Life — March 21, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **advertising, not satire or editorial content**. It's a full-page Columbia Grafonola (phonograph) advertisement from *Life* magazine. The ad uses a domestic leisure scenario to market the product: a well-dressed salesman demonstrates the machine to a middle-class family in their home. The headline "Take a Holiday and Hear the Columbia Grafonola" positions phonograph ownership as aspirational and accessible entertainment. The copy encourages potential buyers to visit Columbia dealers, audition records, and experience the machine casually—framing record-buying as a pleasant, pressure-free shopping experience. Pricing is listed as $18 to $250, with records up to $2. There is **no political satire or cartoon elements** on this page—it's straightforward commercial promotion aimed at early 20th-century consumers.