Collection: Mecca

In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands. One of the earliest successful Turkish cigarettes, Mecca was introduced by the Kinney Bros. Tobacco Company in 1878. The cigarette was named after the Muslim city of holy pilgrimage, Mecca, tying the cigarette closely to the exotic East. The American Tobacco Company acquired the Mecca brand in 1911 through the dissolution of the Cigarette Trust, accounting for the high quality of the Mecca advertisements in the following years. Mecca, along with other Turkish cigarette brands, referenced the “Oriental” roots of their Turkish tobacco blends through brand name, pack art and advertising images. In particular, many Mecca ads featured elegant, exotic turbaned men with heavy mustaches. The ads made use of vibrant, luxurious colors and imagery.