Marlboro Unlimited
Posted by jonathan kemp on
There is something particularly intriguing about the promotional merchandising from the 1990s era. It wasn't just some giveaway that had a logo printed on it. Companies would create their own little worlds complete with catalogues, clothing, accessories, and plenty of rugged gear to equip themselves for what seemed like six months living off in the wilderness.
A video by Mark Davis entitled Marlboro Cigarette Adventure Team & Unlimited Gear Rewards, is an exploration of one of the most impressive promotional ventures the Marlboro Adventure Team and Unlimited gear program and let’s be honest, the amount of gear is pretty amazing.
The concept itself was straightforward. Smokers kept UPC labels, commonly known as Marlboro Miles, from cigarette packs and used them to get themselves gifts out of the product’s catalogue.
The more you gathered, the better gift you received.
Rather than using the codes and virtual rewards that are common today, this program was one that was very tangible. You would cut the labels off from the packs, save them in a safe place, look through the catalogue, and then send everything in. And a few weeks after that, you would receive a real product bearing the Marlboro brand name.
In the current world of instant gratification, it seems oddly slow, but that was part of the appeal, you had earned something tangible.
What makes the collection in the video so interesting is its variety. There are knives, lighters, bags, jackets, watches, games and pieces of outdoor equipment. Some items lean heavily into the classic obvious red and black Marlboro look, while others are surprisingly plain. It must be noted that all those items were not some low quality promotional products. People who used the programme back in the day often mentioned how well the items were made. Bags were durable enough to last for years of travel. Jackets saw actual wear and tear instead of being worn just for a show of support. Multitool and knives became an important part of the toolkit even the commenters on the video note that they continue to use their original gear many decades after. This makes sense as most of the adventure team merchandise seemed to find second life in vintage stores, car boot sales and resale platforms.
Obviously, Marlboro was not distributing camping gear for free in a show of generosity. The Adventure Team campaign was a carefully planned piece of branding.
All the aspects of the program supported the same image which was freedom, toughness, open roads and weekends away in some place far away from an office. Smoking Marlboro cigarettes meant that you belong to the outdoor club! Collect enough points, and you will be able to purchase the clothing, packing gear and the tent bearing the brand's logo. The items are fascinating and excitingly designed even though they served as a part of the marketing strategy intended to promote the dangerous product.
One can appreciate the battered vintage holdall as a historical artifact without glorifying the cigarettes that it once advertised. Actually, the contradiction is one of the main reasons that make these items so culturally interesting. It demonstrates the way how well the company could brand the product. Without the original marketing campaign, most of those items fit perfectly in modern retro aesthetic.
The design is bright. The logos are immediately recognisable. The outdoor gear has that practical 90s look that modern companies are trying to replicate. A faded Adventure Team jacket feels different because it has actually been somewhere. A duffel bag with worn handles probably carried more than a carefully styled weekend outfit. Even the smaller pieces, an old Zippo, pocketknife or keyring feel like tiny artefacts in a way ,from a completely different approach to advertising.
There’s also the thrill of finding something that was never sold in an ordinary shop. These products had to be earned through the rewards programme, so discovering one second-hand feels a little like uncovering a secret piece of 90s culture.
The video’s authenticity, not overly polished or produced, is why it works. It’s like re-enacting a show and tell that you used to do to you mum, but by a person who had kept things locked away for many years and has finally opted to show it all.
One thing leads to another. Every lighter and pocketknife in every bag opened a memory. It became a snapshot of the way in which people shopped, gathered and connected with everyday items.
That’s the pleasure of vintage! The best pieces don't come clean and out of context. The world that produced them leaves its traces on those objects even when this or that world was and is still complicated, questionable and hey… also very good at marketing.
Would collecting cigarette packets for a jacket be a good idea? No…Not at all.
Would we save that same jacket off a charity shop rail decades later? Definitely.
– Megan McNally
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