Claudette Colbert is doing a grand job in the Volunteer Army Canteen Service (VACS to the boys).
This ad fulfills three purposes: it recruits nurses for WWII (the top line describes the Volunteer Army Canteen Service), it publicizes Paramount Pictures’ new romantic comedy, “Palm Beach Story,” and, most obviously, it advertises Chesterfield cigarettes (the imagery and copy text for Chesterfields dominates over half of the ad). In fact, the patriotism masks the ad’s true intent of marketing cigarettes. Claudette Colbert (1903-1996) is shown here as a volunteer in nurse’s uniform, passing out Chesterfield cigarettes to adoring fans – young, handsome American soldiers. Colbert is also the leading actress in the advertised film, in which she is shown smoking cigarettes. She ultimately passed away after suffering from a series of strokes.
Female, Male, Mild, Military, Nurse
