Life — July 8, 1915 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Fatima Cigarette Advertisement This is a vintage cigarette advertisement for "Fatima: The Turkish Blend Cigarette," described as "Distinctively Individual—Anywhere." The top image depicts what appears to be an exotic, orientalist scene—likely a harem or Turkish setting with multiple figures in dramatic lighting and period costume. This visual aligns with early 20th-century marketing that capitalized on Western fascination with "the Orient." The accompanying product packaging shows the Fatima cigarette box with decorative imagery. The advertisement's appeal relied on exoticism and romance associated with Turkish culture to market cigarettes as sophisticated and distinctive. Such orientalist imagery was common in early American advertising, though it reflects dated and stereotypical cultural attitudes. This represents tobacco marketing before modern health warnings or advertising restrictions.