Dave Dye's Stuff from the Loft

Licence

Historical Ephemera

Displayed for commentary and research. Fair dealing under the UK CDPA 1988 applies only where its conditions are met. No permission for reuse is granted.

Caption

Reg's twin Al extended the naming joke to Regal Mild, making a product variation part of the campaign's recurring character story.