Marlboro

/ˈmɑrlbəroʊ/ proper noun

Definition

A brand name of cigarettes, originally marketed to women but later repositioned as a masculine brand through cowboy imagery.

Etymology

Named after Great Marlborough Street in London where the original tobacco shop was located in 1847. The street itself was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, the famous military commander.

Kelly Says

The Marlboro Man advertising campaign completely transformed the brand from a cigarette with a pink filter marketed to women into the world's best-selling cigarette brand through rugged cowboy imagery. Ironically, several of the actors who portrayed the Marlboro Man later died of smoking-related diseases, creating a tragic real-world contradiction to the healthy, outdoorsy image.

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