Reply #71: Virginia Slims: Edward Bernays and "Torches of Freedom"

[Ian David]

In the 1920s, working for the American Tobacco Company, he sent a group of young models to march in the New York City parade. He then told the press that a group of women's rights marchers would light "Torches of Freedom". On his signal, the models lit Lucky Strike cigarettes in front of the eager photographers. The New York Times (1 April 1928) printed: "Group of Girls Puff at Cigarettes as a Gesture of 'Freedom'". This helped to break the taboo against women smoking in public. During this decade he also handled publicity for the NAACP.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays


See also:

Tobacco companies took aim at female smokers
Topic started by RamboLiberal on Jun-01-05 12:25 AM (9 replies)
Last modified by UpInArms on Jun-01-05 03:02 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1514045