That was when the 57-year-old gave Gitanes Blondes -- a sister brand of the cigarettes that were an indispensable prop of Jean-Luc Godard films -- a complete makeover.

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They include special blends of both menthol and non-menthol cigarettes to try to keep the brand growing and to lure smokers away from its competitors.

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Given that tobacco companies are all but prohibited from advertising, how can a premium brand differentiate itself from the cheaper competition when it sells its cigarettes in an identical box?

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Lorillard, the third largest U.S. tobacco company and leading maker of menthol and premium cigarettes, continues to gain market share for its leading brand, Newport.

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Gallaher's LD brand is one of the biggest tobacco labels in Russia, and its Sovereign cigarettes are widely smoked in the former Soviet states of Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

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