Life, 1919-09-25 · page 36 of 40
Life — September 25, 1919 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a cartoon but rather an **advertisement for advertising itself**—a meta-promotional piece by *Life* magazine's advertising department. The page argues that reading advertisements is rational consumer behavior. It urges readers to study ads before shopping to understand "what is new and good" and get better value. The pitch frames advertisements as a "record of progress"—manufacturers' reports of innovations created "for your benefit." This reflects early-20th-century advertising philosophy: positioning ads as educational consumer guidance rather than persuasion. By modern standards, this seems naive or ironic—it treats advertisements as neutral information sources rather than acknowledging their sales intent. The piece's earnest tone and repeated emphasis on saving money while living "better" captures a period when consumer culture was still being normalized, and magazines needed to convince readers that *reading ads was in their interest*.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
You'll spend the money —Get the most out of it Every year you spend a large proportion of the money you get. So much for cloth- ing. So much for shoes. So much for things to eat, housefurnishings, garden seeds and tools and what not. There’s one sure way to get the most for your money. Know what you want be- fore you go to buy. Read advertisements. The advertisements you read will tell you what is new and good. They will give you the latest ideas and improvements. They will help you to live better and dress better at less cost. If you think of it, you'll be surprised at the world of interest and the wealth of new ideas you’ll find in reading advertisements. Advertisements are the record of progress. They are the report to you of the manu- facturers who work for you, telling what has been accomplished for your benefit. Gee. Bee. Are. LIFE'S Advertising Manager, 31st St., West, No. 17, New York B. F. Provandie, Western Mgr., Marquette Bldg., 1537, Chicago comicbooks.comyy