Phillip Moris created the cigarette trend. The advertising by Phillip Morris, contained a drawing of a bellhop on packs of cigarettes in the year 1919. Later came the real life person, a Brooklyn bellhop by the name of Johnny Roventini. In 1913, Morris had decided he needed a radio voice for his bellhop boy. Taking advantage of growth in advertising, Milton Biow, the firm's advertising manager, set out on a search to find a perfect bellhop to represent Marlboro. In a hotel lobby in New York City, he discovered Roventini. The bellhop's vocals where what Biow was looking for. Johnny Roventini's memorable "This is your life," "The Rudee Vallee Show," and "Break the Bank." (Morgan 263). This was the beginning of success for Morris" Marlboro cigarette.
Marlboro was born in 1924 as one of the first woman's cigarettes. In previous years the idea of marketing cigarettes to women was just as weird as marketing them to children today. But with the "anything goes" 1920's, women decided that there was no reason they couldn't develop the same filthy habits that men had. Also, at that time, the health issues, known to researchers, were not yet a part of public interest. It was still tough to sell the product. Advertisers had to somehow convince the women that yellow teeth, foul breath, addictive cravings and a heaving morning cough to be ladylike. Phillip Morris Cos. Inc. decided that their brand needed a classy, sophisticated name. Winston Churchill was in the news at the time, and it was being reported that he was related to the Duke of Marlborough. Phillip Morris marketers liked the sound of the Marlborough name, but did not think it looked good on cigarette packs. They dropped the "ugh" and came up with the name we know today as Marlboro.
In the 1920 the Marlboro campaign was based around how feminine the new cigarette was. They painted a red band around the filter to hide lipstick stains. They called Marlboro the "Mild as May" cigarette for women and added a rather snobbish tone.
