Life, 1915-05-13 · page 37 of 52
Life — May 13, 1915 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but a straightforward **cigarette advertisement** from Life magazine's advertising pages. The illustration depicts gentlemen in early 20th-century attire (bowler hats, formal coats) engaged in outdoor leisure activities—horseback riding and socializing. The ad promotes "Bull" Durham smoking tobacco, emphasizing the fashionable practice of rolling one's own cigarettes. Key marketing appeals: - **"Fresh"** imagery (morning, new mounts, hand-rolled cigarettes) suggests vitality and modernity - **Class aspirations**: the well-dressed, active "American men" depicted represent an idealized masculine lifestyle - **DIY appeal**: "roll your own" positioned as both economical and fashionable - **Free offer**: distribution of rolling instructions and cigarette papers For modern readers: this normalizes smoking as a desirable social practice associated with health, vigor, and sophistication—claims that would be illegal in contemporary advertising. The American Tobacco Company clearly targeted middle and upper-class men through lifestyle branding.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Fresh Morning, a Fresh Mount and a Fresh-Rolled Cigarette —there’s a combination to kindle a man’s spirits with the pure joy of living! The delicious freshness of “Bull” Durham hand-made cigarettes appeals to the countless thousands of smart, active, sport-loving, health-loving-American men—gives added zest and exhilaration to their enjoyment. It is quite the fashion to “roll your own” in any company, upon any occasion, with this famously good, pure tobacco. GENUINE 66 99 BULL DURHAM ::: SMOKING TOBACCO To millions of experienced smokers throughout the world “ Bull” Durham means much more than a particular brand of smoking tobacco—it stands for a distinctive form of tobacco enjoyment, incomparably attractive, delightful, sat- isfying. No other tobacco has that wonderful, onginal, unique fragrance of “Bull” Durham. No other cigarettes have the same delicious smoothness, freshness and mellow-sweet flavor of “Bull” Durham hand-made cigarettes. You can only appreciate this when you learn to “roll your own.” An Illustrated Booklet, showing correct way to “ Roll Your Own™ Cigarettes, and a package of cigarette papers, will both be mailed, free, to any address in U. S. on request. Address “ Bull” Durham, Durham, N. C., Room 1295. ‘THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY comicbooks.com