It’s Toasted

Commentary It’s Toasted In 1917, American Tobacco launched an ad campaign for its cigarette brand Lucky Strike, with the slogan It’s Toasted. The campaign was designed to address the growing public awareness that cigarettes pose serious health hazards. The heat treatment of tobacco during cigarette manufacturing was a common industrial process, by no means unique to Lucky Strike, but by focusing on it and giving it a name, American Tobacco managed to form the impression that Lucky Strike cigarettes were superior and less harmful than other brands. This gave cigarette smokers an excuse to ignore the risks of smoking, shifting the conversation from the toxicity of the product to the supposed benefits of its preparation.

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