1. MARKETING MOMENTS
How Does Advertising Work?
Cigarette Advertisements in the 20th Century
Katrina Post

2. LUCKY STRIKE OFFICE AD FROM 1915
Depicting the quintessential “men-
at-work,” this Lucky Strike
tobacco advertisement portrays
theirs as the brand of choice for
white-collar, powerful men. A
perfect example of the Parable of
the Democracy of Goods, the
subtext of this ad suggests that
by smoking Lucky Strike brand
cigarettes, one can achieve
social mobility and an elevated
status through consumption.*
This ad also reflects the
contemporaneous definition of
masculinity in the early 20th
century: high-powered men
working in a plush office
space, signifying financially
secure individuals.

3. HELMAR FLAPPERS AD FROM 1917
The overt sexuality of the harem of
flappers in this Helmar Turkish
cigarettes advertisement
relentlessly targets the
“gentlemen” as the desired
consumer. The exoticism of the
product itself combined with the
familiarity of the Aryan faces of
the flapper women perfectly
epitomizes the shift from rational
styles of advertising to more
emotional ones. This artistic
advertisement is powerful simply
because of its provocative
presence and less because of its
textual content.*

4. FATIMA AD FROM 1917
Sensible, clean, and minimalistic:
this advertisement for Fatima
Cigarettes appeals to the
rational, intellectual consumer.
The static portrait of the stately
gentleman is a hook for the
consumer to focus on the textual
portion of the
advertisement, selling the brand
of Fatima as an aspect of the
“big,” important man’s daily life.
The Parable of the Democracy of
Goods is expressed clearly by
revealing the consumer’s desire
for association with high-class
men such as the one depicted
here.* This ad sells the
masculine man in the early 20th
century as sensible and elegant.

5. “BULL” DURHAM AD FROM 1918
This text-heavy advertisement is
an early precursor to the shift
to whimsical, creative copy
that later advertisers in the
1960s championed.* The
creative diction and layout of
the ad connotes a
conversation with the reader
that engages and draws them
to the idealized illustration of
“gaiety.” Also, although the
tobacco is described as
mild, the women in the
advertisement are not
smoking, revealing that it is
still an activity reserved for
men.

6. CHESTERFIELD CIGARETTES AD FROM 1948
Using male athlete celebrities
as the characters in this
advertisement, Chesterfield
distinguishes its cigarettes
with endorsements from well-
known, popular figures in
society. This ad shows the
collision of America’s pastime
with celebrity
endorsements, targeting the
male demographic that still
represents the biggest
consumer base for cigarettes.
Chesterfield brands itself by
showing its association with
the cultural relevance of the
product.*

7. MARLBORO JOHNNY SAMPLE AD FROM 1960
Johnny Sample, American football
star, breaks boundaries in this
advertisement as an African-
American selling the manly
Marlboro cigarettes. His
presence in the public eye as an
elite athlete is used as a prop in
an advertisement that publicizes
the new packaging for the
cigarettes. A vestige from the
turn-of-the-century, a major tactic
for advertisers is selling the
uniqueness of the
packaging, sometimes more so
than the product itself.*

8. MARLBORO COWBOY AD FROM 1961
As the 1960s
progressed, advertising shifted
towards creative copy with
strong, romanticized characters.*
Characters like the Marlboro
Cowboy shown in this
advertisement idealize a rugged
lifestyle and induce nostalgia for
simpler times. Also, the colors in
the packaging itself are
red, white and blue, ensconcing
the Marlboro brand image in
American society.** This
character is synonymous with the
Marlboro brand, creating a
distinctive über-
masculine, American brand
identity.

9. NEWPORT BOLD COLD AD FROM 1970
Truly a product of its time, this
advertisement capitalizes
on previously unexplored
areas of target marketing
directly to African-American
smokers. Everything from
the man’s afro hairstyle to
the colloquial “Cool ain’t
Cold” commodifies the
minority African-American
identity.* It illustrates a
“bold,” “cool” take on
masculinity; however, the
starkness of the ad prevents
a synesthetic experience for
the viewer.

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