Life, 1913-05-15 · page 35 of 52
Life — May 15, 1913 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement**, not satire—though it employs gendered marketing rhetoric typical of early 1900s automobile advertising. The ad promotes the Ohio Electric Car's unique "dual drive" feature (operable from both front and rear seats), marketed specifically to women drivers. The central illustration contrasts three scenarios: a woman awkwardly positioned as a chauffeur in a traditional single-drive car versus the comfort of driving from the rear seat in an Ohio vehicle. The pitch exploits social anxieties: women alone in cars appeared "conspicuous" and uncomfortable in the chauffeur's position (traditionally masculine), while rear-seat driving in crowded vehicles created safety and visibility problems. The Ohio's solution supposedly eliminated these embarrassments. The claim that "discriminating women" reject single-drive electrics reflects period advertising's assumption that women buyers were concerned with propriety, comfort, and appearance rather than mechanical performance. Electric cars were marketed to women partly because they required no hand-cranking or gear-shifting—deemed too physically demanding for ladies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The old fashioned single-drire car—@ chaufeur's position when alone, uncom- fortabty consplewous, The modern Ohto way—fire passengers, srent-seat drive wtth wnodstructed thee, The modern Onto way—drice tn privacy ‘ond comfort from the rear scat then alone. Discriminating Women No Longer Buy Single-Drive Electrics Study this illustration and you'll see why ‘VERY one who has ever driven an electric has realized the great inconvenience of the single drive. For no woman, alone in her car, ever looked well or felt comfortable perched up on the front seat in a chauf- feur’s position. And if the car happened to be a rear- seat drive, it meant continual strain and worry over inability to see ahead when the car was filled with guests. In the Ohio, and in it alone, all this annoyance, in- convenience and danger is eliminated. For the Ohio-offers, as an exclusive feature on which we hold basic patents, a double drive from both front and rear seat, at your convenience. NX The illustration shows graphically the wonderful convenience and comfort of this arrangement. And the Ohio offers you in addition the utmost in beauty, in luxury andin comfort. Is it any wonder that single-drive electrics are rapidly becoming obsolete? There are Ohio representatives in all large centers. Beautifully illustrated catalog mailed on request. The only electric car in the world that can be driven from both front and rear seat. The Ohio Electric Car Company 1505 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio comicbooks.com