Cigarette ads on radio

Episode 1021,   Apr 11, 2015, 11:21 AM

It seems inconceivable now that cigarettes could be widely advertised on broadcast media. Television advertising of tobacco products was banned in the UK in 1965. There was little reason to ban radio ads as there was no commercial radio at that stage in this country. They were heard widely, however, on stations beaming their signals into the UK: the pirate stations and Radio Luxembourg. I can still sing along to the merry melodies; and there is something so cute about the pre-decimal prices for these cancerous beauties: "20 long size cigarettes for 4/10". The creative is beautifully American as is the voice processing.