Life — August 1, 1918 — page 35: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily a **cigarette advertisement** for Rameses brand, manufactured by Stephano Bros. Inc. of Philadelphia, rather than political satire. The ad exploits Egyptian imagery, featuring a photograph of colossal statues (likely the Abu Simbel temples or similar monuments). The slogan "NOBODY EVER CHANGES FROM RAMESES" suggests the product's supposedly timeless quality and customer loyalty. The advertisement uses grandiose language—"THE ARISTOCRAT OF CIGARETTES"—and emphasizes packaging options ("TENS," "TWENTIETHS," and "WEEK END TINS"), positioning the product as luxury goods for various social occasions. The Egyptian pharaoh imagery appears chosen purely for exotic appeal and prestige association, not political commentary. This represents typical early-20th-century advertising strategies leveraging classical/ancient imagery for product cachet.