Life, 1920-11-04 · page 10 of 60
Life — November 4, 1920 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Camel cigarette advertisement**, not satire or editorial content. The page uses the silhouette of a camel in a desert landscape to market cigarettes, claiming they offer "fine, refreshing flavor" and never tire the smoker's taste. The ad emphasizes Camel's blend of "choice Turkish and choice Domestic tobaccos" for "mildness and mellow body." It promises no "unpleasant cigaretty aftertaste or unpleasant cigaretty odor"—claims that would be illegal to make today. For modern readers, this represents a striking historical artifact: **direct health claims in cigarette advertising were once legal and commonplace**. The exaggerated wellness language and premium positioning contrast sharply with today's strict tobacco marketing restrictions and health warnings.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Camels ring true! They’ll give you new notions about how delightful a cigarette can be! OU get to smoking Camels because you appreciate their fine, refreshing flavor! And, you like them better all the time because they never tire your taste! Camels quality makes Camels so appetizing, so continuously delightful. And, Camels expert blend of choice Turkish and choice Domestic tobaccos gives them that wonderful mildness and mellow body. You have only to compare Camels with any cigarette in the world at any price to know personally that Camels are a revelation! And, Camels never leave any unpleasant cigaretty aftertaste or unpleasant cigaretty Camels are sold every- where in scientifically sealed packages of 20 cigarettes for 20 cents. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Winston-Salem, N.C.