Life, 1912-01-25 · page 42 of 44
Life — January 25, 1912 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an advertisement for *Ainslee's* magazine (a competitor to *Life*), presented as satire about advertising itself. The page humorously depicts how a professional ad copywriter convinced the magazine's staff to reverse their marketing instincts. The joke: The ad writer's counterintuitive strategy is to prominently feature Gerald Villiers-Stuart—an author "better known in England" and relatively unknown to American readers—while burying the names of established American contributors (Burton E. Stevenson, Margaretta Tuttle, etc.) in small type. The satire mocks both advertising psychology and magazine marketing: by making the unknown author's name the biggest feature, the writer creates "curiosity" about why this obscure name gets top billing, theoretically driving sales. The piece satirizes how artificial scarcity and mystery—rather than genuine reputation—can manipulate consumer interest. This is primarily advertising disguised as self-aware editorial commentary, typical of *Life's* satirical approach to contemporary media and consumer culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
How This Advertisement of Aunslee’s Was Written q A professional ad. writer, after a glance at the humble lines intended for this space, told us we were all wrong. q “Cut out this stuff about ‘entertainment,’” he told us. “*Ainslee’s’ is the most entertaining magazine on the market, but there wouldn’t be anything to prevent your saying so even if it wasn’t. Now, let’s take this February number. What's your big feature? The complete novel? Who's it by? Gerald Villiers-Stuart? Who's he?” @ We explained that at present he was better known in England than in this country, but that- gq “Then put him and his story down in big display type,” our friend commanded. We hasten to obey: THE HOARDED MEMORY A Complete Novel by GERALD VILLIERS-STUART q “Fine! Now, who have you got who ts well known in this country?” g We mentioned Burton E. Stevenson, Margaretta Tuttle, Herman Whitaker, Owen Oliver, Mrs. Wilson Woodrow, F. Berkeley Smith and half a dozen others who contribute unusually entertaining stories. g “Put ‘em all down in small type.” @ We seem to have done so. g “Catch the idea?” our friend asked when we had finished. “You'll get the public dying with curiosity to see what can possibly be worth putting in bigger type than those other names.” @ We hope our friend is right, for we are anxious to have you read this February number of AINSLEE’S Sold wherever magazines are read—Read wherever magazines are sold Fifteen Cents the Copy