Life, 1909-10-21 · page 4 of 32
Life — October 21, 1909 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **vintage advertisement, not satire or political commentary**. The page promotes Ivory Soap, a Procter & Gamble product, using a testimonial format common in early 20th-century advertising. The image shows a well-dressed woman at her toilette, and the text describes how one woman allegedly used Ivory Soap for eight different purposes in a single day—bathing, cleaning clothes, washing hair ribbons, and general household cleaning. The advertisement emphasizes the soap's purity and versatility as its selling point. The phrase "It Floats" is Ivory's famous slogan, referring to the soap's unique buoyancy. This appears to be standard product advertising aimed at middle-class housewives, highlighting practical domestic applications rather than containing any satirical or political message.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“THE USES OF IVORY SOAP ARE EXTRAORDINARILY VARIED.” We have frequently made the statement that the uses of Ivory Soap are “extraordinarily varied. Here is a letter that will give you an idea of just how varied they are. It tells how one woman, in one day, used Ivory Soap for no less than eight different purposes. And it is worth noting that, for every one of these pur- poses, Ivory Soap is better adapted than any other soap. ‘Why? Because Ivory Soap is pure—that is why. “At ten o'clock last night, as I launched my cake of Ivory Soap on the calm waters of the bath. I smiled, for the greater part of my working day had been spent in its company. On arising, | had washed with it. Then, when, after breakfast, | did up some doll clothes for my eldest child, Ivory Soap was used. The baby’s bath came next. Ivory Soop was its chief ingredient. Afterwards his fannels were done up and the Fellow Ggured curtains in the guest room. washed some soiled hair ribbons, laid them flat and scrubbed them with a nail brush and Ivory Soap. After luncheon, | shampooed my hair, using Ivory Soap and a little ammonia to soften the water. Before | went to bed, that faithful white cake gave me the final touch of restful cleanliness that insured a restoring sleep.” Ivory Soap wee ew ew ww we Tt Floats. comicbooks.com