Life — August 10, 1922 — page 36: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **Pep-O-Mint Life Savers candy advertisement** from an early 20th-century issue of Life magazine. The surreal theatrical scene depicts two figures in elaborate costume presenting large Life Savers candies like magical treasures before a stylized king or ruler (right side). The accompanying text plays on the candy's name: "And when the pie was opened / The birds begun to bring / LIFE SAVERS in / Duly / sweet / Go set before a King!" This references the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence," adapting it to advertise Life Savers as a premium, regal product worthy of royalty. The elaborate fantasy staging and theatrical presentation were typical advertising techniques of the era, emphasizing the candy's desirability through imaginative, whimsical scenarios rather than straightforward product claims.