John Player & Sons
Current logo of the "John Player Special" brand | |
The original John Player factory in Broadmarsh | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Tobacco |
| Predecessor | John Player & Sons. |
| Founded | 1877 |
| Founder | John Player |
| Defunct | 1901 |
| Fate | Merged with twelve other companies and became a branch of the Imperial Tobacco Company (of Great Britain & Ireland) in 1901; some of its iconic brands remain in production. |
| Successor | Imperial Tobacco (1901–1986) |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Cigarettes |
| Brands | Player's John Player Special Navy Cut |
| Footnotes / references Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1 | |
John Player & Sons, most often known simply as Player's, was a tobacco and cigarette manufacturer based in Nottingham, England. In 1901 the company merged with twelve other companies to become a branch of the Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain and Ireland. The company pioneered the advertising with trading (cigarette) cards. As a branch, Player's continued this practice (see below), most notably with a series devoted to the association football in the 1930s. Nowadays the brands "Player" and "John Player Special" are owned and marketed by Imperial Brands and, especially in markets external to the UK, by British American Tobacco.