Light My Lucky (Summary: BBS Second Year)

Light My Lucky

- Three professors R. Scholes, 

N. R. Comle and G. L. Ulmer

Summary:

The essay “Light My Lucky” written by three professors R. Scholes, N. R. Comle, and G. L. Ulmer is about how advertisements work especially tobacco ads, and how they manipulate people. Mainly, the essay focuses on an advertisement for Lucky Strike Light cigarettes with the slogan “Light My Lucky”.

The text talks about a clever advertisement for Lucky Strike Cigarettes, which features a beautiful young woman. The advertisement tries to make people connect smoking with beauty, health and pleasure. It shows the woman holding an unlit cigarette and the words "Light My Lucky" below her. The advertisement wants people to think that smoking these cigarettes will make them healthy, attractive and happy. The lady in the advertisement looks beautiful and strong, and the background seems like a nice outdoor place. The advertisement wants people to think that smoking these cigarettes will make people feel like her.

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The words “Light My Lucky” have a double meaning. The phrase is a metaphor, which refers to sexual intimacy or desire because fire is used to show erotic connection in many situations. Another meaning of light is not heavy, which suggests that the cigarette is safer and healthier. Both meanings connect smoking with beauty, health and pleasure hiding dangers. The trick of advertising make the product looks attractive although it is harmful and dangerous.

The advertisement hides the truth that smoking is actually harmful our health especially for pregnant women. The Surgeon General's warning about smoking and pregnancy is placed in a small corner in order to make it easy to miss. The advertisement ignores this warning and only focuses on positive and attractive image of smoking. The warning label in the advertisement plays a tricky role. It says that pregnant women should ovoid smoking. This makes people think that smoking these cigarettes is fine for them almost as if it is healthy.

The essay highlights that advertisements never tell full truth. It says that advertisements are not for informing people but for selling products. Especially, advertisements use attractive images, puns and metaphors to catch attention and convince consumers. Therefore, the writers argue that people must read advertisements critically. If we never question advertisements, we may believe their tricks and harm ourselves. The main message of this essay is that advertisements brainwash people, so consumers have to stay alert and think critically before believing what advertisements assure or guarantee.