Virginia Slims is an American brand of cigarettes owned by Altria. It is manufactured by Philip Morris USA (in the United States) and Philip Morris International (outside the United States). Virginia Slims are narrower ( circumference) than standard cigarettes (hence, "Slims"), and are also longer than normal "king-sized" cigarettes (which are ). They are sold only in longer lengths, to afford the cigarettes a more "elegant" appearance and ostensibly to reduce the amount of smoke that they produce. They are also sold in "Superslims", "Lights," (now called "Gold") and "Ultra Lights" (now called "Silver") varieties. All varieties are available in both menthol and non-menthol flavors. The original packaging was designed by Walter Landor and was white with colored stripes running lengthwise along the left side. In 2016, the package design was updated to replace the stripes with a more floral, mottled appearance. History Philip Morris introduced Virginia Slims on July 22, 1968 and marketed the brand as a female-oriented spinoff of the company's Benson & Hedges brand. The blends, flavorings, color scheme and overall marketing concepts closely followed the Benson & Hedges model. Early packs (1968-1978) read "Benson and Hedges Park Avenue New York" near the bottom. The first test market was San Francisco. Originally scheduled for six months, it was cut short after seven weeks because of the success of the introduction. Distribution and marketing was implemented nationwide, and by September 30, 1968, the entire U.S. was covered. Then, in 1976, a full-flavor packing was test-marketed in Fresno, California. Designed to compete with R. J. Reynolds' More brand, the test ultimately failed and the product was withdrawn. Virginia Slims Lights were successfully introduced in 1978. Although early marketing concepts depicted soft packs, Philip Morris decided to use a box-pack design only. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Virginia Slims Lights' sales were so significant that competitors began introducing their own slim, female-oriented brands (such as American Tobacco Company's Misty, Brown & Williamson's Capri, Liggett's Eve, and R. J. Reynolds' Dawn). In 1984, Virginia Slims Ovals were test-marketed in Rochester, Birmingham and Las Vegas, but were unsuccessful and withdrawn. Ovals were light and had an oval-shaped cross section. In 1985, Virginia Slims Luxury Lights 120's were introduced - a length packaging intended to better compete with R. J. Reynolds' More brand, as well as other 120's on the market. After successfully test marketing in Portland, Oregon and Nashville, the new