Packaging the Intangible: Brand, Image, and the Mythology of Cuban Cigars

In a world where public health campaigns and government regulations have declared war on tobacco, Cuban cigars continue to grow in popularity and appeal. Their pledge to consumers is simple: premium products handcrafted with the best leaf in the world. The appeal of Cuban cigars, I argue, rests not only on their quality but also on the mythology that surrounds them. This mythology was shaped in part by nineteenth-century packaging and branding, practices that continue to influence presentations of the product today. This article offers a brief history detailing the development of packaging practices that catapulted Cuban cigars to stardom, as well as some thoughts on the relationships between image and smoke, the perfect dance partners in the love story of tobacco and its smokers.