Life — May 12, 1921 — page 36: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **cigarette advertisement**, not political satire or a cartoon. It advertises Pall Mall "Rounds" — a circular cigarette product marketed as novel because it "does not have to be tapped, squeezed or loosened." The ad features a "Captain X" character promoting the product's convenience. The copy emphasizes the cigarettes' blend of "42 kinds of Turkish Tobaccos" and notes they're sold in boxes of 10, 50, or 100 at 50 cents per pack of 20. The visual shows a round cigarette next to an ashtray with the brand's original packaging. The tagline reads "They Are Good Taste." This reflects early 20th-century cigarette marketing, when such products were openly advertised without health warnings.