Listen to Mr Kool broadcast the Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is the oldest and most famous horse race in the United States, held annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville. It is the first and most prestigious leg of the American Triple Crown for three-year-old horses. The mile and a quarter (approximately 2,000 meters) race lasts just over two minutes, dubbed "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports."

The Derby was first held in 1875. Since then, the race has been held annually without interruption, making it one of the most enduring sporting traditions in America.

The sound of hooves echoing across the country

Since the 1920s and 1930s, radio broadcasts have made the Kentucky Derby a national event. Radio has connected not only the racegoers and spectators but also millions of listeners across the country. The first live radio broadcast from a race at Churchill Downs took place on May 16, 1925.

In 1935, Brown & Williams Tobacco Corp. of Louisville, Kentucky, became the exclusive sponsor of the radio broadcast.

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. and Kool Cigarettes

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation was founded in 1874 in Louisville. By the early 20th century, it was already one of the largest players in the American tobacco industry. In the 1920s, the company entered the orbit of British American Tobacco and received significant financial and marketing support.

In 1933, the company began producing and promoting a new brand of cigarettes, "Kool." Their main feature was their menthol flavor—a revolutionary proposition at the time. In an era when most cigarettes were "strong and straightforward," Kool Cigarettes were positioned as refreshing and invigorating.

Advertising emphasized the image of "coolness," so it's no surprise that Willie the Penguin, sometimes called Mr. Kool, became the brand's symbol. In advertising, he urged smokers to "cool down" with a Kool cigarette.



Kool cigarettes quickly became the company's flagship, and the brand was actively promoted on the radio, including during live broadcasts of the Kentucky Derby.

Archival materials from Broadcasting Magazine and worldradiohistory.com revealed that Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation served as the exclusive sponsor of the Derby broadcast, promoting Kool cigarettes from 1935 to 1942.

Willie the Penguin Invites to the Derby

Willie the Penguin proved to be the perfect embodiment of the "Kool" concept – he "lived" for over 30 years. His image was widely used in advertising and merchandise, and he also became the "voice" of the radio broadcasts. Every year, advertising posters were issued proclaiming "Mr. Kool will broadcast the Kentucky Derby": at the top was an image of Willie the Penguin wearing a jockey cap and holding a microphone in his paw, and at the bottom was a large image of the Derby winner, along with the horse's name, jockey's name, and owner.

Along with the racing horses, Willie the Penguin also appeared on Brown & Williamson Tobacco meter stamps. They announced the Kentucky Derby and invited everyone to listen to a live broadcast with Mr. Kool.