MAD Magazine’s Spoof Anti-Tobacco Ads

Back when 'everyone' smoked, tobacco advertising was everywhere. MAD noticed...

Because publisher William M. Gaines took no advertising for MAD magazine, his artists and writers had free rein to lampoon any product and brand without fear of losing a client. Hence the fake adverts that featured most often on the magazine’s back cover.

Flickr user Jaspero scanned scores of them from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Back then tobacco advertising was pretty much everywhere. Lest you be in any doubt how great smoking tobacco was, doctors advertised their love of smoking – and so too did Santa Claus. Cigarettes were good for women, romance, your figure, sex, your wardrobe, her throat, his libido and Mother Nature. And the ads that made you want them were great for satire…

 

Mad Magazine adverts

July 1966

MAD magazine

Jan 1971

MAD magazine

September 1958

MAD magazine

July 1958

July 1959

July 1964

MAD magazine

April 1964

March 1967

June 1966

December 1966

March 1969

MAD Magazine January 1958

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