Judge, 1920-09-04 · page 32 of 32
Judge — September 4, 1920 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a vintage advertisement for Whistle soft drink, disguised as satirical humor. The "cop" caricature isn't political commentary—it's a marketing device using a uniformed authority figure to endorse the beverage. The pun plays on the word "whistle": the policeman "whistles" (his job) to steer people right, just as Whistle brand steers drinkers toward "bottled goodness." The joke's appeal to modern readers: it's a soft drink being promoted through a pun and an authority figure's endorsement—standard advertising of that era. The line "head now for the nearest thirst emporium" (bar or soda fountain) shows Whistle competed in casual refreshment markets. This represents early 20th-century advertising's reliance on wordplay and trusted figures to market products.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Takea Tip from the Cop! He sure does steer you right when he ‘“‘Whistles’’, You'll say it’s bottled goodness—boy, but it’s great. Here’s a hunch—head now for the nearest thirst emporium—when the clerk says ‘‘what’s yours”’, jp S, \) Lu WWE