Muriel Cigars is a brand of machine-rolled cigars, most recently owned by Altadis, a subsidiary of Imperial Brands.
| Product type | Cigars |
|---|---|
| Owner | Altadis |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1912 |
| Previous owners | Lorillard Tobacco Company |
| Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1 | |
History
editThe Muriel Cigars brand was established in 1912 by Lorillard Tobacco Company[1] in Jersey City, New Jersey.[2] Muriel Cigars was acquired by Consolidated Cigar Holdings, Inc. in 1956,[3][4] which in turn merged with Havatampa in 2000 to form Altadis USA.[5]
The first Muriel cover girl, long considered a mystery, was an adult imagining of a child, Muriel Rasmussen Berry, daughter of George and Emma Rasmussen and granddaughter of Dr. Carl Moehle. Moehle was the owner of the lithographic firm that produced the original label.[1] The brand chose a new model in the 1970s in an attempt to maintain relevance in changing times.[6]
Muriel's popularity peaked in the 1950s,[7] but Consolidated continued to market the brand extensively in America throughout the 1960s and 1970s.[2] The brand did $40 million in annual sales by 1973,[6] spending as much as $2.5 million per year on marketing in the 1970s.[8] Muriel Cigars ran television advertisements in the first Super Bowl in 1966.[9] Actress Edie Adams notably worked as a pitch-lady for Muriel Cigars, appearing in multiple commercials throughout the 1950s and 1960s.[10][11]
See also
edit- Cigar brands
- Edie Adams, actress and pitch-lady for Muriel Cigars
- Susan Anton, singer in Muriel Cigars commercials
References
edit- ^ a b "The NEW Miss Muriel". Printers' Ink. July 11, 1952.
- ^ a b "Muriel Cigars - CheapLittleCigar.com". www.cheaplittlecigars.com. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ Kiersh, Edward (March 1997). "The El Producto Story". Cigar Aficionado.
- ^ "CIGAR SALES SMOKING ONCE AGAIN". Chicago Tribune. June 13, 1993. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ Parks, Kyle (November 22, 2000). "Villazon cigar plant to roll up business". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1E.
- ^ a b Sloane, Leonard (September 1, 1976). "Advertising". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ "Muriel Cigar Sales Up". The New York Times. August 16, 1951. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ "Cigar Maker Seeking New Agency to Handle Muriel". The New York Times. September 23, 1970. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ Beschloss, Michael (January 24, 2015). "Before the Bowl Was Super". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
- ^ Weber, Bruce (October 16, 2008). "Edie Adams, Actress and Singer (and Flirt With a Cigar), Dies at 81". The New York Times.
- ^ Thurber, Jon (October 17, 2008). "Tony award-winning actress, TV star". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2023.