Life, 1929-04-12 · page 39 of 44
Life — April 12, 1929 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or political commentary**—it's a straightforward cigarette advertisement disguised as celebrity endorsement. Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr., a real newspaper writer and author, is quoted claiming he chooses Lucky Strike cigarettes over sweets to stay fit and avoid weight gain. The ad argues cigarettes are a healthier alternative to candy, promoting the idea that smoking suppresses appetite. The advertisement makes now-shocking health claims: that Lucky Strikes are "less irritating to the throat" than competitors, citing "20,679 physicians" as endorsement. It emphasizes the toasting process as a health benefit. **Modern context**: This reflects pre-regulation advertising when tobacco companies made unsubstantiated health claims and recruited celebrities for endorsements. The "slim and fit" messaging targeted weight-conscious consumers, particularly women, equating smoking with weight control—a common marketing tactic throughout the 20th century before tobacco regulation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life 37 ‘I pass up the sweets and light a Luchy instead’ Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr. newspaper writer and author of the new novel “Reno.” “There is a soothing quality in Luckies Ienjoy, and they help lessen the tension that comes with the average business day. I find they are less irritating to the throat than any cigarette I have ever smoked. An athlete must fit, but so must the business man end I pass up the sweets and light a Lucky inste: In this way, I get the pleasure of a real good smoke in Luckies and do not have to worry about putting on any excess flesh.” CornELius VANDERBILT, JR. IE modern common sense way— reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet. Thousands are doing it—men keep healthy and fit, hr ar eras fe trim gure. Lucky Strike, the finest tobaccos, skilfully blended, then toasted to develop a flavor which is a delightful alternative for fattening sweets. Toasting frees Lucky Strike from impur- ities. 20,679 physicians recognize this when they say Luckies are less irritating than other cigarettes. That’s why folks say: “It’s good to smoke Luckies.” Authorities attribute the wre: enormous increase in Ciga- rette smoking to the improvement in the process of Cigarette manufacture by the application of heat. It is true that during the year 1928, Lucky Strike Cigarettes showed a greater increase than all the other Cigarettes combined. This con- firms in no uncertain terms the public’s confidence in the superiority of Lucky Strike. “It’s toasted” No Throat Irritation-No Cough. Coast to coast radio hook-up every Saturday night through the National Broadcasting Company's network. The Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra in “The Tunes that made Broadway, Broadway.” © 1929, The American Tobacco Co., Manufacturers comicbooks.com