PAINTED ROADSIDE ADVERTISEMENTS - Index of Brands

Smoking

Bastos
Camel
Carlets
Fortuna
Marouf
 
Chondoresk (Armenia), 19.VIII.2002;
pict. A. Anselin
Hankavan (Armenia), VI.2003;
pict. M. Tailly
Meghri (Armenia), VI.2003;
pict. M. Tailly
 
Gent (Belgium), IX.2008; pict. L. Parmentier
Camel cigarettes were first introduced to the American market by the Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1913. The cigarette contained Turkish tobaccos and to emphasize this exotic flavour the image of a camel was chosen.

The resulting atmosphere is —certainly together with the piramid— rather Egyptian than Turkish. At about the same time the Egypt cigarette market was dominated by Armenian owned brands. It was also the time of the first big wave of Armenian immigration into America. So the choice was perhaps with reason after all.

Armenian families, coming from Turkey, had settled in Belgium and were running also this country's tobacco industry. In 1915, when refugees from Turkey poured in, the whole market was theirs with brands like Davros, Arax, Marouf, Enfi and others.

The Arabian Turkish flavour in the Marouf wall appeals to homesick refugees and at the same time conforms to a popular taste of exotism. And —people with a certain extend of reading will know this— Marouf is also a mayor player in 1001 Arabian nights. The whole population is targeted.

Cigarettes MAROUF
 
Brussels (Belgium), IV.1999;
pict. A. Guët
Olot (Spain), VII.1999; pict. M. Tailly
Flor Fina
BASTOS
25 cigarettes légères
Incomparable et douce ...
or
25 light cigarettes
Unique and mild ...

Painted on glass. The shop below was closed decades ago.

El Paper Carlets
es el mes bo

Cigarette rolling paper

 
Andorra, IV.1995;
pict. P. Rigault
Andorra, IV.1995;
pict. P. Rigault
Andorra, IV.1995;
pict. P. Rigault
Fortuna
The number one in taste of America
 

Path: Home / Painted roadside advertisements / Smoking  e-mail: