Life, 1910-10-27 · page 3 of 44
Life — October 27, 1910 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Chalmers Motor Company advertisement**, not satire. The ad promotes motor cars to businessmen by highlighting practical benefits: quick commutes, fresh air, business entertainment opportunities, and improved health through driving. The illustration shows well-dressed businessmen with an early 1900s automobile outside an office building. The accompanying text argues that owning a motor car—while seemingly expensive—actually pays for itself through time savings and business advantages. The headline "You're Paying for a Motor Car" uses a sales technique (addressing affordability concerns) rather than satire. The "Family Benefits" sidebar lists social and health advantages of car ownership. This reflects early automotive marketing's strategy of justifying expensive vehicles to prosperous professionals as practical business investments, not luxuries.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
You may think you don’t wanta motor car. But there isn’t any question about your needing one. If you need a car you are paying forit. Paying in the time that a car would save you. In the op- portunities that get away. In the fresh air and recreation which now you do not get. Whatever we really need we pay for, whether we actually own it or not. You could get slong without an overcoat this winter, but you woul pay for one with discomfort and bad colds. The motor car didn’t create its demand after it arrived. The demand has been waiting for forty centuries. When the steamship, the railroad and trolley took care of the problem of public transportation, the world took a long step ahead. When the automobile took care of the problem ofindividual transportation, the world took another long step ahead. The man with a motor gets down to his business in the morning quickly, cleanly and with gladness ~the sparkle of the sunshine and fresh air in his blood and brain. He is able to take up his business problems with clearer vision and greater energy than the man who has been worried and doped by the rush and Jam and the bad air of a crowded car. At noon he can use his carto entertain a business associate with a ten mile ride toa pleasant luncheon lace. He can sendit out in the afternoon to enter- ain guests while he goes ahead with his business. After the day’s work, he drives home again; arrives with weariness and worry air-sprayed from. his brain; with a keen appetite and good humor for dinner. In the evening he may use his car for a spin into the country with family and friends. The man with the motor car lives a fuller life than if he didn’t have one. He has more experience —more sensations. He lives twice as long in the same length of time as the man who hasn’t a car. There are many good cars made nowadays, and any good car is a good investment. Yet we honestly believe that Chalmers cars offer the best value for the money of any on the market. We ask you to see the Chalmers before you buy. Compcre them with others. Comparison has sold more Chalmers cars than all our advertising. The new models are now on exhibition at all dealers’ show rooms. We have a brand new catalogue ‘‘ BO "’,—write for it. Chalmers Motor Company Detroit, Mich. (Licensed under Selden Patent) \ NS PEELE Udell The man with a motor car gets to his office with the sparkle of the sunshine and fresh air How the Family Benefits Head of the Family:—Going to and from business in ciates, Toursinthe coun- try. More knowledge of the country, Mental and physical exercise of driv- ing. Good appetite—better digestion—better humor— better health, Prestige. Wife and Davghter:—Social calls. Entertaining. Plenty of fresh airto drive away nerves." More time with husband and father. Sons:—Educative value of understanding and caring mental and physical facul- ties in driving. Clean, fresh air recreation and decent entertainment: in company of other mem- bers of family. YUL N a comicbooks.com