Life, 1913-04-03 · page 2 of 52
Life — April 3, 1913 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **cigarette advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Fatima Turkish Blend cigarettes, marketed as "A Cigarette of Sterling Worth." The ad features a **woman wearing an ornate veil or mask** — likely meant to evoke "exotic" Turkish imagery appealing to early 20th-century American consumers. The marketing emphasizes the cigarettes' popularity among "College Men" and claims Fatimas are "the biggest-selling cigarettes in America." The advertisement uses **orientalist stereotyping** common to the era, presenting Turkish/Middle Eastern imagery as glamorous and desirable. The price point of 15¢ per package and the tagline "Distinctly Individual" suggest marketing to middle-class male smokers. There is **no satire here** — this is straightforward product promotion using ethnic imagery as a sales tool.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CIGARETTES A Cigarette of Sterling Worth Not until you break the seal on the modest Fatima package—not until you smoke one of these wonderful Turkish- blend Cigarettes, will you understand the whys and wherefores of their remarkable success. Years ago Fatimas were “discovered” by our College Men. From the Campus the fame of their generous goodness went forth to capture smokers of every class and clan, with the result that today Fatimas are known the world over. They are the biggest-selling cigarettes in America — smoked with pleasure in every corner of our country. If you are one of the few men who have not yet smoked Fatimas, delay no longer. Get a package today. You will be delighted with their sincere quality and wholesome purity. 4 Distinctively Individual 15¢ tHe Package comicbooks.com