Life, 1908-12-17 · page 26 of 28
Life — December 17, 1908 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is a magazine advertisement, not a cartoon or satirical content. It's a promotional piece for *The World To-Day*, published by Life magazine's parent company, advertising a three-month trial subscription offer for 25 cents (with money-back guarantee). The pitch emphasizes the magazine's quality and value, claiming it's "indispensable to every home" while being cheaper than competitors at $1.50/year rather than $3.00. The appeal to "honor" and the money-back guarantee were sales tactics designed to overcome reader skepticism about mail subscriptions—common in early 1900s publishing. There's self-aware humor in acknowledging publisher bias ("every publisher thinks his magazine is the best"), but the page is fundamentally commercial advertising rather than satire. The target audience is busy professionals seeking world news and entertainment combined in one affordable publication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Months — For AND YOUR MONEY BACK We believe THE WORLD TO-DAY is one of the best magazines published for the general reader. Quite naturally you will say that our judgment is biased because we are its publishers, and, of course, every publisher thinks his magazine is the best and the only one worth reading. While we have back of us the verdict of an ever increasing list of thousands of subscribers, we propose to put our opinion to a practical test. HERE IS OUR PLAN THE WORLD TO-DAY is 15 cents per copy —three copies 45 cents. Fill in coupon and mail us 25 cents in silver, stamps or any equivalent for the coin of the realm, and we will send you three issues, beginning with January number. At the end of the three months, if you are not satisfied that we have given you big value, simply drop us a card and we will promptly refund your money. These copies will not be sent on “suspicion,” but on your honor. We want your opinion. Is it a go? THE WORLD TO-DAY is the one magazine indispensable to every home. While it is a monthly world review designed to keep the busy man or woman in touch with the world’s happening, it has still another mission — ¢o entertain. To accomplish this double purpose it furnishes monthly, not only a complete digest of events, but many attractive articles on timely subjects, written by the foremost men and women of the day. THE WORLD TO-DAY prides itself on its attractive make-up. It is printed in colors, and each issue is made a veritable panorama of the world by the many illustrations (more than given in any other magazine) of noted people, places and events. The result is a publication that you will seek with joy because you will know in ad- vance that it will afford diversion for the idle hour, and best of all—something worth while. THE WORLD TO-DAY is the only magazine of its class retailing at a popular price. In every respect a $3.00 magazine for but $1.50 a year. THE WORLD TO- 67 Wabash Avenue,