1972: “Smoking is Very Glamorous” poster #TBT #ThrowbackThursday

This poster hung in the teacher’s lounge in my elementary school, almost 40 years ago. All I can remember about that room is that it was always full of smoke.

The extreme appearance-shaming approach would be criticized today, but at the time it was seen as an antidote to the glamorization of cigarettes in movies and other pop culture.

“Smoking will ruin your looks” campaigns are still common, however. Here’s one from Australia. And a much more sophisticated one from Finland.

Advertiser:
American Cancer Society
Source:
V&A Collection