Judge — June 29, 1929 — page 36: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **cigarette advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It features an endorsement by George Gershwin, the noted composer, promoting Lucky Strike cigarettes. The ad's appeal centers on health claims common to 1920s tobacco marketing: "toasting takes out every bit of bite and throat irritation" and "No Throat Irritation—No Cough." The tagline "Reach for a Lucky—instead of a sweet" positioned cigarettes as a weight-management alternative to candy, targeting women during an era when female smoking was becoming socially acceptable. This represents historical tobacco marketing before health risks were widely acknowledged or regulated. The Gershwin endorsement lent prestige and cultural authority to the product.