1916 Ad Lucky Strike Cigarettes American Roll Cut Tobacco Bowling Smoking CSM1
CONDITION
This 95+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine. Light aging throughout. No natural defects. No surface rub. No tears. No water damage.
- Product Type: Original Print Ad; Black / White
- Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine
- Dimensions: Approximately 5.75 x 8.25 inches; 15 x 21 cm
- Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
- Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)
Lucky Strike Cigarettes.
R. A. Patterson of Richmond, Virginia, first introduced Lucky Strike chewing tobacco during the California Gold Rush. However, during the early 1900s, George Hill of the American Tobacco Company acquired the brand and quickly developed it into smoking tobacco to be used in pipes and cigarettes.
During the years of World War I, AmericanÕs Lucky Strike, R. J. ReynoldÕs Camel and L&MÕs Chesterfield cigarettes proved to be the top three dominating forces in the smoking tobacco industry. Because U. S. troopsÕ ration packages included cigarettes, the soldiers were commonly featured in cigarette advertisements, thus popularizing smoking among Americans. When the soldiers returned from war they returned addicted, and so the cigarette industry continued to rake in profits.
Initially, smoking among women, especially during the mid 19th century, was deemed effeminate and countries, including the United States, prohibited women from smoking in public. However, by the heavy hand of the tobacco industry, such laws were rendered unconstitutional and were withdrawn by about 1910. Although, smoking among women was no longer banned, the cigarette companies were still not satisfied with the number of women who actually smoked. The companies began to feature advertisements showing women handling cigarettes, though not actually physically smoking them. Paving the way in a breakthrough promotional event, the American Tobacco Company hired public relations and advertising head Edward BernayÕs to address the stigma surrounding women and smoking. Bernays organized a campaign, which involved hiring several female models, dressed as Statues of Liberty, to smoke Lucky Strike cigarettes while marching down New York CityÕs famed Fifth Avenue during the 1929 Easter Parade. The risky campaign proved to be a great success and scores of women took up smoking.
Around the same time as the legendary promotional parade tactic, Lucky Strike employed head of the Lord & Thomas advertising agency, Albert D. Lasker, who created an ad campaign aimed at women and weight loss. The company soon began to obtain female celebrity endorsements. Particularly notable was Lucky StrikeÕs weight loss ad campaign featuring Amelia Earhart that included the tagline, ÒFor a slender figureÑreach for a lucky instead of a sweet.Ó However, the candy industry received such campaigns personally, thus spurring a PR war among the two.
By 1930, Lucky Strike surpassed its head rival, Camel Cigarettes, through its various celebrity and sports athlete endorsed campaigns, which claimed or inferred its product would promote health, weight loss, success, vitality and glamour.
During World War II, Lucky Strike employed the slogan LS/MFT (Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco), which played on the militaryÕs Morse code. The cigarette company also initiated a sexually inferred ad campaign, which included the tagline ÒSo Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed.Ó The slogan was meant to insinuate that if the soldier was not able to find a women to lay with, he would be able to substitute her with a cigarette.
Though Lucky Strike dabbled in radio programming early on, they made a more prominent entrance into television sponsorship with Lord & ThomasÕs ÒYour Hit ParadeÓ and the "Jack Benny Program."
Around 1964, Robert ÒBrand a MonthÓ Walker became the president of American Tobacco. Walker made it his mission to create Lucky Strike cigarettes for every market niche possible, which included employing such tactics as introducing king size, luxury length, menthol and about five other varieties. Walker heavily promoted the campaigns that were greeted with success and quickly disposed of those less successful.
The Lucky Strike brand began its demise during the 1970s, upon the rise of lower tar and nicotine brands, as well as damaging health reports from such acclaimed sources as Consumer Reports and ReaderÕs Digest.
World War II Lies to Target Women:
In 1942, Lucky StrikeÕs signature dark green package was changed to white. The company claimed copper was used in making the green hue, and that the compound was desperately needed for the war. However, copper was never used in making the green color, nor did the change have anything to do with the war. In truth, the company made the switch to appeal to women, as much as men.
Astonishing Fact:
It is said that sales increased by 300% during the first year of the Lucky Strike weight loss campaign.
Copyright 2016, Period Paper LLC
Keywords specific to this image: Vintage Advertising
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