Life — April 19, 1929 — page 52: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **Camel cigarette advertisement** from 1929, not editorial satire. The image shows two well-dressed figures in formal attire—a woman and man—exchanging cigarettes, with the tagline "Don't be selfish" and "Pleasure for all." The ad's messaging implies that sharing cigarettes is a social courtesy and sign of generosity. This reflects early-20th-century cigarette marketing that normalized smoking as a sophisticated, convivial activity. The phrase "Don't be selfish" suggests offering cigarettes to others was considerate behavior. For modern readers: this represents pre-health-warning tobacco advertising that actively encouraged smoking by framing it as socially desirable and generous—marketing tactics that would later face severe restrictions.