Life — November 22, 1929 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Famous Apples of History No. 3: They Were Skookums" This is an advertisement for Skookum brand apples, disguised as humor content. The "famous apples" series parodies historical myths—here referencing Atalanta from Greek mythology, who lost a race to Hippomenes because she stopped to pick up golden apples he dropped. The ad's joke: Atalanta claims she stopped not for gold apples, but for genuine Skookum apples—which were so tempting that winning the race mattered less than eating quality fruit. This reversed the mythological narrative to promote the product's superior taste and appeal. The ad credits the Skookum Packers Association and Northwestern Fruit Exchange in Washington state. The cartoon style and satirical framing made advertising entertaining while promoting regional Washington apples to consumers.