Life — April 17, 1931 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (April 17, 1931) This page is primarily a **Palmolive Shaving Cream advertisement** masquerading as editorial content. The large photograph shows a smiling man's face mid-shave, meant to demonstrate the product's effectiveness. The small cartoon labeled **"Poetical Pete"** (bottom left) is satirical verse mocking social hypocrisy—the speaker claims indifference to neighborhood gossip, yet finds it shocking when people don't care about him. It's a mild joke about vanity and selective social concern. The advertisement emphasizes Palmolive's market dominance ("world's largest selling shaving cream") and includes a coupon offering a free 7-day trial plus a can of "Palmolive After Shaving Tale" (likely "Talc"). The copy cites that 1,000 men tested the product before its formula was finalized.