Salem is cigarettes brand introduced in 1956 by the RJR as the first filter-tipped menthol cigarettes. Its name (along with that of the Winston brand) derives from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the city where RJR was founded and headquartered.

 Since 1956 Salem cigarette dominated the menthol cigs category becoming one of the best-selling cigarettes in the world. In the late 1960s, the brand’s slogan was “You can take Salem out of the country, but…you can’t take the country out of Salem.” Later, the slogan “Springtime… it happens every Salem” was used.

The packaging for Salem cigarettes was significantly revised in the late 1990s, with the addition of sliding packs, and the inclusion of a single cigarette with a green filter. Salem cigarettes have always been known for their supreme quality and peculiar taste and in 2000-2002 the brand added a “New Fuller Flavor” which is labeled as “Black Slide Box” to their traditional “Green, Old Style”. SALEM is today one of the leading menthol brands that is sold in over 30 countries.

In the late 1960s, the brand’s slogan (sung to music in television and radio commercials prior to their prohibition on January 1, 1971) was “You can take Salem out of the country, but…you can’t take the country out of Salem.” Later, the slogan “Springtime… it happens every Salem” was used. In the 1970s RJR began marketing their cigarettes by linking the refreshing taste of menthol to outdoor scenes portraying water and pure nature.

For decades Salem was one of the best-selling cigarette brands in the US, though in recent years it has been surpassed by other menthol brands such as Newport and Kool.

There are now two main varieties of Salem: Green Label and Black Label. The Green Label is marketed as being more smooth-tasting, while the Black Label is said to be stronger or “harsher” tasting.

The packaging for Salem was significantly revised in the late 1990s, with the addition of Black Labels which had sliding packs, and the inclusion of a single cigarette with a dark green filter, appropriately called “The Lucky” after the tradition of flipping the first cigarette in the box upside down and smoking it last.

In Japan, a “clean cigarette” was introduced in August 1995 by R.J. Reynolds and branded as Salem Pianissimo, which was designed to reduce the odor of the cigarette, and generate a pleasant smell and taste in a society which holds cleanliness as a high attribute.

When cigarette advertising on TV was banned in the United States, the comedy show Laugh-In spoofed how manufacturers might get their message across subliminally: “Let’s take a coupla boats up to Newport and Salem.”