Old Gold cigs will make your eyes turn insane with delight

From the March 17, 1941 Time, an ill-advised Old Gold cigarettes ad that apparently promises a kind of wide-eyed rapture in exchange for the concomitant health risks.

That something must really be something

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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ahmacrom

“your dealer has now…” oh Lordy…
zuludaddy

Does anyone else think it look like she has pupil/iris tattoos on her closed eyelids?
Anonymous

Looks like the lady was originally drawn with her eyes closed. I’m guessing somebody else “fixed” the artwork and did a horrible job of it.
Anonymous

While it’s been referenced in Warner Brothers cartoons, I’m pretty sure the “Something new has been added” line was a catchphrase for comedian/singer/songwriter Jerry Colonna, who DID have bug-eyes. Perhaps the wide-eyed look of the woman in the ad was a reference to Colonna.
Anonymous

Not to mention the bronzed croissant rolls stapled to your best girl’s head.
Anonymous

her eyes … really serious thyroid condition … hope he has health insurance … oh! forgot it was 1941.
russtolium

Well I know what I’ll be having nightmares about tonight.
justdarren

Old Gold did make some great ads back in the day. I picked up an over sized poster ad they did some time ago with Carole Lombard for a measly 35 dollars a few years ago. Here it is, a little classier than the crazy eyes one.

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2005/1397.html
Anonymous

Good grief, she’s delirious because her boyfriend/hubby got his promotion to corporal.
pKp

Definitely Old Gods Cigarettes. She’s got little shoggothims growing out of her scalp. Note how they’re all directed towards the poor, innocent soldier with his eyes closed. Poor bastard won’t know what hit (ate ?) him.
Suomynona

To be fair, she’s obviously going crazy eyed about the new chevron on his sleeve
- Anonymous
  
  Which she is somehow causing to glow. There’s all sorts of weird stuff happening in this picture.
Anonymous

Her finger turned into a knife..? Smoke Old Gold & lose a stripe!
thequickbrownfox

Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) eyedrops here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropa_belladonna
- Anonymous
  
  Atropine makes your pupils dilate. If it did this, the plant would have been called Atropa pazzadonna instead.
Anonymous

They appear to be in a jungle… Maybe a group of monkeys will attack any moment!
InsertFingerHere

That “Something New” would be meth.
dr

When I was a kid there used to be a magic trick/illusion you could do with Old Gold packs, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was. Maybe another BB reader from my generation can help?

I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the dancing cigarette pack ads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJk9zQXMlbQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JVar3VrBsI

Then there’s this from SCTV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzmDJ0hHEE4
(though IIRC it was Camel that was most preferred by doctors…)
nfatb

I heard this tagline in a WWII era Daffy Duck cartoon… now I finally get the reference! IIRC he’s making a crazy wide-eyed face when he says it, after being kissed by a female spy.
- dorkhero
  
  Daffy Duck? Really? That’s just Plane Daffy…
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_Daffy
Anonymous

What’s that thing on her head?
Mitch_M

He looks mighty proud of whatever he has just whipped out!
Anonymous

There was always something weirdly inexplicable about Old Gold cigarettes, like the cigarette packs that were supported with nylon-ed female legs that danced about in the 1950′s tv ads. They were really harsh tasting, I never knew anybody that smoked them.
pjcamp

She’s clearly got one a them Monday Monkeys coming up her back side.

Or possibly Cory’s banana.
g0d5m15t4k3

Reefer Madness anyone?
Slightly Askew

“Old Gold Cigarettes: *The Cigarette of the Zombie Apocalypse.”
Boba Fett Diop

Old Gold Cigarettes: now with smooth, cool, American-made PCP.
jmccance

Totally read that as “Old God Cigarettes” initially. Not entirely sure I’m wrong yet, honestly.
Anonymous

The first (semi) successful eyeball transplant?
dMc

I want someone to do a whole comic based on these characters, in this style.