Figure 1.--This is a magazine ad for New York Life, an important national life insuance company. We are not sure in which magazine it appeared, but it looks like it might have been a magazine like 'The New Yorker'. We also do not hae the date, but we would guess the 1970s. We see a mother bringing her son to his first day of school. The idea of course is that life insurance is necessary to protect family security, especially for young children.

This is a magazine ad for New York Life, an important national life insuance company. We are not sure in which magazine it appeared, but it looks like it might have been a magazine like The New Yorker. We also do not hae the date, but we would guess the 1970s. We see a mother bringing her son to his first day of school. The idea of course is that life insurance is necessary to protect family security, especially for young children. The boy is picture coming to school in an Eton blazer, plaid short pants, and knee socks. He looks younger than 6 years so this may be Kindergarten rather than 1st Grade for which beginning is normally seen as the first day of school. The advertisement appeals to likely life insurance clients. This would mean primarily family in comfortable circumstances. And they would be most likely to dress teir boys in short pants outfits like that. A reader writes, "You do not see too many ads in the 70s with kids wearing short pants dress up outfits and knee socks."

Created: 9:17 PM 11/16/2016
Last updated: 9:18 PM 11/16/2016