Life, 1908-09-17 · page 24 of 24
Life — September 17, 1908 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **no political cartoon or satire**—it is purely commercial advertising from Life magazine (September 17, 1908). The page promotes two grooming products by J.B. Williams Company: a shaving stick and toilet soap. The advertisements use common early-1900s marketing tactics: - **Shaving Stick**: Claims superiority ("the only kind that won't smart or dry") and promises habit-forming satisfaction - **Jersey Cream Toilet Soap**: Offers a "free" traveling soap box with every four-cake purchase as an inducement to try the product The language emphasizes modern scientific achievement and emotional comfort—typical of Edwardian consumer advertising. The soap box premium is a classic early marketing strategy: give away something of perceived value to encourage trial purchases. This appears to be a standard advertising section from Life rather than satirical content. Life did publish satire, but this page is straightforward product promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
af_l, + Shavin Williams’ ‘srré “The only kind that won't smart or dry on the face " C HE constant, daily use of Williams’ T Shaving Stick becomes in a short time a habit. Vhe results are so satisfactory and the feeling is so comforting that afterwards no— other shaving stick scems to yield the same creamy, soothing lather, or give the same lasting satisfaction. Williams’ Shaving Stick comes in the Nickeled Box, Hinged Cover. Lin the leatherette covered metal box Lonreceiptof price fyourdruggist stick (enough for 50 shaves) f stamps Tuy J.B. Winniams Compasy, Department A, Glastonbury, Conn, — Williams’ Jersey Cream Toilet Soap not only offers the best toilet soap that modern science and soap-making can produce, but it also offers with every four cakes a traveling soap box that is worth at least the price of the four cakes of soap. The soap box is offered free with every four cakes of soap as an inducement to you to try at least four cakes, because we know that if you use that much Jersey Cream ‘Toilet Soap you will never be satistied with any other. Ask your druggist. If he fails to supply you, send Goc. in and we will send the four cakes of soap and soap box by retur Address Tur J.B. Witttaats Company, Departinent A, Glastonbury, Conn,