LIght My Lucky: Scholes, R., Comley, N.R., & Ulmer, G.L.

 

Essay: Light My Lucky by R. Scholes, N. R., Comley, and G.L. Ulmer

About the Essayists

R. Scholes, N. R., Comley, and G.L. Ulmer worked as professors of English at Brown, CUNY, and Florida, respectively. This discussion of a ‘Lucky Strike’ cigarette ad points out how clever the ad is and how important it is for consumers to learn how to make a critical scrutiny of ads or any text made for promotional purposes.

Main Idea of the Essay

This essay shows how commercial advertisements mislead people and how important it is for consumers to make a critical watch of the ads. Here, they describe a promotional advertisement for a cigarette named 'Lucky Strike' and how the designers of the ad try to mislead the people by showing symbolic and metaphorical connections of the cigarette with health, beauty, and sexuality instead of the health hazards. The ad does not tell it directly, but it is implied by the perfectly healthy and beautiful image of a young lady in the ad. Such ads make the meaning unconsciously in the minds of the consumers.

Summary of the Essay

In this essay, the writers would like to describe an advertisement for cigarettes named 'Lucky Strike' because they find the ad cleverly designed, technically perfect, and attractive to allure consumers. On the surface, the ad is simple. It presents a photo of a beautiful young woman, perhaps 23/4 years old, in a sweater, wearing a scarf with one hand in her pocket and the other resting lightly on her windblown hair, holding an unlighted cigarette. She is looking straight with a somewhat sexy look. The words 'Light My Lucky' appear in quotation marks below her chin. In the lower right corner, there is a large image of an opened package of cigarettes. At the bottom, there is a well-known warning from a surgeon, which says, 'Smoking by pregnant women may result in fetal injury, premature birth, and low birth weight.'

Now, if we look at the advertisement on a deeper level, we find that the designers have used many techniques in it. They have been able to underestimate the warning, and they are focusing on the consumption of cigarettes. The picture focuses on the beautiful and healthy woman who has not lit the cigarette, but she is saying, 'Light my Lucky'. She seems to be in an outdoor environment. So, there is somehow a metonymic (use of a single word to reveal the entire thing) connection between the woman, emotion, outdoors, and cigarette. By showing such a positive, attractive, and healthy woman, the makers of the ad want to minimize the unhealthy effects of cigarette smoking. They want to attach healthy values to the minds of the consumers subconsciously.

The words 'Light My Lucky' are an example of intertextuality, showing two or more meanings by the same phrase. Here, on the literal level, she tells us to light her cigarette named Lucky. But on the deeper metaphorical level, it is like saying 'Light My Fire' or Light My Fire as it is used in rock songs. So, the makers of the ad want to connect the cigarette with beauty, health, and emotional pleasure. Secondly, the word 'light' is a pun (like a joke) with a double meaning. On the surface, it tells us to set on fire or light her cigarette, but on a deeper level, it is arousing her fiery emotions. At the same time, the word 'light' also means less risky and free from bad ingredients, as we say in 'light beer' or 'light cigarette', even to the health-conscious people.

Lastly, the health warning also ignores the health hazards to the general public because it indicates only pregnant women. The warning from the surgeon shows the connection between smoking, pregnancy, and ill health, but the ad shows the connection between smoking, beauty, sexuality, outdoor adventure, and good health. The idea that smoking is unhealthy is overshadowed by other attractive messages. So, this is an extremely clever and well-made advertisement.

Possible Questions

1.      Describe the advertisement.

An advertisement (often shortened to advert or ad) is the promotion of a product, brand, or service to a viewership to attract interest, engagement, and sales. Advertisements come in many forms, from copy to interactive video, and have evolved to become a crucial feature of the app marketplace.

2.      The writers describe an advertisement for Lucky Strike Light cigarettes. How does the description bring the image of the ad to your mind?

An advertisement for a 'Lucky Strike Light' cigarette gives many images to our minds. If we take the meaning of light association to fire, then we get the image of being sexual. If we take its meaning as not weight, then we make the image of being healthy in comparison to having other branded cigarettes.

3.      What are the metonymic associations?

Metonymy association with the cigarette advertisement is mainly the use of punning of the word 'light.' Light means no weight and is related to fire. If we take both meanings at once, light means beauty, health, and fire. Have sexual intercourse.

4.      "Light My Fire"-In what way is it a metaphor? "

"Light my fire" is a metaphor because it stands for having sexual intercourse. Fire, in many films and songs, has an erotic connection. Here, fire stands for sex.

5.      Why is it important to read ads critically?

An advertisement is made to sell a product, but not to give the actual reality of the product. An advertisement is neither true nor false. Its main aim is to sell the product. If we do not use our conscience to buy the product, we will be cheated. So, it is important to read advertisements critically. If we trust the word of the cigarette advertisement, then we will get serious problems. So, we need to judge the product rather than following the advertisement blindly. 

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