Life — April 11, 1918 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily an advertisement for Omar cigarettes, not political satire or a cartoon. The ad uses a theatrical framing device—the headline "OMAR OMAR / between the second and third acts"—to position cigarette smoking as an intermission activity during dramatic entertainment, likely a stage play. The advertisement emphasizes the product's "aroma," claiming Omar cigarettes blend 13 Turkish and 6 domestic tobaccos through a special copper cylinder process. The visual elements show silhouetted figures in formal dress at what appears to be a theater lobby or social gathering. The copywriting strategy appeals to theater-goers by suggesting Omar cigarettes enhance dramatic tension during plot developments. This reflects early-20th-century advertising conventions associating cigarettes with sophistication and leisure.