This advertisement introduces the Old Gold “blindfold” taste test. It presents the information in the style of a newspaper article, and was likely printed in newspapers, making the information seem both timely and newsworthy. In this “concealed name” cigarette test, each of the four leading brands has a “mask” wrapped over its brand name on the cigarette paper, so the smoker cannot see which brand is which. The ad presents some frequently asked questions along with answers which make the test seem more legitimate. The claim that neither the makers of Old Golds or their agents conduct the tests, but that they are rather conducted by “public accountants,” is a manipulative masking of the brains behind the operation. At the end of the “article,” Old Gold invites you to try the same test ”yourself in your own home.” In exchange for your address, they will send you a set of the four masked cigarettes used in the test. In earlier ads, Old Gold would blindfold participants, including celebrities like Babe Ruth, rather than mask the cigarette brand.
Cough, Health, Throat
