Life, 1929-05-10 · page 37 of 44
Life — May 10, 1929 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement for Listerine antiseptic, not satire or political commentary. The image shows a well-dressed man in formal attire (tuxedo and bow tie) with a satisfied expression, promoting the product's use as a dandruff treatment. The ad exemplifies early 20th-century marketing by: 1. **Shaming tactics**: Emphasizing dandruff as a source of "annoyance and humiliation" spread through social contact 2. **Scientific claims**: Citing specific germ-killing statistics (200,000,000 germs in 15 seconds) while claiming government approval 3. **Luxury branding**: The "Be Soothed, Gentlemen" tagline and formal presentation appeal to affluent male readers 4. **Medical authority**: References to dermatologists and laboratory tests to establish credibility The advertisement demonstrates how early commercial marketing exploited social anxieties about hygiene and appearance while making dramatic health claims with minimal actual evidence—practices that would later face regulatory scrutiny.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BE SOOTHED, GENTLEMEN A satinsoft cream that imparts coolness that lingers. Dandruff disappears so quickly OONER or later, everyone experiences the annoyance and humiliation of a case of dandruff. Contact with others, promiscuous use of towels, combs and brushes, the trying on of hats, spread this common ailment. When this dandruff appears don’t let it be- come serious. At the first sign of it, use full strength Listerine. It has remedied this con- dition for thousands. The treatment consists of dousing Listerine, ‘full strength, on the scalp and massaging vigorously, repeating the treatment frequently for several days. This is important. From the outset you will be conscious of a marvelously cool, clean and healthy sensation of the scalp, and within a few days, you will note that dandruff is disappearing. Dandruff is a germ condition, and noted dermatologists declare that the successful method of combating it is by frequent massage and applications of antiseptic. kills 200,000,000 germs Full strength Listerine, as you know, is not only a safe antiseptic with a tendency to soothe and heal tissue, but is also »ne of great germ- icidal power. Laboratory tests show that it destroys 200,000,000 of the virulent Staphylococcus Aureus (pus) and Bacillus Typhosus (typhoid) germs in 15 seconds. We would not make this statement unless we were prepared to prove it to the entire satisfaction of the U. S. Govern- ment and the medical profession. Lambert Pharmacal Company, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A. LISTERINE The Safe and Soothing Antiseptic in 15 seconds comicbooks.com