Art Deco - How to get a smokin' body.

During the 1920’s, the well-being of American citizens steadily increased. Due to this, more attention was paid by the consumer to their own physical attraction. At this time, advertisers such as J. Walter Thompson began to use sex, emulation appeals, and more broadly fear as a method of selling hygiene products such as mouth wash, soap, and shaving cream to both men and women. The method of inducing fear amongst consumers mainly developed into a form of anxiety throughout women, making them conscious and worrisome of their abilities to sustain a relationship with a man, friends, and even maintaining a job.

Cigarette ads in particular at the time promoted health and well-being amongst women. To the right, Lucky Strike Cigarettes are seen to be promoting cigarettes as a replacement for sweets and other fattening foods. 
People socialised frequently; entering what were originally considered to be Men’s Clubs, Flappers represented the extravagance and level of perfection that women of that era could reach. At this time, women thought of it as a must to look perfect, which was a driving motivation to banish unsightly hygiene issues such as body odour, unappealing dental work, bad breath, and clothing that was not considered to be pristine. Once this method of advertising had made its impact, consumers felt the need to take care of themselves due to the fear of alienation; the compulsion of presenting one’s self perfectly was engraved on society. Once this happened, the advertising industry persuaded the consumers into buying dreams.
A popular example of this is the packaging of cigarettes at the time. These packets often featured ladies considered to be beautiful or even romantic scenes featuring both a man and a woman. Cigarettes were often sold on the ground that they promoted weight loss, and a slim, toned body shape could be achieved through consumption. Appealing voices were also promoted to women, who were convinced that the voice of a smoker would be considered alluring and desirable by men.This was undoubtedly used to the advertising industry's advantage, as seen in the ad to the above: Lucky Strike promoted their cigarettes to be cleaner and fresher, which was undoubtedly a false claim. This however boosted appeal to the target audience of women at the time.