Camel Ad: Are you a Humming Bird? (Jul, 1934)
This seems to be a bit of a contradiction: “and watch your smoking… Remember, you can smoke as many Camels as you want.”
Are you a Humming Bird?
It’s irritating and it means… jangled nerves
Yes, it’s irritating to listen to that constant, tuneless humming—and more than that, the humming is a sign of jangled nerves.
If you notice any of those telltale nervous habits in yourself— if you whistle through your teeth—drum on the table —then it’s time to start taking care of yourself.
Get enough sleep—fresh air —recreation—and watch your smoking… Remember, you can smoke as many Camels as you want. Their costlier tobaccos never jangle your nerves.
COSTLIER TOBACCOSCamels are made from finer, MORE EXPENSIVE TOBACCOS than any other popular brand of cigarettes!
HAVE FUN!
Send for FREE Game BookNew—illustrated book of 20 ways to test nerves… Fascinating! Amazing! “Show up” your friends. See if you have healthy nerves. Send fronts from 2 packages of Camels with order-blank below. Free book is sent postpaid.
CLIP HERE… MAIL NOW
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Dept. 95-B, Winston-Salem, N. C.I enclose fronts from 2 packs of Camels. Send me book of nerve tests postpaid.
SMOKE AS MANY AS YOU WANT …THEY NEVER GET ON YOUR NERVES
SMOKE AS MANY AS YOU WANT …THEY NEVER GET ON YOUR NERVES
Just don’t ask about cancer!
In 1934, there was evidence strongly suggesting that tobacco was a serious health hazard – a few scientific papers, and clear epidemiological evidence that men, who at the time smoked much more than women, got an awful lot more lung cancer than women did. But it was pretty readily arguable that this evidence was not conclusive, and the Big Tobacco Lie Machine did not yet exist.
Twenty years later, the ads were much less defensible. Twenty years after THAT, they weren’t making any of the bizarre “jangled nerves” or “T-Zone” claims any more, but nonetheless arguably constituted a deliberate and ongoing campaign of manslaughter.
But in 1934, at least, they could fairly honestly say that the jury was still out.
“jangled” What the hell kinda word is that?
Jangle is a perfectly good word. It means to make a harsh sound with bits of metal. To use it in a sentence, “I jangle my dogs leash and he comes for his walk.” The word has its origin in old French where it meant to talk incessantly.
“Jangled nerves” was a trendy catchphrase of the time, but it’s still in common use. A Google search finds recent use in the LA Times, the Independent, CBC News, and the unlikely-named Melbourne broadsheet The Age.
What’s surprising to me is a how similar these look to a modern pack of Camels.
All right! you guys are gettin’ my nerves all jangled with your defening of the word jangled. Going down to the store to get me some camels.