TOW #2 "It's Toasted" (Visual)

 This image is an ad for cigarettes originally published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1951. The advertiser is the famous cigarette company, Lucky Strike, known for their emphasis on quality of taste. In this image, the text that readers see first is the line, "IT'S TOASTED TO TASTE BETTER!" At a time when cigarette companies were struggling to maintain their customers against numerous health warnings, Lucky Strike decided to focus on the high quality of the product. In addition to the caption, there are three images to the right showing baseball player Ted Williams enjoying himself fishing and smoking. Lucky Strike wanted to remind readers of lighthearted and fun activities, alongside which they would also be smoking. The black and white effect on the pictures also give readers a sense of nostalgia. These pictures generate an appeal to pathos: the readers associate their hobbies and happiness with Lucky Strike cigarettes.

Lucky Strike also makes an appeal to ethos by including a testimony from Ted Williams. The opening line, again, links the activity of fishing to smoking. It reads, "Baseball's fabulous Ted Williams is an expert fisherman and enthusiastic Lucky smoker." Lucky Strike is assuming that their audience, which would be the general readership of the Saturday Evening Post (i.e. the general public), has at least heard of Ted Williams. He is first characterized in a way that all readers will recognize: a baseball player. More importantly, however, he is shown to a normal everyday person, who, just like readers, fishes and smokes Lucky Strike cigarettes. Because he is shown to be a normal person like everyone else, readers will trust him when he advocates for Lucky Strike cigarettes. His image takes up the majority of the page, and the focus is largely on his face. What readers can see of his clothing is, again, representative of an everyday person. He is not wearing a baseball uniform or formal clothing; instead he looks comfortable and friendly. The focus on his facial expression emphasizes his smile and eyes, which will make the advertisement feel inviting to readers.

It can be a bit odd looking back on cigarette advertisements, as the cultural attitude toward smoking has completely changed since the 50's. However, it is clear this ad contains many components which draw readers' attentions and associate a positive feeling with Lucky Strike cigarettes.