Life, 1911-08-17 · page 3 of 40
Life — August 17, 1911 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but rather a **straightforward advertisement** for the White automobile company, published in *Life* magazine around 1912. The page promotes the White gasoline car by emphasizing its reliability and economy. The text argues that the "final test" of any vehicle is real-world performance—whether it can climb hills, travel long distances affordably, and require minimal repairs. The advertisement appeals to prospective buyers by highlighting that White owners consistently report getting approximately twenty miles per gallon and experiencing almost no repair costs due to the car's solid construction. There is no political satire or caricature present. This is period advertising showcasing early automotive marketing strategies that emphasized durability and fuel efficiency to a consumer audience unfamiliar with motorcar reliability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VAyapeyjelelalatrey Vel lite) The Final Test of a Car—Results a nUMMED up in every possible way, what the prospective purchaser of a ¥ 4 motor car wants to know is—what can I do with the car before me? The (Pas, kind of engine determines the power and economy of operation—the kind of JI eh 4 ic yy transmission determines the ease with which one gets over the road—the PSU size of the tires and wheels determines the comfort of riding—the compres- sion release makes the car easy to crank—the cylinders ‘being cast en bloc makes the engine simple and easy to care for, but all this mechanical. description means nothing to the buyer if the car won’t run—if it can’t climb a hill—if it can’t go where he wants it to go and come back—if it costs so much to go and come back that he can’t afford to own it. So it is the results you want—the story of operation that you must have.; Some White Gasoline Car Results There are hundreds of White owners who are getting enjoyment out of every spare moment of their lives—they are taking trips they have never taken before—enjoying scenery never viewed before—getting out of life more than life has meant to them heretofore; and yet, from Maine to Texas, from ocean to ocean, there comes but one story from them all—a story of enjoyment made doubly enjoyable because it costs so little. Every White owner talks to you of performance—every White owner talks to you of economy—there is not an owner of a White gasoline car to whom we could not refer you as a prospective buyer of one. Why?— because they are getting twenty miles as an average on a gallon of gasoline with a White “30”— because of the mod- erate size and weight of the car, their tire expense is abnormally low—because the car is so well built that there is practically no such thing as repair bills. Possibly it’s the kind of car you want—if so, write to-day for a 1912 announcement and the testimonials of owners. The White 852 East 79th Street, Cleveland MOM aoaele comicbooks.com