Life, 1907-04-04 · page 33 of 48
Life — April 4, 1907 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from *Life* magazine for the Thomas-Flyer, manufactured by E.R. Thomas Motor Company in Buffalo, New York. The ad uses a marketing strategy common to early automotive advertising: **testimonial-based credibility**. It claims that over 1,000 owners in major American cities—described as "most substantial citizenship"—have tested the Thomas through thousands of miles and concluded it's "the best car and the most reliable car built." The advertisement emphasizes rational decision-making ("not swayed by sentiment") and highlights the company's investment in four new concrete factories and foreign engineering talent. This appeals to early-1900s consumers' concerns about manufacturing quality and reliability during the automobile industry's formative years. The visual shows a detailed technical drawing of the vehicle itself, typical of period automotive advertising. There is no satire or political content evident on this page.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TEIN THEI RIO ETN tN PARES Sie Thomas - Flyer The Thomas Forty | zzemutz, Thomas Flyer Ownership ...2:2 1.84000 ¥.0.8, Vartory In the larger cities of the country there are all the way from fifty to one hundred and fifty Thomas Flyers in daily operation. These owners represent in each community its most substantial citizenship. In their esteem—after an experience embracing thousands of miles of travel—the Thomas is not merely a good car and a reliable car, but the best car and the most reliable car built. eens pas These men were not swayed by sentiment. They investigated—coldly and critically. They found that four great new concrete factories had brought our facilities to a point of perfection unsurpassed in the whole world. They found not only the best native ability, but the most expensive foreign engineering talent engaged in making the Thomas impec- cable in reliability. Fors pee They found that money had been spent without stint in producing this same result. And J they have since found that the Thomas responds in reliability to every test and every demand they make upon it. For obvious reasons we cannot reproduce here the names of these Thomas owners—more than a thousand in all—but you can quickly assure yourself of their enthusiastic commendation either through the Thomas agent in your locality or through the Thomas factories at Buffalo. Absolutely conclusive evidence is available that the Thomas is the one car which in addition to its own distinctive excellence not only embodies the best principles of continental construction, but improves upon them. We will be glad to assist you in satisfying yourself on this score. E. R. Thomas Motor Company, memes atam. Buffalo, N. Y.