Faros is a cigarette brand originally from the city of Irapuato, Guanajuato, patented in 1918 by Emetrio Padilla Silva [1] and it has stood out for its distinctive packaging, low cost, and the use of rice paper in the cigarette wrap.
The history of tobacco dates back to the Andean region encompassing Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, where its cultivation and consumption are estimated to have taken place between 5000 and 3000 BC. However, mass production in Mexico occurred until the early 20th century when American cigarette brands, such as British American Tobacco, entered the country, popularizing this form of consumption. Among these brands, Lucky Strike emerged as one of the most prominent in the market..
The richness of Mexican lands allowed for the development of the national tobacco industry. Through agricultural studies, tobacco production was achieved with the aim of matching the quality of American brands. This attracted the attention of transnational companies, which established themselves in the country to participate in the production process.
In this context, Emetrio Padilla Silva founded Tabacalera Nacional, which produced several cigarette brands, including Faros, as well as Argentinos, Carmencitas, Casinos, and Monarcas. Later on, the Faros brand was acquired by Tabacalera Mexicana, later known as Cigatam.[1]
Faros is one of the oldest Mexican tobacco brands, along with the brand Delicados. Currently, the production and marketing of Faros are handled by Philip Morris México, a subsidiary of Philip Morris International, a multinational company..[2]
The creator of the famous design of the Faros cigarette pack was Pedro Cruz Castillo, a Mexican landscape artist and muralist..[3]
Faros cigarettes were originally popular among the lower classes in Mexico due to their low cost. Initially, they were wrapped in rice paper and lacked filters. Nowadays, rolling paper is used, and filters have been added.
The brand offers other products with different flavors and blends, such as Faros Full Flavor, Suspiro Esmeralda, Furia Tropical, and Morena de Fuego.
Faros has a connection to legends and sayings from Mexican culture. One of the most well-known is the phrase『ya chupó Faros,』which originated during the Mexican Revolution. To those condemned to death, a last wish was granted, and many requested to smoke a final cigarette before dying. Since they were blindfolded and bound, they were given a Faros cigarette to "suck" until the end. This phrase is used to indicate that someone has passed away or has little chance of recovering from an illness or difficult situations.
Another popular expression is "Ay Farito, ni que fueras Lucky Strike," which refers to the low cost and supposed low quality of Faros cigarettes compared to the Lucky Strike brand. In everyday language, this phrase is used derogatorily to indicate that someone or something does not have the same value or quality as they think they do.
During the 1950s, a design flaw was discovered in the packaging: a ship with flags waving towards the left while the smoke emitted by the ship was moving towards the right. However, this modification was poorly received by consumers, as they considered the packaging to be fake. As a result, the company experienced a decrease in sales due to this poor acceptance. Faced with this failure, the company decided to revert back to the previous presentation of the packaging.
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[[Category:Tobacco]]
