Life, 1915-08-12 · page 33 of 40
Life — August 12, 1915 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes Perrier sparkling water to American readers by invoking patriotic sentiment toward France. The silhouette appears to be **Lafayette**, the French Revolutionary War hero, referenced in the opening line to create positive associations with France. The advertisement cleverly equates enthusiasm for Lafayette with enthusiasm for Perrier—a humorous but straightforward marketing technique. The copy emphasizes Perrier's French origins ("South of France," "glorious French vineyards") and claims health benefits for "gout and uric acid troubles," common wealthy-man complaints of the era. The tagline "Champagne of Table Waters" positions it as premium. This reflects early-20th-century advertising strategies: using nationalism, historical prestige, health claims (however dubious), and class signaling to sell imported luxury goods to affluent American consumers.
📄 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. at its source in the South of France, and is charged with its own carbonic gas. Bottled, too, so that the cork drawn anywhere in the world releases water as fresh and brilliant as it emerges from the great Perrier Spring in the heart of the glorious French vineyards. errier RENCH NATURAy SPARKLING ‘TABLE WATER 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. Fes drop of Perrier is bottled 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 own Carbonic Gas. comicbooks.com