Life, 1912-07-25 · page 40 of 41
Life — July 25, 1912 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **car advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes the Stearns-Knight automobile through the rhetorical device of depicting it as the choice of society's elite leaders. The top illustration shows a businessman at his desk with a map and telescope (suggesting world commerce and vision), while an attendant presents the car—visually equating the automobile with professional success and respectability. The text claims the car is chosen by "leaders of men everywhere—in commerce, law, banking, government and engineering," establishing it as a status symbol. The bottom shows the actual vehicle: a five-passenger touring car with open design, typical of 1910s-era automobiles. The marketing strategy is **aspirational branding**: by associating the Stearns-Knight with powerful, respected men and their achievements, the advertisement suggests that purchasing this car signals one's own importance and judgment. The specific pricing ($3,750-$3,900) targets affluent buyers already positioned to see themselves as society's leaders. This reflects early automotive advertising's emphasis on class status rather than practical features.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pree ne hee r=) The Stearns-Knight Car _In the twelve months since the announcement of th Knight it has sprung at one bound into popular favor ecome the choice of men who know car values. of Stearns-Knight owners constitutes the Bluc Book of Motor- ice of leaders of men everywhere—in commerce, law, banking, government and engineering. It ia found in the hands of men who lead those pursuits and professions which are most respected, oe ¢ choice of one thousand such men. ‘These thousand cin the past year driven their cars distances aggre- gating millions of road miles, not only in this country but abroad. Choice of Leaders of Men That is why t the world, Stearns-Knight is now so well known all over So splendid has been the success of the rns Knight that chassis will remain practically unchanged during this season. there have been many refinements made in the body and finish design, The equipment is absolutely complete—electric generator lighting system, speedometer, top, wind shield, Klason horn, demountable rims and many other conveniences. tion has been paid also to the development of the qualities t tend to comfort and luxuriousness. Owing to the cost of ad refinements, the price of the five-passenger model is now $3,750 and the seven-passenger $3,900, Catalog and descriptive matter upon request THE F. B. STEARNS COMPANY, 12963 Euclid Ave., Cleveland Branches and Dealers in 125 Principal Cities Three-passenger roadster, \G-inch wheel base, $3,750; Four-passenger toy-ton- u runabout, 121-inch wheel base, $3,750; Five- passenger touring car, 12\-inch heel base, $3,750; Scven-passenger touring car, 127-inch wheel base, $3,900. 5 TTD a av aMOWe VAY aANSYAVOV AV AMAA HU au comicbooks.com — 10 em he mmm RE OD Dd wey nA OD DA Oke Ym ~ ee aes