The Virginia Slims cigarette brand

Cigarettes advertising in the Past

Tobacco products advertising appeared simultaneously with cigarettes production. English and French officers began to smoke hand-rolled cigarettes after Crimean War (1854-1856).
In fact, mass spreading of cigarettes is concerned with the cigarette rolling machine which was invented by James Bonsack.

It was put into operation in 1884. The machine’s capacity was a tantamount to 48 workers. The appearing of portable safe matches, with the help of which one could light a cigarette wherever he wanted, became one more remarkable invention.

From the very beginning, advertisers used refined tricks for the advertising: in Christian countries this habit met considerable opposition.

Tobacco companies organized festivals, parachute jumps. For example, in 1903 in Canada for “Red Cross” cigarettes advertising it was arranged a rope-way crossing through Montmorency waterfall in Quebec.

The rope-walker’s clothes reflected the cigarette pack – red cross on the white background.

Often, in cigarettes packs advertisers out special cards with the images of politicians, soldiers, animals, which was collected by smokers with great pleasure.

The business of selling cigarettes