Life — December 7, 1911 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Williams' Shaving Stick Advertisement This is a **straightforward product advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The J.B. Williams Company promotes their shaving stick as superior because it "won't smart or dry on the face." The visual strategy uses multiple hands surrounding the product to suggest widespread consumer demand and endorsement. The text emphasizes the product's three-quarter-century reputation and compares it favorably to their shaving powder alternative, both claiming to produce a "rich, creamy, abundant lather." The advertisement aims to appeal to male vanity and practicality—positioning Williams' as the established, trusted choice that loyal customers return to repeatedly. No political or satirical content is present; this is purely commercial promotion typical of *Life* magazine's era.