Life — October 23, 1919 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Advertisement Analysis This is a **Mimeograph machine advertisement** from *Life* magazine. The image shows two men operating an early mimeograph device (a stencil-based duplicating machine). The ad's appeal to "Cogitate!" uses classical rhetoric—invoking Mercury, the Roman god of commerce and speed—to pitch the Mimeograph as essential modern business equipment. The copywriter argues that while "forward work" is primary, **time and money savings rank second**, and the Mimeograph delivers both by rapidly duplicating forms, drawings, and documents (5,000 copies per hour claimed). The ad targets commercial and educational institutions, positioning the device as a competitive necessity. A.B. Dick Company (Chicago and New York) published a promotional booklet available on request. This reflects early-20th-century industrial marketing: selling efficiency tools to businesses by appealing to competitive advantage and speed.