Life, 1929-06-21 · page 5 of 40
Life — June 21, 1929 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **cigarette advertisement**, not satire. The page promotes Lucky Strike cigarettes from The American Tobacco Company, dated 1929. The advertisement makes several now-notorious health claims: that Lucky Strike cigarettes are "less irritating than other cigarettes" and endorsed by "20,679 physicians." It prominently features the slogan "It's toasted" (their claimed unique process) and includes the infamous tagline "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet"—targeting women concerned about weight. The large photograph shows a smiling man (likely an entertainer or public figure of the era, though not identified here). For modern readers: this exemplifies pre-regulation tobacco marketing that made unsubstantiated health claims and explicitly marketed cigarettes as weight-loss aids—practices now recognized as deceptive and prohibited.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life Regardless of Price Government figures show the gain of Lucky Strike to be greater than the com- bined increase of all other cigarettes. The public will be served and this is proof, indeed, that regardless of price, you actually get more in Lucky Strike than any other cigarette can offer. Its perfect blend of fine tobaccos gives pure smoking delight. Its exclusive, secret toasting process guarantees the tobaccos free from irritants and impurities and, in the opinion of 20,679%* physicians, makes Lucky Strike less irritating than other cigarettes. certibed to iXbRAND, HOSS (SIGNED) byl BROS. AND MONT- GOMERY, Account- ante and’ Anditors, The American Tobeece Company, Incorporated “It’s toasted” No Throat Irritation- No Cough. The Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra willcontinue every Saturday night in a coast to coast radio hook-up over the N. B.C, network. To maintain a slender figure, no one can deny the truth of the advice: *REACH FOR A LUCKY INSTEAD OF A SWEET.” comicbooks.com