An old Dutch pack of Belinda cigarettes, with a Dutch text warning at the bottom of the pack
Belinda was founded in the 1940s and quickly gained popularity in the Netherlands, especially amongst women (as it was targeted towards them) and the wealthy. During the period of 1946 until 1996, posters made by the Dutch artist Frans Mettes [nl] were put on Dutch railway stations featuring the "Belinda Cigarette Girl" ("Sigarettenmeisje van Belinda" in Dutch), along with other known brands at the time like Droste cocoa, the Hulshof purse company and the "Zwarte Beertjes" ("Black Bears") adverts of Dutch artist, illustrator and graphic designer Dick Bruna. [5][6][7] Belinda ads were also featured in the Dutch magazine Margriet.[8][9]
Belinda's popularity decreased after tobacco advertising in the Netherlands was banned completely in 2003 [10] and because of increasing taxes on cigarettes[11] which pushed Dutch smokers to buy cheaper brands. However, it is still one of the most known Dutch cigarette brands and is still being sold in the Netherlands alongside brands like Marlboro, Camel and Lucky Strike.
