Life — August 28, 1913 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **not satire or a cartoon**—it's a straightforward advertisement for Goodyear No-Rim-Cut tires from the early 20th century (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio). The ad makes a business argument: Goodyear's premium tires, formerly one-fifth more expensive than competitors, now cost the same as standard tires. The pitch emphasizes technological advantages: special "On-Air Cure" vulcanization process, methods to prevent tread separation, and elimination of "rim-cutting" defects that plagued earlier tires. The accompanying image shows a cross-section of a tire. The advertising strategy is straightforward: justify premium pricing through superior manufacturing and durability claims, ultimately presenting cost parity as a consumer win. This represents early automotive-industry competition based on technical innovation rather than price alone.