Life — April 3, 1913 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Fatima Cigarettes Advertisement 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.