Life — July 5, 1928 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of This Life Magazine Page (circa 1928) This is primarily a **Listerine advertisement** disguised as editorial content—a common advertising strategy of the era. The "DON'T FOOL YOURSELF" headline warns readers about **halitosis** (bad breath), which Listerine claimed to cure. The accompanying photograph shows what appears to be a social situation where bad breath might cause embarrassment or job loss. The satirical angle targets **employment discrimination**: the ad claims employers reject workers for halitosis, using fake "facts" (citing "68 hair dressers" as evidence). This exploits workplace anxiety and social shame to sell mouthwash. The subheading "Employers prefer fastidious people... halitoxics not wanted" reinforces fear-based marketing—a hallmark of 1920s-30s advertising that manufactured insecurities to drive sales.