Life — June 15, 1916 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **not a cartoon or satire page** — it's a **tobacco advertisement** for Tuxedo brand pipe and cigarette tobacco from The American Tobacco Company. The page features testimonials from six named public figures (S.H.M. Young, E.N. Marsteller, Edgar A. Guest, Fritz Kreisler, Robert Lansing, and Holbrook Blinn) endorsing Tuxedo as superior tobacco. Each testimonial emphasizes mildness, flavor, and satisfaction. The ad highlights Tuxedo's special aging process and claims it removes harshness. Pricing information and product packaging are displayed centrally. This represents **early 20th-century celebrity endorsement advertising** — a common marketing practice before tobacco health warnings existed. The prestigious names lend credibility to product claims that would be illegal to make today.