Life — August 3, 1916 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **primarily a tobacco advertisement**, not satire or political cartoon. It promotes Prince Albert tobacco, manufactured by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (Winston-Salem, N.C.). The ad features a man in formal dress (the "Prince Albert" figure) and product packaging. The headline emphasizes that Prince Albert is "sold on its quality—nothing else!" — meaning it contains no coupons or premiums, unlike competitors. The text highlights a patented process that "cuts out bite and parch," allowing smokers to use the tobacco in pipes or rolled cigarettes. The ad promises satisfaction and encourages readers to try the product for a nickel or dime. This represents early 20th-century tobacco marketing, before health warnings existed. The "Prince Albert" branding uses formal imagery to suggest quality and sophistication.