Cigarette brands have used cowboys, camels, and penguins as mascots, but have you ever seen a cigarette brand with a Saint as its face and inspiration? Regardless of your feelings on the tobacco industry, Nora Kaszanyi’s concept for Florian is a unique approach. Nora was tasked with creating a brand or product related to Budapest, Hungary, and presenting it in three different styles. Florian is represented here in historicist style, the first characteristic she chose.
“Hungary is not the primary center for tobacco production but at the turn of the century a few tobacco factories were in Budapest. Among them the most significant one was in Óbuda that was located at Flórián Square. This square is named after St. Florian, the patron saint of fire protection and firefighters so I chose name Florian for this reason and built the brand identity around his figure.”
The design is unlike the cigarette packaging we see today, appearing elegant, refined, and clean. Even the mandatory reminder that “Smoking Kills” is written in a small and simple serif font. The design relies on whites and navy blues with splashes of gold, and avoids cliched mascots that are geared towards recruiting younger crowds to pick up a pack. Inspired by St. Florian and the city of Budapest, this design would be suited well for mature crowds looking for a more sophisticated cigarette.
