During the “Golden Era” of cigar labels, between the 1890s and 1920s, art was the most powerful medium of communication because more than half of the population was illiterate.  Bands and labels were created for every market niche including, but not limited to: private labels, patriotism (emotional allure), vanity labels, non-pictorial labels, stock labels, Spanish themes (implied exotic and rare qualities), black themes (typically very racist), famous people, sports and gambling, technology, theater, etc….  Themes were carefully chosen for new brands to help position the cigar in the marketplace, or to simply appeal to the consumer on an aesthetic level: not so different from today.