# Philip Morris = KKK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 1999, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906 "1999-10-08T00:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sake\_Samurai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sake\_Samurai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sake_Samurai)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/1 "1999-10-08T00:49:00Z")
Have you ever really inspected the packaging of Marlboro cigarettes? A black friend of mine recently pointed out why he refuses to buy any product from Philip Morris. He showed me (on a hard pack of regulars) that there are three and exactly three large red K’s on the box. Seeing as he had to tilt the box 90 degrees to show me, I was VERY skeptical at this point (they looked more like stylized chevrons to me). But. . .then he asked me to look closely between the lion’s legs at the outline. Sure enough, it resembled two KKK clansmen holding the “Marlboro” banner! Now is this like the face on Mars or the REAL DEAL? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/2 "1999-10-08T01:09:00Z")
Do you really think that if Philip Morris had any connection to the KKK, they’d put it on their packaging for all to see? Philip Morris is older than the KKK by several years (it started in London after the Crimean War). Their logo probably is of that vintage. Sounds like Bald R. Dash to me. ---
**Author:** ![dwtno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@dwtno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwtno)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/3 "1999-10-08T01:15:00Z")
Yeah, that’s the way to secretly fund an odious organization - print your calling card all over the product. I’ve come to the conclusion that these sort of “products secretly backed by” theories are hatched by people who believe criminals actually leave rhymes, clues and other hints for the police to make it “more sporting” (ala Batman’s The Riddler). Seriously, people! Proctor & Gamble is not a satinist cult, Snapple does promote the slave trade and I sincerely doubt that Marlboro is backing the KKK. Granted, these are Big, Evil Corporations, but they want your money, not your soul. There’s no profit margin in alienating your customers. That being said, I don’t doubt that someone, somewhere is funneling corporate money into hate groups, but you and I don’t know about and we probably ever will. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/4 "1999-10-08T02:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Snapple _does_ promote the slave trade I **knew** it!! ---
**Author:** ![Sake\_Samurai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sake\_Samurai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sake_Samurai)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/5 "1999-10-08T05:47:00Z")
O.K. a couple of simple opinions, but no facts - has anyone even examined the damn packaging? It doesn’t matter which organization is older - what I want to know is if there is a blatant connection between Philip Morris & the KKK apparant on their packaging. Please look at the cigarette label and THEN reply. I’m interested to know what everyone thinks - I already know that you’re all skeptical. ---
**Author:** ![Zulu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@Zulu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulu)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/6 "1999-10-08T06:32:00Z")
Try [http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/culture/beliefs/urbanlegends/library/weekly/aa041598.htm](http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/culture/beliefs/urbanlegends/library/weekly/aa041598.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sake\_Samurai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sake\_Samurai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sake_Samurai)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/7 "1999-10-08T06:45:00Z")
ZULU - thanks for the link. Not much actual info there though. I’m sure the company would deny any association with the KKK. And they don’t even address the two clansmen (or pseudoclansmen) on the front. What’s your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![Zulu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@Zulu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulu)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/8 "1999-10-08T07:01:00Z")
I’m sorry, I thought you wanted facts, not opinions. > [@](#): > > I’m sure the company would deny any association with the KKK. Then why would they be stupid enough to print 3 big red K’s on their product? And print a picture of two klansmen? (Which I don’t think look anything like klansmen at all) Why would a company risk losing so many consumers by advertising a connection to a hate group? It would a vastly idiotic move. It goes against all business sense. If they were connected in any way (which I think is doubtful) I’m sure they would keep it as secretive as possible. They wouldn’t want something as explosive at that getting out, so there’s no way they would print anything so incriminating on a package. In short, I think that there is no way that Philip Morris is connected to the Ku Klux Klan. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/9 "1999-10-08T07:44:00Z")
OK, I looked at the package. The negative space between the animals’ legs _can_ be interpreted as two white figures holding a banner - if the drugs you’re using are good enough. I find it very hard to believe the KKK would be involved with anything that subtle. I think they all smoke Burning Kross brand cigarettes. > [@](#): > > It doesn’t matter which organization is older It doesn’t? Pretty amazing, those advertising guys - putting secret symbols in their logos that actually predict the rise of an organization. In another country, yet. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/10 "1999-10-08T07:50:00Z")
Zulu makes excellent points. PM is a huge company with a huge number of workers. A story like this, if true, could not survive without a leak for very long. Every news reporter and news organization in North America would kill to get concrete information on something like this. To date I haven’t seen Ted Koppel covering it. If Phillip Morris can be faulted for failing to address this question, please note that they are failing to address a _lot_ of questions right now. I bet they wish the only controversy surrounding their products was a simple as a KKK connection. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/11 "1999-10-08T13:06:00Z")
Okay then wise guys, explain the man with the erection and huge breasts on the Camel pack! Ha! Run rings around you logically… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/12 "1999-10-08T13:09:00Z")
I don’t think there’s any CONNECTION between Philip Morris and the KKK, but certainly P.M. is by far the more evil of the two organizations. How many people have actually been killed by the Klan? A few hundred, maybe even a couple of thousand, over the last 100 years? Child’s play! Philip Morris kills that many people every month. Besides, you could argue that the Klan acts out of genuinely-held beliefs, as twisted and sick as they may be. Philip Morris kills people solely for money, which in my opinion is far worse. So please, don’t insult the Klan by associating them with Philip Morris! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/13 "1999-10-08T13:14:00Z")
And you don’t think that the profit motive is a “genuinely-held belief”? ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/14 "1999-10-08T15:20:00Z")
_Please look at the cigarette label and THEN reply. I’m interested to know what everyone thinks - I already know that you’re all skeptical._ Do we have to keep going with this until we agree with you? As for those of you who vigorously deny that companies are not involved with the KKK, Satanic cults, UFOs, etc… well, that’s what they _want_ you to believe 😉 ## On the other hand, if people stop smoking becuase of conspiracy theories, well, maybe that’s not altogether a bad thing. End justifies this means in this case. “It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument” - William McAdoo ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/15 "1999-10-08T15:23:00Z")
> [@](#): > > How many people have actually been killed by the Klan? A few hundred, maybe even a couple of thousand, over the last 100 years? Child’s play! Philip Morris kills that many people every month. It could also be argued that gang killings and black-on-black crimes kill more people than the Klan could ever dream of (but that’s another thread…). * * * “It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in an argument” - William McAdoo ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/16 "1999-10-08T15:24:00Z")
I’m STILL looking for those “three very large red Ks.” I see the two little klansmen, very cool. But those Ks are throwing me. Are they just TOO obvious? Am I trying too hard? Is this like the “Big Dubble-yuh” in IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD? * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 1999, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/17 "1999-10-09T05:45:00Z")
Dr. Fi - how many times do we have to tell you? It doesn’t count if you draw it yourself. Now leave that camel alone. ---
**Author:** ![Kvallulf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Kvallulf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kvallulf)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/18 "1999-10-08T21:11:00Z")
The two “Klansmen” seem to more resemble mirror images of Fatso from the Casper cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Melatonin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@Melatonin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melatonin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/19 "1999-10-08T22:06:00Z")
They also say that if you stare long enough at any textured surface (tile, carpet) you can see stereogram in it. So, if you stare long enough, and want to believe hard enough, and say “I DO believe in faeries,” then, sure, you can imagine that the red triangles framing the Marlboro package are meant to represent the letter K. I personally lost the desire to try by the age of 15, though. * * * Life is short. Make fun of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906/20 "1999-10-08T23:41:00Z")
I’m still waiting to hear about the guy with the erection on the Camel packs. Or did Cecil cover that one once? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/philip-morris-kkk/3906.md?page=2)