Life, 1914-01-08 · page 33 of 44
Life — January 8, 1914 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satire. It's a 1914 Marmon automobile ad from *Life* magazine, promoting the Marmon as "The Easiest Riding Car In The World." The ad uses rhetorical persuasion rather than humor or political commentary. It argues that consumers *do* appreciate quality manufacturing, citing the company's 60-year track record (since 1851) as evidence. The text emphasizes that Marmon produces "the best at a fair price"—positioning the brand as offering premium quality without premium pricing. The illustration shows an open touring car with well-dressed passengers in an exotic locale (palm trees visible), suggesting luxury and aspirational lifestyle. This represents early 20th-century automotive marketing: emphasizing craftsmanship, heritage, and value as selling points. There is no cartoon, caricature, or political satire present—this is straightforward product promotion typical of the era's magazine advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(The "The Does it pay to put the very best of every- thing into a motor car or any other manu- factured product? Does the public appreciate the untiring effort of the manu- facturer to produce the best? An emphatic answer to this question lies in the steady growth and present strength of this great institution. For more than sixty years it has followed the policy of producing the best at a fair price and the American public has responded with generous recog- The Marmon nition of honest value. for 1914 In motor cars, as in other high-grade ma- a chinery, this company may be depended upon sagt addition to the Marmon : irty Two’’, four-cylinder car, now and in the future years to produce the and the Marmon “Forty Eight”, very best that long experience, trained brains, six-cylinder car, we are pleased to fine workmanship and ample resources can announce a new medium size, six- bring forth, and to sell it at a price that will cylinder Marmon, model ‘Forty ‘. it h One’’, which will be exhibited first te fullest measure of value to the at the New York Automobile Show in January. squirt ni cdo co Wa Mea aa Detailedinformation with speci- Inquiries to our factory or to the Marmon dealer * ‘ - in any city will be treated with the respect fications and prices may be ob and consideration which the average purchaser tained from dealers or factory. of the high-class car desires and expects. Nordyke & Marmon Co. INDIANAPOLIS (Established - 1851 ) INDIANA Gl Sixty Years of