17 Outrageous Vintage Cigarette Ads
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The big, bad tobacco industry has never been known for its transparency or goodwill. Take a brief look at the advertisements they were churning out a mere few decades ago. How they got away with these the strange and outrageous associations and often ridiculous claims is truly mind boggling. What’s worse is that countless people bought into it.
But first a short quiz… According to the tobacco companies, which of the following would smoking a cigarette do:
A). Improve Digestion
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B). Give You More Energy
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C). Calm Your Nerves
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D). Make You More Fit
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E). Help You Lose Weight
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F). Sing Better
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G). Get Married
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H). All of the Above
There was time when cigarette companies claimed that smoking was good for your health. They even got the supposed backing of the medical establishment:
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It’s not such a surprise really. All those coughing, weezing, yellow-teethed patients out there could mean big bucks for doctors and dentists- especially for those with a private practice.
The tobacco industry tried to pitch their wares as wholesome family-minded products:
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…and they tried to convince men that smoking would make them, well… simply irristable:
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And if it didn’t all work out as planned… hey, at least you won’t get a hangover!
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And finally, some bonus “what were they thinking?” ads:
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Quick! Call 911… DSS… the battered women’s shelter?!
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Ho, Ho, Ho, *cough*
I’m really impressed with the \"black eye\" and the Santa Ads.
What were people thinking?
I remember those adds,
By the way, cigarettes were 35 cents then.
Ronald Reagan was in Chesterfield ads. Do you have any of those?
We didn’t include any in this post, but we’ve certainly come across those. They are certainly classics.
well it was a very different time, and nobody really thought smokes were bad to the point we do today.
then again, people may look back at our fast food ads in 70 years and think the same way!
These old cigarettes must have had pot inside!
“Blow in her face and she’ll follow you anywhere….” Gold! If only they knew just what it means today….
Have you seen the flintstones ads for Winstons?
Cigarettes were 23c in 1955 – not 35c. Great site I remember many of these ads.
does anyone knows where I can fine those pictures in a high res? It’ll be a great poster!
Thanks
as amazed as we are that people would believe these ads today,can you imagine how amazed we will be that people believed the “vote obama” posters from 2008………
Even more evidence for my multi-million $ lawsuit against the tobacco industry for my emphysema & cancer.
Reminds me of when America was a free country.
That post by Jon explains it all.
What’s the story with two different ads using the same artwork? The couple in the ad, “Why thank you dear. Did you salt and tobacco my eggs” is exactly the same artwork used in the ad for Van Heusen ties.
Wonder who the ad agency was and were they double billing on this?
“blow it in her face and she’ll follow you anywhere”
It wasn’t so much the ads as it was wanting to follow the fad, and a be part of the gang kind of thing. Very few people didn’t smoke back then. It was a socially accepted thing. We also had a lot of asbestos in our schools and homes then too!!
Funny – I idn’t notice that – back then they could probably get away with it!
Well, nicotine itself does have some benefits when used in moderation. It’s the other crap in the tobacco that one has to worry about it. Thank God for vaping!
Really very cute gallery, smoking will give self relaxation.
Yea, nicotine is great stuff. Drop a cig in water overnite and you have an organic pesticide by morning.Spray your flowers with it. There is only one known drug more addicting than nicotine…..Heroin !!! Good stuff.
“as amazed as we are that people would believe these ads today,can you imagine how amazed we will be that people believed the “vote obama” posters from 2008″
Yea, almost as amazing as the “vote bush” posters….Ahhhh good times.
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Cigarettes are unhealthy, yes. But the hate that comes toward them borders on insanity sometimes. If you weren’t so blinded by hatred, your little joke about what “tobacco companies say cigarettes do” might have made some sense. Nicoteine is a stimulant. (This means it energizes you and suppresses your appetite.) Everything but A, F and G are true.
The same thing is happening right now with American media. I’m slim and fit with great teeth and if I get tired I can smoke to get energy. Then when I’m done being energized I can smoke the same brand of cig’s and become relaxed. Usually around dinner time so I can relax even more, Then I go out and blow smoke in a womans face and she follows me home. When there, she better put tobaccoo on my eggs (???) or I’ll have santa blacken her eye. At least when she sings the blues it’ll be with a voice as smooth as silk. If for some reason I end up with cancer or emphysema I’ll just sue because I’m too dumb to think for myself. Wake up America!
I haven’t had a puff in over a year. The hardest part about quiting smoking is the first week. Fortunetly for me that those effects didn’t last long and things got easier as time went on thanks to the e-cig. Please do not feel overwhelmed. Merely keep pushing and you will likely be successful once and for all.