Life, 1917-09-20 · page 39 of 40
Life — September 20, 1917 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Chesterfield cigarette advertisement**, not political satire. The page features a stylized illustration of a sophisticated gentleman in a suit and wide-brimmed hat, smoking contentedly. The ad's appeal targets early-20th-century masculine identity and status anxiety. The key marketing angle is that Chesterfield cigarettes are "mild" yet still deliver a satisfying smoking experience—positioning them as refined and effective simultaneously. The phrase "let you know you are smoking" suggests other mild cigarettes lack presence or impact. The gentleman's appearance—well-dressed, composed, with a signet ring visible—communicates social aspiration and class. The price ("20 for 10¢") emphasizes affordability for middle-class consumers. This represents typical cigarette marketing of the era, before health warnings, emphasizing pleasure, sophistication, and the masculine experience of smoking.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Chesterfield | CIGARETTES i | of IMPORTED and DOMESTIC tobaccos — Blended Mild? Sure! —yet, they “Satisfy” Here’s a cigarette, Chesterfield, that is mild, yes. But they do something never before done by any other mild cigarette, they /et you know you are smoking—they “Satisfy” ’! You'll understand what ‘‘Satisfy’’ means the minute you light up your first Chesterfield. Lopt Kasia 20 forlO¢ comicbooks.com