Pall Mall x The Death Of Socrates

Pall Mall.

Their graphic style was distinct. Printed in black, red, and white, no fancy graphics, and straightforward messaging. Their ads stood out, and so did their packaging. Their core slogan caught my attention: “Wherever Particular People Congregate”.

The Painting.

The painting, The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David (1787), depicts Socrates reaching for a cup of Hemlock. He had been convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens and was sentenced to death, by, you guessed it, Hemlock.

While having the option of exile, he chose death. Ultimately to teach others death is not to be feared, but embraced. This 'final lesson' is why he is seen so defiantly gesturing towards the afterlife. During this, Crito, looks intently, admiring Socrates for his act. While all others are distressed, Crito is content.

The Poster.

“Particular People” is quite open-ended. It could easily be used to convey just about anyone. Philosophers. I had the idea instantly. The placement, the colour composition between the painting and messaging, hell yeah.

“When you want wisdom and insight as badly as you want to breathe” is a quote from Socrates. It's perfect when contextualized for smoking. It's no longer about obtaining wisdom, but rather the implication that Pall Malls are the more wise choice for smokers.

The whole idea of this poster is to align Pall Mall with the wisdom and views of Socrates, essentially implying that the wise are the ‘particular people’, and that you will be perceived as wise if you smoke Pall Mall. I feel like that's achieved… on the surface.

The irony of this poster is that Socrates is embracing death, and about to smoke a cigarette. All those around him? Sad. And the one who admires Socrates? Following his lead and smoking. If you remove the whole “Socrates is killing himself” part of it, it looks like he is just pumped to be handed a Pall Mall