The opening episode of the much-hyped “Mad Men” (Sunday, 10pm, BBC4) sees high flying exec, Don Draper, struggling with a brief for Lucky Strike cigarettes as new regulations have stopped the tobacco industry promoting its supposed health benefits.
In the real world, such issues ceased to be problematic with the phasing in of a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship some years ago.
But the episode got me thinking. How did the industry advertise tobacco products prior to any firm medical evidence suggesting the having a puff could actually do you in?
We’ve all seen the Marlboro Man billboards, but seeing as we’re a radio company, how about we check out some classic American radio from way back when?
First up, Camel and Philip Morris both play on the ‘health benefits’ of switching to that particular brand. Where Camel states that Doctor’s smoke their brand more than any other, Philip Morris actually suggest that the medical profession recommend switching brands (a case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ on the part of the Doctors, maybe!)
Amazingly, “noted throat specialists reported not one single case of throat irritation due to smoking Camel”. The fact that they needed to stop for breath every two minutes on the way to the Doctor’s is neither here nor there.
Finally, the following two commercials (here and here) are quite possibly part of the most ingenious and unbelievable radio campaign I have heard (apologies if I’m a bit slow on the uptake with this one). While we’re used to TV shows being used to promote particular products (Paddington Bear & Marmite, The Simpsons & Domino’s Pizza), I never thought I’d hear The Flintstones crossed with Winston Cigarettes. Brilliantly of its time, and something you’re never going to come across again.
Try getting those scripts cleared by the RACC.
For more examples of ‘classic’ radio commercials (and by ‘classic’ I generally mean old) click here.
Rich