Card Number 333, Sarah Bunyan, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the United States around the turn of the century. It features Sarah Bunyan, an actress, reclining seductively. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs as a marketing strategy. In the late 19th century, tobacco companies realized that they could increase sales by including collectible items with their products. Actresses, athletes, and other celebrities were popular subjects, reflecting a growing culture of mass media and celebrity worship. But it was also a time of increasing awareness of the dangers of smoking, and so it's worth asking whether there was anything progressive about this kind of advertising, even if it seems exploitative today. Understanding the image requires research into the history of advertising, popular culture, and the tobacco industry. We can see how the social conditions of the time shaped the production and consumption of images and goods.