Life — June 13, 1918 — page 35: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a commercial advertisement for Murad Turkish cigarettes, priced at 18 cents. The image depicts an orientalist fantasy scene featuring a man in Turkish military dress (turban, ornate jacket) and a woman in harem-style costume with peacock-feather wings, set against a starry night with palm trees and a crescent moon. The advertisement exploits early 20th-century Western fascination with "exotic" Turkish culture to market the product. The romantic, sensual imagery—combining military exoticism with seductive female figures—was typical marketing strategy for tobacco companies of this era. The peacock-feather costume particularly emphasizes the "foreign luxury" appeal designed to attract male consumers.