Classic was launched in 1979 and advertised as a premium brand. It became popular in the metro areas in India, especially in the north and in the east.
1990s During the late 1990s, the image was changed to become more global. The cigarette size was increased from 83mm to 84mm and the diameter from 24.5mm to 24.75mm. The paper quality was also improved. Classic Ultra Milds were introduced in 1997 The different brand variants were sold in packages with different colors. The brand was connected to sponsorships including
racing and
golf. These were targeted at Westernised affluent smokers of the SEC A category. In 1996, the company began to incorporate music in their advertising, producing limited edition music packs, as well as other limited edition packs on the themes of polo and racing.
2000s In the 2000s, ITC Limited launched new variants, including the slimmed version Classic Verve, as well as cigarette flavoured with menthol, lemon, or tea. In 2015, the company started producing capsule cigarettes, which contained a capsule that added an extra flavour to the cigarette. In 2016, the brand launched an innovation called Classic Low Smell ==Markets==