Life, 1927-09-01 · page 39 of 40
Life — September 1, 1927 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **cigarette advertisement**, not satire. It promotes Melachrino cigarettes by endorsing them through Prince William of Sweden, son of King Gustav. The ad uses his portrait and reproduces what appears to be his handwritten letter praising the cigarettes' "mild and agreeable aroma." The marketing strategy targets affluent consumers by emphasizing that "the aristocracy of the world" prefer Melachrino because of superior Turkish tobacco quality. This was a common advertising tactic of the era—associating products with high-status figures and wealthy elites to suggest luxury and refinement. The pricing ($0.30 for 20 cigarettes, $0.15 for 10) and prominent display of "cork tips and plain ends" indicate product variants marketed to upscale consumers. No satirical commentary is present; this is straightforward luxury-goods advertising exploiting aristocratic endorsement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ORIGINAL MELACHRINO “CThe One Cigarette Sold the World Over” PRINCE WILLIAM of SWEDEN Son of King Gustav, Prince William is famous as an ex- plorer, big game hunter, sailor, poet and dramatist. He is also noted for his discriminating taste. He writes is to inform you that I have smoked the very excel Melachrino cigarettesand found them to possess avery mild and agreeable aroma’’. A facsimile of his letter follows A ~ We Wann hs wo NUK A we The aristocracy of the world — people of the highest rank and position in America as well as in Europe—have shown their preference for Melachrino cigarettes, be- cause they demand superlative tobacco quality — the distinctive delicacy of flavor, the matchless aroma, smoothness and richness found only in the costliest Turkish tobaccos. 30¢ the packet of 20—15¢ the packet of 10...» CORK TIPS AND PLAIN ENDS comicbooks.com