Judge, 1923-11-17 · page 7 of 44
Judge — November 17, 1923 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Ad-Ventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great Woodbury Mystery" This is a parody of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories, satirizing the aggressive advertising that saturated 1920s American media. The joke: Holmes demonstrates his deductive prowess by identifying Watson's breakfast from product placement alone (Sunkist oranges, Kellogg's cereal, Triscuits, Maxwell House coffee, Dunhill pipes, Prince Albert tobacco, Mennen's shaving cream). The "mystery" is solved when a young man confesses to murder because the advertising jingle "A Skin You Love to Touch" (for Woodbury soap) drove him to madness—he heard it constantly everywhere. The satire targets how pervasive and inescapable commercial advertising had become, particularly beauty product ads that promised transformation. The punchline—"WELL, I TOUCHED IT!"—suggests the absurdity of products making exaggerated claims about their effects on consumers. Norman Anthony critiques consumerism itself as invasive and psychologically damaging.
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UMeruHumr OMZ-wZON “Life Liberty cand “the Pursuit of Advertising” | THE AD. VENTURES OF SHERLOCK THE IL [oe [MES glanced up from his morning utson entered the room +s traveled swiftly over nfrére’s vest. ood morning, my dear Watson. I see u enjoyed a Sunkist orange, Kellogg's tumbles, some Triscuits, and a cup of well House coffee. Marvelous, Holm aimed Wat- son, filling his Dunhill pipe with Prince Albert, “but how did you know it was Maxwell House ist drop ‘y good!” son shook his ad in azement, Vhat’s y in the papers y gracious!” cried Watson. they discovered the mur- miled, and walking to the bureau, picked up his E Ready and Mennen’s Sh: and started to shi “Not yet, my dear V and I want you to help me. “Gladly, Holm gladly. Have you a clew Holmes laughed heartily.“ clew, my dear Watson! I have the murderer! This is one of the simplest cases I ever saw—purely HOLMES GREAT WOODBURY MYSTERY by Norman Anthony psyche to do Holmes walked quickly over to the victrola, his eyes alight with the scent of the chase. “LT have here as you see, i and a new song record made ly for it. Tt is called ‘A Skin You to Touch.” In a few minutes we shall have a visitor. He is none other than the Woodbury soap man! I will give you the al when to play! ical—and Tm really ashamed Watson, a Thanks to Morris Hams. “All to the mustard!” 1 The bell rang shrilly and Holmes sprang to the door, turning the Yale lock. A haggard looking young man, clad in a t. Schaffner & Mars dinner coat, timid] Mr. Holm “Yes, young man, I sent for you. A friend of mine has skin trouble and wishes to obtain a skin you loye to touch.” The young man trembled violently and_ his mouth twitched. | “L thought. you might > to help him. Sit down in that glanced significantly at Watson, sdged toward the victrol. r young man, you loye to touch—* The young man jumped to his feet with ashen cheeks. “For God’s sake don’t say that again!” Holmes turned quickly. “Watson, the need! Softly the strains of ‘A Skin You Love to Touch’ floated into the room, The young man listened intently with wild eves. then broke down sobbing. Stop it! Stop it! Yes, I did it! I murdered her with my own hands! As we stood on the bill- board T heard all day long was ‘T ‘ou love to touch skin you love to touch!” My God! Nothing but that all day long! As Holmes quit handcuffs on his wri: he “WELL, I TOUCHED IT!” this skin comicbooks.com