In the essay ‘Lucky Strike’ cigarette ad points out how clever the ad is and how important it is for consumers to earn how to make critical scrutiny of ads or any text made for promotional purposes.
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Summary of the essay Light My Lucky by R . Scholes, N. R. Comley, G. L. Ulmer
In this
essay, an advertisement for a cigarette, 'Lucky
Strike', and its importance to the users have been vividly analyzed and
researched. In the advertisement of the cigarette, there is an advertisement,
"Light My Lucky" and down it, there is a surgeon warning that it is
harmful to pregnant.
Similarly,
in the advertisement, there is a beautiful girl whose left hand is on the head
with a Lucky Strike cigarette. Writers especially analyze the word
"light" and surgeon warning. The word, "Light" has two
meanings (Pun) - (a) is related to fire (b) not weight. If we take the word,
light as fire, it is metaphorically suggesting sex.
Similarly,
if we think of the meaning of the light with no weight, the light my lucky
means the cigarette is very useful to have because it indirectly hints that it
has less nicotine.
Thus, an
advertisement associated with the cigarette is beauty, health, and sexual
pleasure. Metonyms mean part representing the whole. If we take the meaning of
light associated with burning, it indicates fire.
The
surgeon's warning is so tricky. It only prohibits taking the Lucky Strike
cigarette for pregnant women. Such prohibition hints to others that smoking
"Lucky Strike" cigarette is quite healthy. In this way, advertisers
use the word to brainwash the common people. Their main aim is to make tricky
advertisements to sell their product in large numbers.
So, the
Lucky Strike cigarette is a well-made advertisement to manipulate the cigarette
users' minds.
Frequently asked question from the essay ‘Light My Lucky’
1. Describe the advertisement ‘Light My Lucky’.
Ans: 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?
Ans: An advertisement for '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?
Ans: Metonymy association of the cigarette advertisement
is mainly the use of punning of word ' light. 'Light means not weight and
related to fire. If we take both meanings once, light means beauty, healthy,
and fire.
4. "Light my fire"-in what way is it a metaphor?
Ans: "Light my fire" is a metaphor because it
stands to make sexual intercourse. Fire in many film and song have an erotic
connection. Here fire stands for sex. So, light my fire means to start to have
sexual intercourse.
5. Why is it important to read ads critically?
Ans: Advertisement is made to sell a product but not to give the actual reality of the product. 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 start having, we will get a serious problem. So, we need to judge the product rather following the advertisement blindly.