Marlboro is the world’s largest selling brand of cigarettes. It is made by the Philip Morris Company, originally a London-based cigarette maker. Philip Morris named the cigarette after the location of the company’s first factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris created a New York branch to market his brands in the U.S.A. The name changed to become easier to spell and by 1924, Marlboro was advertised as a woman's cigarette. In the 1960s that changed as “Marlboro Man” came along. In America, Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market share of 42% was larger than its two largest competitors combined. Marlboro had to rebrand products marketed as "Lights” or "Mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are safe. Marlboro has been a big sponsor of motor racing since 1972.