Life — May 31, 1929 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily a **cigarette advertisement** for Raleigh brand cigarettes by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, disguised as historical commentary. The top illustration depicts a silhouetted scene of what appears to be European explorers meeting Native Americans, referencing Sir Walter Raleigh's colonial ventures. The accompanying text humorously suggests Raleigh "probably never set eyes on Pocahontas" but credits him with making tobacco popular. The advertisement plays on Raleigh's historical association with tobacco introduction to Europe, connecting the 16th-century explorer's name to the modern cigarette product. The tagline "blended puff-by-puff" and "twenty cents" price emphasize the product's quality and affordability. This represents early 20th-century advertising strategy: wrapping commercial promotion in entertainment and historical narrative to appeal to readers of *Life* magazine.