Life, 1915-02-18 · page 33 of 44
Life — February 18, 1915 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **public notice, not a cartoon**—a full-page advertisement from Gordon's Dry Gin addressing wartime supply panic. **Context:** The reference to "August last" and import concerns suggests this appears during or shortly after World War I, when German submarine warfare disrupted transatlantic shipping and created genuine supply anxieties. **The Message:** Gordon's accuses competitors or retailers of spreading false scarcity claims—stating gin "is not available"—to artificially inflate prices and profit from consumer fear. The company asserts supplies have been adequate since September and prices have normalized. **The Authenticity Warning:** The ad includes an anti-counterfeiting notice, explaining that genuine Gordon's comes in *round* bottles (not square) with "Gordon" in red on the label and a specific registered number blown into the glass. **The Point:** Gordon's positions itself as honest and consumer-friendly while denouncing opportunistic competitors exploiting wartime uncertainty. It's damage control and brand protection combined.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To the American Public Since August last our attention has been directed to many statements and advertisements to the effect that ““Gordon Gin is not available,” “‘Imported Gin could not be obtained,”’ etc., etc. Such statements are evidently for an ulterior purpose at the expense of the public. There has been an ample supply of Gordon Gins in the American Markets since September last; and prices then established through fear that supplies would not be available have long since been restored to a moderate basis. Shipments continue normally— with ample “reserves. ”’ This explanation we deem due to American Consumers. There is no Genuine Gordon Dry Gin in the United States in square bottles. All “Gordon” bottles have a round back—the. word ‘‘ Gordon ”’ in red on back of label and registered number **610617”’ blown on face—over label. GORDON’S DRY GIN CO. LTD. 132 Goswell Road, London, England Distillers Exclusively in London, England