Judge, 1916-01-22 · page 21 of 28
Judge — January 22, 1916 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement** for Johnnie Walker Red Label scotch whisky, disguised as humor. The cartoon depicts a porter reassuring a nervous traveler who fears leaving behind his case of whisky during travel. The joke plays on the traveler's anxiety about losing alcohol—a common concern for wealthy travelers in the early 20th century. The porter's reassurance has a double meaning: the whisky is safe *because* Johnnie Walker is available everywhere globally, and the new non-refillable bottles prevent tampering. The advertisement emphasizes brand reliability and worldwide availability ("The sun never sets on 'Johnnie Walker'"), positioning the scotch as a luxury good for international travelers. The product's founding date of 1820 establishes its heritage and quality. This exemplifies how Judge magazine blended advertising with satirical content to appeal to its affluent readership.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Born 1820 —Still going strong. Porter (reassuringly, referring to the case of “Johnnie Walker”): “IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT BEHIND, SiR.” Traveller (nervously) : “* Maybe, But I've Lert A Case oF ‘JOHNNIE WALKER’ BEHIND, BEFORE!" Porter : ** BuT 1T’S MUCH SAFER IN THESE NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLES.” One cannot blame a traveller for being nervous lest his case of “ Johnnie Walker" Red Label be left behind, but it is reassuring to know that “ Johnnie Walker” is to be had everywhere. The sun never sets on “ Johnnie Walker,” nor on the particular man who asks for it. Every drop of “ Johnnie Walker” Red Label in a non-refillable bottle is over 10 years old. GUARANTEED SAME QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. Agents: WILLIAMS & HUMBERT, 1158 Broadway, NEW YORK. JOHN WALKER & SONS, Lrp., Witusky Distitters, KILMARNOCK, ScorLann, comicbooks.com