Life, 1921-06-30 · page 4 of 41
Life — June 30, 1921 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an advertisement, not satire or political commentary. The Prudential Insurance Company uses an evocative historical metaphor: comparing their company's foundational strength to Gibraltar's legendary fortifications. The image shows a ship near the Rock of Gibraltar, with the headline "THE PRUDENTIAL HAS THE STRENGTH OF GIBRALTAR." The accompanying text draws a parallel between medieval Crusaders' faith in their mission and modern confidence in Prudential's industrial life insurance product. The advertisement targets male breadwinners, suggesting that just as the Crusaders had unwavering conviction, men should have absolute faith in Prudential to protect their families' financial security. The closing line—"If every woman knew what every widow knows"—appeals to wives' anxieties about surviving without income. This represents early 20th-century insurance marketing through historical romanticization and emotional appeal to masculine duty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE CRUSADERS HAD SUCH FAITH IN AN IDEA THAT COUNTRY AFTER COUNTRY POURED ITS WARRIORS INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN 10 MAKE THAT DREAM COME TRUE. AN INSTITUTION OF MODERN TIMES, THE PRUDENTIAL, HAS GROWN GREAT ON THE IDEA OF ITS FOUNDER, INDUSTRIAL LIFE INSURANCE, A DREAM THAT HAS COME TRUE. The Prudential Insurance Company of America Incorporated under the laws of the Stare of New Jersey FORREST F. DRYDEN, President HOME OFFICE, NEWARK, N. J. Founded by John F. Dryden, Pioneer of Industrial Insurance in Amenca IF EVERY WOMAN KNEW WHAT EVERY WIDOW KNOWS — EVERY MAN WOULD BE INSURED IN THE PRUDENTIAL comicbooks.com