Life, 1928-05-17 · page 31 of 42
Life — May 17, 1928 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Listerine advertisement**, not political satire. The page features a full-page ad for Listerine mouthwash and Listerine Tooth Paste, using a photograph of a man in formal attire (bow tie, formal shirt) as the centerpiece. The "satire" is social rather than political: the headline "acceptable" mocks social anxiety about dandruff, suggesting that visible dandruff makes one unacceptable in polite society. The ad exploits this insecurity, claiming Listerine—marketed as a "safe antiseptic"—can cure even severe dandruff through vigorous scalp massage. **The joke for modern readers:** This represents early 20th-century advertising's reliance on shame and social conformity to sell products. The implication that dandruff prevents social acceptability seems absurdly exaggerated today. The formal portrait reinforces the message that cleanliness equals respectability—a common advertising trope of the era. This reflects how vintage ads weaponized embarrassment to drive consumer behavior around personal hygiene products.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE acceptable | Not until the last vest of dand: is gone can you be sidered a fastidious person, ac- ceptable socially. Dandruff? Not a trace! If you, or any member of your family have the slightest evi- dence of dandruff, we urge you to try this treatment, which has benefited thousands:. Simply douse Listerine, full strength, on the hair. Vigor- ously massage the scalp for- ward, backward, up and down. Keep up this treatment sy: tematically for several days, Listerine Tooth Pasteisas refreshing as it is effective, and but 25c a large tube. using a little olive oil in case your hair is excessively dry. You will be amazed at the speed and thoroughness with which Listerine gets rid of dandruff. Even severe cases that costly so-called “cures” have LISTERINE —the safe antiseptic failed to improve, have re- sponded to the Listerine meth- od. We have the unsolicited word of many to this effect. The moment you discover dan- druff, use Listerine at once—and repeatedly. LAMBERT PHARMACAL COMPANY ST. LOUIS, M You'll like it comicbooks.com