Life — February 22, 1917 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily a **Johnnie Walker whisky advertisement** from Life magazine (page 293), not political satire. The cartoon depicts two figures in 19th-century military dress: one holding a child, another an older man ("Born 1820 — still going strong"). The text references a dialogue about Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky, using the metaphor that while you can force a horse to water, you cannot force it to drink — similarly, one cannot make someone appreciate quality without knowing its merits. The advertisement emphasizes that Johnnie Walker Red Label is aged over 10 years before release and maintains consistent quality worldwide. The agents listed are Williams & Humbert in New York, with production in Kilmarnock, Scotland. This is commercial messaging disguised as entertainment, typical of early 20th-century advertising strategy.