Life, 1924-08-28 · page 35 of 36
Life — August 28, 1924 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is a satirical self-promotional piece by *Life* magazine (circa 1924, based on the copyright mark) boasting about increased readership. The humor operates on multiple levels: **The Main Joke:** The top chart absurdly compares *Life's* circulation surge during the Spanish-American War to Atlantic City's tidal patterns—a nonsensical comparison meant to mock how magazines tout statistics. **The List Satire:** The bizarre "Reader-Demand Analysis" that follows ridicules audience segmentation by listing absurd subscriber categories: "Gimp mfrs. (What is a gimp?)", "Graduate anesthetists," "Feather dealers (geese)"—mixing legitimate professions with nonsensical ones to expose how arbitrarily publications slice demographic data. **The Physical Joke:** The closing quip—if subscribers were "laid end to end...they would look very silly indeed"—is slapstick humor about the magazine's growth. The overall satire targets how magazines use inflated or meaningless statistics to attract advertisers, while simultaneously *Life* itself engages in the same ridiculous practice for self-promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CPE OICL OI OL ICL OIF DEI OF IOI DIOS INS INTO PRTOPCTOCPATIERMIAS HOW’S YOUR CIRCULATION? Ours Is Fine, Thanks! TS 5 ©1924 te" “Stataficel & Research Dept PESOS LEIS DOODLE ESTHET IOP OI DIP OLD LIFE'S circulation during the Spanish War as compared with the rise and fall of the tide at Atlantic City during the same period. OT that you probably care, but one of our business boys just filtered in with the news that LIFE’S circulation is ’way above normal, and suggested that we run an Advertisement about it. Analysis of LIFE’S Reader-Demand, plus net turnover, but exclusive of gross overhead. This does not include the Behring herring catch by (Alphabetically arranged in numerical succession.) barrels, cither. Antique furniture mfrs. 3.999 Arms and ammunition dis. for Atri C. Am., So. Am. and W. 1. . . 10min. Auto goggle testers . oe we 32 Bean, pea and lentil dealers, ‘whol, 2. 6 Braid (narrow trimming) jobbers . .12¢ayd. Cassock and clerical gown mfrs. 7.5 Clubmen, prominent, cities ditto ditto country Colleges and universities teaching 16 No sooner said than done, though we are no Ziegfeld when it comes to showing off figures. But just list to this list that was sprung on us, backed up by the adding machines of the A.B.C. and sometimes W. J. Z.: Daughters of the American Revolution. . 1/12 doz. Dentists, selected, N.E. and Mid. At... 8 Divers . : < 25 Feather dealers, ‘(weese) . Yes Gimp mfrs. (What is a gimp? | Graduate anesthetists % Lawyers owe «8 96 Lawyers, responsible ewe 2 we ww 1 Mfrs. of gray iron castings . . . : é ? Masseurs, masseuses and beauty pa srlors . 1.0 ceramics. . . . 2x4 Oatmeal mfrs. H.O Distr wicied with a (*) are ready Cww5 ORIEN wre CVRD OWI OWI FW FW PW PWV FW FW CPOPD TV In other words, if our subscribers were laid end to end, beginning at City Hall Park, N. Y., they would look very silly indeed. LIFE Statistical Bureau, 598 Madison Ave., New York City On the other hand, if all newsstand purchasers were placed side by side, they would reach for the latest copy of LIFE—with what results you can imagine. But to get down to brass tact: Have you room for one more figure? Here are my vital statistics: If by any chance you still want to be a statistic on our Subscription List, the least painful and most certain method is with the Trial Subscription Coupon opposite. é Q ; 6 ) ) ) 2 ( P.S._ Here is my $1 for 10 issues (Canada, $1.20; Abroad, $1.40). One Year, $5.00 (Canada, $5.80; Abroad, $6.60). oP PRD CPOLD CDOLD CIOLD CIOL OPO OT WWI WINS comicbooks.com