The only thing subtle about this early die-cut counter card is the inconspicuous name for the new brand of cigarettes or little cigars that The American Tobacco Company was introducing in 1905. The titillating sight of the young lady's slim ankles under all those yards of clothing was meant to cause consternation and admiration among male smokers and non-smokers alike. It isn't just a coincidence that the dropped New Light packet is pictured near her stylish shoes, ruffled petticoats and that charming five inches of seemingly exquisite leg. A convenient gust of wind or that small puddle a girl just had to step over, allowed the viewer a quick peek at the forbidden. Sex was, and still is, used to get the reader's attention. This soft-sell advertising technique of drawing the reader's eyes to where the manufacturer's message was placed, was used for many different kinds of consumer products made between 1870 and the early 1900s.

James Duke's tobacco monopoly owned a manufacturing plant in Montreal where several of his trust brands were made for the Canadian market. Sweet Caporal and Matinee were the most popular, but New Light was made there too. At ten for 10 cents, New Light Cigarettes or Little Cigars was a little on the pricey side.