Life, 1916-01-27 · page 5 of 44
Life — January 27, 1916 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily a whisky advertisement** for Johnnie Walker using political satire. The cartoon depicts two figures in conversation: Colonel John Bull (personification of Britain, left) and Johnnie Walker (right, appearing as a thin man in formal dress). Bull states he believes in maintaining "reserves" in "good condition"—a double meaning referencing both military preparedness and whisky aging. Walker responds that this has been "our policy since 1820," suggesting the brand's reliability and longevity. The advertisement claims Johnnie Walker Red Label reserves from 1906 were perfectly preserved to meet 1916 demands, implying the product's consistent quality. The satire plays on contemporary wartime concerns about reserves and preparedness while marketing whisky as time-tested and dependable. The text notes the brand is "over 10 years old."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Born 1820 —still going strong. i Colonel John Bull: “1 neWEVE IN HAVING PLENTY OF RESERVES AND IN GETTING THEM IN GOOD CONDITION.” Johnnie Walker: ‘ You ak& QUITE RIGHT—THAT’S BEEN OUR POLICY SINCE 1820.” There were plenty of “reserves” called to the Johnnie Walker colours in 1906 to answer all the 1916 demands for the Red Label—perfectly “conditioned” and safeguarded by the famous non-refillable bottle. Every drop of “Johnnie Walker”? Red Label is over 10 years old. GUARANTEED SAME QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. Agents: WILLIAMS & HUMBERT, 1158 Broadway, NEW YORK, JOHN WALKER & SONS, Lrp., Waisky Dieriuters, KILMARNOCK, comicbooks.com