The New England Journal of Medicine has a slideshow of 20th-century cigarette advertisements, with a commentary that reveals some of the marketing changes that took place as public awareness of the health damage from tobacco smoking grew.
Allan Brandt Discusses 20th-Century Cigarette Marketing. [requires Flash, sound very useful]
A few shots:
“I do prefer Lucky Strike cigarette, because Toasting removes dangerous irritants that cause throat irritation and coughing”
“No curative power is claimed for PHILIP MORRIS… but AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION is Worth a Pound of Cure! PHILIP MORRIS are scientifically proved far less irritating to the smoker’s nose and throat.”
“He’s one of the busiest men in town. While his door may say Office Hours 2 to 6, he’s actually on call 24 hours a day. The doctor is a scientist, a diplomat, and a friendly sympathetic human being all in one, no matter how long and hard his schedule. According to a recent Nationwide survey: More Doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.”
“All over America … more scientists and educators smoke Kent with the Micronite Filter than any other cigarette! For good smoking taste, it makes good sense to smoke KENT.”
(Note: the early Micronite filters were marketed as a health tool, filtering out the damaging portions of cigarette smoke. They contained asbestos.)
“The man who thinks for himself knows … Only Viceroy has a thinking man’s filter – a smoking man’s taste!”
“I thought about all I’d read and said to myself, either quit or smoke True. I smoke True. The low tar, low nicotine cigarette. Think about it.”
DUFC #69 
Hoyden About Town 
Ha – I love that “the man who thinks for himself” is thinking about a spaceship heading towards a spiral galaxy.
tigtog, I think it’s a telescope. You can see a little guy looking in the eyepiece if you look closely.
“All over America … more scientists and educators smoke Kent with the Micronite Filter than any other cigarette! For good smoking taste, it makes good sense to smoke KENT.”
1960s consumer: “They’re presenting those brainboxes as cool? Hmmmm…”
(Might not work as well in the noughties)
The Bald Soprano: you’re right, I see the astronomer now.
That somehow makes it even more abstrusely geeky.
More Doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.
And more Farmers shag sheep than any other girlfriend, but that still doesn’t make it a GOOD thing.
Love the Viceroy one, just as art.
In the first season of Mad Men they made a big thing of promoting their cigarettes with the word “toasted” to distinguish it as something country-fried and healthsome.