Life — December 9, 1920 — page 43: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a Christmas-themed cigarette advertisement for Murad, a Turkish cigarette brand. The image depicts Santa Claus smoking a Murad cigarette, with a box of the product visible beside him. A snowy European cityscape (possibly Constantinople/Istanbul, given the Turkish connection) appears in the background. The tagline poses a rhetorical question: "What could you enjoy more this Xmas than MURAD?" — suggesting cigarettes as an ideal holiday gift. This represents early 20th-century advertising before tobacco health warnings. The ad exploits Santa's cultural prestige and the holiday gift-giving season to market the product. The Turkish origin is emphasized as exotic and desirable. Such direct tobacco advertising to general audiences, including implicit appeal to all ages, would be illegal in modern advertising standards.