Comments for 1936 Thanksgiving Camel Ad: Smoke After Each Course!

1936 Thanksgiving Camel Ad: Smoke After Each Course!

2009-11-25T20:39:33Z

This advertisement for Camel cigarettes appeared in the November 23, 1936 edition of LIFE magazine. It earnestly demands that you smoke a Camel after each course of Thanksgiving dinner -- "for digestion's sake."

Some of our favorite quotes from the ad include, "smoke a camel right after the soup," "By all means enjoy a second helping, but before you do -- smoke another Camel," and "My own personal experience is that smoking Camels with my meals and afterwards builds up a sense of digestive well-being."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Comment from Browncoat101 on 2009-11-30

2009-11-30T18:10:44Z

They constrict blood flow on wounds much better than candy bar wrappers.

Comment from do-it-myself on 2009-11-27

2009-11-27T05:52:01Z

""STIAKEM"?

M-I-S-T-A-K-E

I wonder if that part was photoshopped into the picture.

Comment from canuck on 2009-11-26

2009-11-27T02:10:52Z

i used to be a walking advertisement for these death sticks. i would say:

"i'm not addicted to cigarettes, i'm addicted to CAMELS..."

of course, i live in canada, and it was hard to find reasonably-priced camels, but little mom & pop stores in chinatown sold cartons of the 'not for export' variety...

Comment from killest on 2009-11-26

2009-11-26T23:28:49Z

Nah, the pic comes from a placemat used by a doctor, who subconsciously dropped some gravy on said placemat and voila! you have an unintentional message!

Comment from HashMaster9000 on 2009-11-26

2009-11-26T09:16:30Z

Sure., I'll do it. just UNBAN MY CLOVE CIGARETTES and we'll talk. Seriously gov't, you ban the ONE THING keeping me sane in this economy...

Comment from porething on 2009-11-26

2009-11-26T05:49:29Z

In a recent survey 9 out of 10 men who tried camels still preferred women.

Comment from H3ion on 2009-11-26

2009-11-26T05:01:39Z

"Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet." That's right. Lucky Strike was the original diet pill. Also, "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," showed that cigarette companies were interested in promoting exercise.

C'mon. 1936?

Comment from ctyankee on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T03:36:14Z

Wow. Good thing they didn't advertise to the children's table. "Hey kids. Have a candy cigarette and rot your teeth after each course."

Comment from Telekinesis123 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T02:48:59Z

I guess they can't honestly say "It improves the foods taste".

Comment from LESSTHANKIND on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T02:22:48Z

Five cigarettes--CAMELS, no less--during one meal. Imagine being at that table?

"For when digestion proceeds smoothly, you experience a sense of ease and well-being." "The best meal I ever ate would be a disappointment if I couldn't enjoy Camels... there's nothing like Camels to set you right!"

Awesome find.

Comment from chocobo on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T02:06:09Z

Was that unusual coloring there in the original ad? Somehow I really doubt it.

Comment from RecordStoreToughGuy_KnowsThreeChords on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T01:45:06Z

I thought one was supposed to use cigars for that...

Comment from pyramus on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T01:09:10Z

I would just like to point out that I am not so unoriginal as to have made a comment identical to a prior one, because, thanks to the site redesign, I didn't know that comments had their own (hidden) replies.

Comment from pyramus on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T01:04:56Z

It's an anagram of "mistake". How subliminal!

Comment from katinka on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T00:20:40Z

I sometimes think all the smoking people used to do is why they drank gross things like Harvey Wallbangers (vodka, oj, and galliano) or ate somewhat icky things mushroom soup green beans or jello salads, because they couldn't actually taste anything anymore.

Comment from chrisholland03 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T23:15:13Z

Camels help with anal retention too, you know.

Comment from chrisholland03 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T23:13:32Z

subtlefrog wasn't so subtle that time!

Comment from umbriago on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T23:05:48Z

These ads are dangerously quaint. I like to listen to old American radio shows and the catchy cigarette jingles and slogans tend to stay in my head quite effectively.

How mild, how mild, how mild can a cigarette be...

Due to circumstances, Thanksgiving dinner was today, and man, do I want a cigarette all of a sudden.

Comment from absurdist on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T22:51:49Z

You win at the internets.

Comment from Stephmo on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T22:46:09Z

And then Don Draper came along...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0L8f1IY1Vk

Comment from vanillacokehead on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T22:44:03Z

*chuckle* just make sure you have an extra large dinner table so the iron lung can fit. ;)

Comment from dorianh49 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T22:14:40Z

Obviously, an anagram for "MISTAKE".

Comment from Aphex242 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T22:01:24Z

+1. Great, except for the spelling error that twists a knife into my anal-retentive mind.

Comment from Slave For Turtles on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:58:17Z

Is there some reason why certain letters at the bottom are different shade?

"for digeSTIon's sAKE -- smoke caMels"

"STIAKEM"?

Comment from catastrophegirl on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:54:32Z

while this is absolutely hysterical, i have to agree with the ad in some ways. my stomach has paralysis from nerve damage which involves a lot of nausea. since i already smoked and it seems to help the nausea, my doctor suggested i not quit, just cut back a little.

Comment from Chuck Norris' wig on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:51:00Z

Strike up a Lucky Strike!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D96NyPato0Q

Comment from PSUSkier on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:45:24Z

Also, is video embedding now completely gone?

Comment from PSUSkier on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:43:15Z

Very much reminds me of this Family Guy clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7XImuoNgJo

Comment from ArcanaJ on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:37:02Z

Mmm! Pass the braised smoker's lung, Ma!

Comment from Smashville_OrderingOJandTakingNames on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:35:49Z

And when you're tired, try this: get a "lift" with a Camel!

Also helpful advice if ever stuck in the Sahara Desert.

Comment from ArcanaJ on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:35:37Z

Yeah, there's no way I can top that. APPLAUSE!

Comment from Orv on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:28:49Z

Camels: They make bland 1930s food seem even more tasteless!

Comment from klwillis45 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:22:01Z

You can also use them to smoke the cats outta your walls.

Comment from DangerMouth on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:14:55Z

Damn, those were the days. Now the pariahs are all huddling in the garage or out on the patio.

Comment from Loias on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:13:36Z

Whoa-ho-ho, you forgot the hyphen in inter-course cigarette. Otherwise, someone might mistake that for something naughty.

Do be more careful next time.

Comment from subtlefrog on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:10:35Z

I believe that would be called the intercourse cigarette.

Comment from cc82 on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T21:01:40Z

Also, if you accidentally swallow apple seeds or another toxic substance, cigarette smoke will suffocate the bacteria in your stomach.

Comment from Loias on 2009-11-25

2009-11-25T20:57:08Z

"Before Camel, my digestive system was marred with irregularity, bloody stool, and food that I didn't remember eating. Now that I smoke Camels between courses and after the meal, my bowel movements are always firm, pleasent, and produce the smell of bakery fresh cinnamon rolls."