Life, 1906-02-22 · page 24 of 24
Life — February 22, 1906 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **full-page advertisement** for The Prudential Insurance Company, not satirical content. Published in *Life* magazine (February 29, 1906), it showcases the company's financial strength through its thirtieth annual statement. The only visual element is the **Rock of Gibraltar** logo—a symbol comparing Prudential's stability to the famous fortress. The tagline "THE PRUDENTIAL HAS THE STRENGTH OF GIBRALTAR" emphasizes reliability and permanence. The ad targets middle-class readers by highlighting concrete achievements: over $107 million in assets, $1 billion+ insurance in force, and $1 million paid to policyholders in 1905. It emphasizes "economical administration" and "favorable mortality experience"—reassuring language for life insurance buyers concerned about company solvency. John F. Dryden served as president. This advertisement reflects the early-1900s insurance industry's need to build public confidence in financial institutions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Prudential Advances in Security and Public Confidence | THIRTIETH ANNUAL STATEMENT, JANUARY 1, 1906, shows | ASSETS, over - - - 107 Million Dollars LIABILITIES (including Reserve $88, 000, 000) - - 91 Million Dollars SURPLUS, over - - - 16 Million Dollars INCREASE IN ASSETS, over - - - 18 Million Dollars PAID POLICYHOLDERS DURING 1905, over - - 14 Million Dollars TOTAL PAYMENTS TO POLICYHOLDERS to Dec. 31, 1905, over - - - 107 Million Dollars CASH DIVIDENDS and Other Goncesdiotis not ‘Stipulated i in Original Contracts and Voluntarily Given to Holders of Old Policies to Date, over - : - - 6 Million Dollars NUMBER OF POLICIES IN FORCE, nenily : - - 6 1-2 Million INCREASE IN NUMBER OF POLICIES IN FORCE, over - 1-2 Million NET INCREASE IN INSURANCE IN FORCE, over - 113 Million Dollars Bringing Total Amount of Insurance in Force to over One Billion, One Hundred and Seventy Million Dollars Economical Administration RE, Lower Expense Rate Than Ever Before PRUDENTI Careful Selection of Risks HAS THE STRENGTH OF Favorable Mortality Experience GIBRALTAR Dividends Paid to Policyholders during 1905 over 2 ONE MILLION DOLLARS THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA Incorporated as a Stock Company by the State of New Jersey JOHN F. DRYDEN, President Write for information of Policies, Dept. O Home Office, Newark, N. J. PREGS OF THE J. W. PRATT CO., NEW YORK. comicbooks.com