Life, 1927-08-04 · page 33 of 40
Life — August 4, 1927 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Listerine mouthwash advertisement**, not political satire. The page uses fear-based marketing typical of early-to-mid 20th century advertising. The headline "don't fool yourself" and the photograph of an intimate couple warns readers that "halitosis" (bad breath) will cause them to lose their job and romantic relationships. The ad plays on social anxieties about personal hygiene and acceptability. The "Face to face evidence" callout emphasizes that bad breath is noticeable to others but invisible to the sufferer—a vulnerability the product claims to solve. The accompanying statistics ("1/3 Had Halitosis") lend false authority, while the copy uses shame-based messaging: "common decency demands it." The toothpaste section at bottom promotes a cheaper alternative product line, expanding market reach. This represents early mass-market advertising's manipulation through social embarrassment and relationship anxiety.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
don't fool yourself Loses job and sweetheart Your common sense tells you that neither employer nor sweetheart can stand a case of halitosis (unpleas- ant breath) very long. You, yourself, can never tell when you have halito- sis. But you'll never have it, if every day you use Listerine,thesafeantiseptic. % Had Halitosis better than they? Face to face evidence normal and sweet. And the antiseptic essential oils combat the action of bac- teria in the mouth. Begin using it now. Com- mon decency demands it. Keep a bottle handy in home and office. It puts you on the popular and polite side. Listerine immediately destroys odors Lambert Pharmacal Company, St. of all kinds and so leaves the breath Louis, Mo., U. S. A. LISTERINE IS THERE ANY? What is the point of paying more when Listerine Tooth Paste is a scientifically cor- rect dentifrice and sells for 25¢ for a large size tube? —the safe antiseptic comicbooks.com