EPISODE · Oct 7, 2019 · 9 MIN
Bonsack machine
from 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy · host BBC World Service
In 1881, James Bonsack developed a machine that made it far easier to mass-produce cigarettes. But at the time, other tobacco products were much more popular – so manufacturers had to find new ways of getting people’s attention. Tim Harford explains why the methods they devised are still working on consumers today.
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Bonsack machine
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