SMOKIN’, CLASSIC CIGARETT COMMERCIALS: FOLKS BOUGHT INTO THIS?

I love compilations DVDs of old things like commercials, movie trailers and more. So when I heard this was coming out I was interested to say the least. I grew up in a time when smoking was not just acceptable but was done in every aspect of entertainment seen. TV shows and movies had folks smoking left and right. Forget Joe Camel, most people were induced to smoke watching Ricky Ricardo do so.

I also remembered a number of the old classic cigarette commercials. Come on, who didn’t hum the theme to the Marlboro Man (which was actually the theme to THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN)? And we all knew people would walk a mile for a Camel. There were tons of other commercials that are ingrained in the memories of baby boomers from this time. Unfortunately none of them show up here.

Yes the commercials collected here are some of the weaker ones from the time period. That’s not to say it’s not interesting to watch what they do come up with though. Fans of commercials will enjoy seeing how they tried to sway folks into picking up their first pack.

For the most part these commercials show folks smoking in one of two locations: either at home as they relax their time there or while on vacation. Of course everyone lies back in a hammock on the beach and feels compelled to light one up on that sunshine drenched beach. Or once you go camping, don’t you feel the urge to pop out a cigarette?

The disc offers tons of commercials but as I said, not much in the ones that seem to stick in most memories. It did remind me of brands I’d long forgotten. I’d also forgotten about the coupons on the backs of Raleigh cigarettes that could be saved and redeemed for products much like the old green stamps programs.

On the whole this disc is disappointing in that those famous commercials are not included. Neither are many of the ones that used famous folks to promote the product (including the now famous Flintstones smoking!). But for fans of commercials who want to see what they had to offer, you might find this one informative at least.