Life, 1927-06-23 · page 27 of 38
Life — June 23, 1927 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement, not political satire. It promotes Old Briar pipe tobacco using a populist appeal. The illustration shows a massive Broadway theatre crowd, implying that while theatre audiences disagree on performers, pipe smokers unanimously praise Old Briar as "the best pipe smoke ever made." The ad's strategy emphasizes democratic consensus among working men—pipe smoking is affordable ("costs so little"), enjoyed by "the ladies, too," and requires no snobbish expertise. The copy stresses scientific development and reliability while downplaying cost. The coupon offers a deal: send the coupon for a sample box, with dealers' names encouraged for advertising purposes. This was standard early-20th-century direct-response marketing, positioning affordable luxury tobacco as attainable to ordinary Americans.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IPE SMOKE EVER MADE! ! CAN YOU IMAGINE this surging theatre throng along Broadway all agreeing on one star as the greatest? Of course not! Yet this throng is but a fraction of vast multi- tudes of smokers who are wel- ea Neer Ee coming and praising one pipe > Bay 3 Kea tobacco—Old Briar—as «the See best pipe smoke ever made.’” v6 IF YOUR DEALER DOES NOT HAVE OLD BRIAR tre Tear out this coupon and mail to: United States Tobacco Co., Richmond, Va.,U.S.A. SPECIAL OFFER: 1t costs s0 little to smoke a pipeful E vinci ing 1 w 1 of the best Tobacco ever made, titled to enjoy it. SF HE most convincing thing in the world about Old Brar of the best Tobacco ever made, you are eatitled to env t- Tobacco is the whole-hearted praise of the smoker himself. It’s just Box on receipt of this coupon with your name and address i ‘i ‘i BRIAR cexrs-if you send us your dealce’s name, Sead ao plain common sense that pipe smokers are turning to the best tobacco gp gabon ed wirwatagh Aa Poe od po heer they can get. A pipeful of Old Briar costs so little, they are en- tobecco. titled to it! Print Name Light up your pipe full of Old Briar. Draw in the ripe fragrance of this wonderful tobacco. Enjoy its full, pleasant aroma— its extra smoothness—its comfort. Smoke it awhile. Notice how mild and cool it is—how completely satisfying! Now, you know why a world of pipe smokers are welcoming Old Briar—the ladies, too, enjoy its fragrance. City and State Your Dealer's Name Address -. you prefer—send stamps, money order or check with coupon. Tear out the coupon now, while it's handy. It has taken years of scientific knowledge in the art of mellowing ‘Sescecccececesceseeeneeaeee eoccecccssncce and blending, and generations of tobacco culture, to produce Old Briar. 4 world of Pipe smokers have learned for themselves Step by step Old Briar has been developed—step by step perfected. that a el OED Brie os ae a nae # + : accent more than a pipeful of ordinary tobacco. a And, every day, thousands of pipe smokers are proving for them- the pleasures. man To eys pipe smoking costs about selves that Old Briar is the best pipe smoke they ever had. the least. TO DEALERS: Old Briar is sold in Pocket packages at 25¢ and Humidor boxes at s0¢, $1.00 and $2.00. If your jobber has not supplied you, write us and we will send you a supply by prepaid Parcel Post at regular Dealers’ prices. Every box and package of Old Briar bas our unlimited guarantee, UNITED STATES TOBACCO COMPANY, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, U. S. A, comicbooks.com