Life — June 1, 1916 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a straightforward advertisement rather than political satire. The page shows a bottle of Gordon's Dry Gin from New York against a striped background, with the tagline "For the Gentleman who Discriminates." The ad emphasizes product quality and appeals to upper-class masculine identity—suggesting that choosing Gordon's gin demonstrates refined taste and discernment. The phrase "who discriminates" implies selectivity and sophistication. This appears in *Life* magazine, which regularly carried luxury advertisements alongside humor and satire. The ad reflects early 20th-century marketing that linked alcohol consumption to gentlemanly status and social standing, before Prohibition would fundamentally alter American alcohol advertising.