Life, 1927-06-30 · page 3 of 35
Life — June 30, 1927 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece by "Andy Consumer" criticizes cheap imitations of successful brand-name products. The cartoon shows a merchant offering inferior knockoff goods to a customer, claiming they're "just as good" while costing less—but sacrificing quality. The text argues against both parasitic imitation products and the consumers who buy them. The author opposes advertising that promotes such inferior items, viewing it as undermining honest business. The piece advocates for supporting original manufacturers through advertising rather than encouraging competitors to cut corners. This reflects 1920s consumer debates about product quality, brand loyalty, and the emerging importance of advertising in establishing market leadership and consumer trust.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE DONATES THIS SERIES IN BEHALF OF BETTER MERCHANDISE yes something (Zh MONeY and Fk BOIL when a clerk says “just as good.” I hate parasite products and parasite people who put ‘em out. I always answer: “If it’s just as good, tell it to go get a repu- tation of its own. When a product gets into a posi- tion of leadership by advertising and merit, it makes me mad to see a lot of imitators jump on for a free ride. An imitation is always unreliable because it is made by somebody unscrupulous enough to imitate. If a manufacturer will cheat an- other manufacturer like that, he'll cheat me. Yh. cosks me Hep Prd ‘Yex make mote hed ic [ 2 4 I don’t want to deal with copy- cats. I take my hat off and my purse out to originators. I'meither for advertising or against it, and I'm for it. 1 wouldn't want to raise my family in a community in which there was none. I’m con- vinced it cuts costs, pledges re- sponsibility, insures service, and puts everything in the open. Ad- vertising is for consumers, or it wouldn't succeed—and if it’s for me, I'M FOR IT—and I am not going to encourage its enemies. I wouldn't like anything “just as good” EVEN IF IT WAS. co THE NATIONAL ADVERTISER BETS HIS ADVERTISING MONEY THAT HIS PRODUCT IS RIGHT Y..N. Y. Subscription, $5.00. Vol. 89. No. 2330. June 30, 1927. Ent'd 2nd Clana Matter at the Post Offce Dept, Canada. Copyright i827, Life Pub. Co. ia U. S NOT SO GOOD, NOT SO GOOD Conviomes as 2nd Class Matter, June 1063, of Kew York Fest and British Pomessions. comicbooks.com