7 Vintage Holiday Ads That Would Be Banned Todayblog.dlvrit.com /2014/12/holiday-epic-cigarrette-ad-fails/

Bill Flitter

WARNING: This blog post may cause addictive habits. Proceed with caution.

Nothing says Christmas like a pack of smokes. Apparently at one point in ourhistory that was true. Cigarettes helped you get through the holidays. If you’restruggling hanging those lights, take a break and have a smoke. Opening presentstoo stressful? Cool down with a Lucky Strike. Looking for last minute stockingstuffers? How about a carton of Chesterfields?

Today, tobacco advertising is now one of the most highly regulated forms ofmarketing. Some or all forms of tobacco advertising are banned in many countries.Here are some surprising tobacco advertising facts though history:

The first known advertisement in the USA was for the snuff and tobaccoproducts of P. Lorillard and Company and was placed in the New York dailypaper in 1789.

The first real brand name to become known on a bigger scale in the USA

was “Bull Durham” which emerged in 1868, with the advertising placing theemphasis on how easy it was “to roll your own”.

Modern advertising was created with the innovative techniques used intobacco advertising beginning in the 1920s. Much of these advertisementssought to make smoking appear fashionable and modern to men andwomen.

In 1954, tobacco companies ran the ad “A Frank Statement.” The ad wasthe first in a campaign to dispute reports that smoking cigarettes couldcause lung cancer and had other dangerous health effects.

In the United States, in the 1950s and 1960s, cigarette brands frequentlysponsored television shows—most notably To Tell the Truth and I’ve Got aSecret and popular TV shows such as The Flintstones and The BeverlyHillbillies, which were watched by many children and teens.

In 1964, after facing much pressure from the public, The CigaretteAdvertising Code was created by the Tobacco companies, which prohibitedadvertising directed to youth.

In 1970, Congress took their anti-smoking initiative one step further andpassed the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act, banning the advertising ofcigarettes on television and radio.

Since 1984, cigarette companies have also been forced to place Surgeon’sGeneral warnings on all cigarette packs and advertisements.

Today, both Google and Microsoft have policies that outlaw the promotion oftobacco products on their advertising networks.

Given the restrictions levied on tobacco advertising today, it’s hard toimagine these ads ever existed:

Vintage Ad #1: This Christmas give cartons of Luckies. LuckiesTaste Better.

Today’s take: This Holiday season, give the gift that keeps ongiving lung cancer.

Vintage Ad #2: So gather around…light up and share the verybest at Christmastime. Always Buy Chesterfield.

Today’s take: Deck the Halls with cig-a-rett-es, Fa la la la la, la la lala.

Vintage Ad #3: Chesterfield. Buy the beautiful “Christmas-card”carton.

Today’s take: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall and light up aChesterfield!”

Vintage Ad #4: Make it a “Happy-Go-Lucky” Christmas! Givecartoons of Luckies!

Today’s take: How many open containers of Eggnog do you thinkare being transported?

Vintage Ad #5: More men have enjoyed White Owl than any othercigar ever made in the United States.

Today’s take: The quickest way to a man’s heart…is through his

lungs. And kids, that is how Mrs. Claus, wooed Santa Claus.

Vintage Ad #6. A gift of pleasure – Luckies, A Light Smoke.

Today’s take: When they say “It’s Toasted” do they mean, Santa’slungs?

Vintage Ad #7. Luckies Taste Better. So nice to give…to get…toserve…to enjoy!

Today’s take: Cigarettes make great white elephant gifts andstocking stuffers!

Bonus:

Ho-ho-cough-ho…The end of a cigarette he held tight in his teeth,and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

Have a safe and happy smoke-free holiday season.