Dating to the 1950s, this ad for Parliament cigarettes with the recessed filter to trap nicotine and tar so that it “cannot get on your lips.” The ad ends with the tagline, “Smoke the Best — new Hi-Filtration Filter Parliament”. The Parliament brand was launched in 1931 and is distinctive for its recessed paper filters — originally used as an advertising gimmick when cigarettes did not have filters. After cigarette filters became common, the brand was marketed for its unique filters, with advertisements reading, “Only the flavor touches your lips”, and “Tobacco tastes best when the filter’s recessed”. The brand also claimed that the recessed filter prevented tar from making contact with the smoker’s mouth, unlike standard filters. None of this of course made up for the fact that Parliaments, like all cigarettes, are harmful to human health and that smoking kills.

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