Life, 1915-07-22 · page 33 of 44
Life — July 22, 1915 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **full-page advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Perrier sparkling water to American consumers by leveraging French prestige and patriotic sentiment. The ad references **Lafayette**, the French Revolutionary War hero beloved by Americans, to associate Perrier with Franco-American goodwill. The bottle illustration shows a ornate design labeled "ROF" (likely "Roi de France"—King of France), emphasizing French aristocratic refinement. The marketing strategy positions Perrier as a luxury product for "refined palates" comparable to French champagne. It claims health benefits—particularly for "gout and uric acid troubles," common ailments among wealthy middle-aged men of the era—by suggesting morning consumption with lemon. The tagline "Champagne of Table Waters" elevates sparkling water to luxury status. The ad targets upscale establishments and wealthy consumers who could afford imported French goods and sought status markers through consumption choices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The enthusiasm for France inspired by Lafayette is re-inspired by Perrier. EFINED palates insist upon Reeve for the same reason that they prefer the famous French Champagnes. And France is as proud of Perrier as she is of her unequalled vintages. The great Perrier Spring is indeed a well-spring of health and delight to those everywhere who will have the best of everything. Perrier is bottled at the Springs in the South of France amidst the glorious French vineyards. There is no saltiness in Perrier, the great reason why it combines so perfectly with Wines and Spirits. N.B.—A glass of Perrier alone or with a slice of lemon in the early morning is invaluable in gout and uric acid troubles—the bugbear of middle-age. Obtainable at all high-class Hotels, Restaurants and Grocers. WILLIAMS & HUMBERT, Agents, 1158, Broadway, New York. To quench hot weather thirst drink The Champagne of Table Waters. Bubbling with its own Carbonic Gas.