Life — October 4, 1917 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Lucky Strike Advertisement, 1917 This is a **cigarette advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The American Tobacco Company guarantees Lucky Strike cigarettes through an elaborate warranty: if the product isn't "perfect condition" or "entirely satisfactory," smokers can return unused cigarettes for a refund. The ad emphasizes consumer protection and "the squarest deal that plain English can define"—marketing language suggesting honesty and fair dealing. The phrase "It's Toasted" became Lucky Strike's signature slogan. By modern standards, this is notable mainly for advertising cigarettes in a major magazine without health warnings—a practice that would become illegal decades later. The formal guarantee structure is an early example of corporate marketing attempting to build consumer confidence through warranty promises.