Life, 1914-03-05 · page 58 of 60
Life — March 5, 1914 — page 58: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page **advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Goodrich Safety Tread tires using the popular "Safety First" slogan of the early 20th century. The ad emphasizes tire safety through integrated construction—all components ("body," "side walls," "fabric," "bead," "tread") work as one unit. The distinctive "Five Bars and a Crosstie" tread pattern is presented as the branded innovation that prevents skidding and improves braking. A pricing table lists various tire sizes and costs, positioning Goodrich as offering quality at competitive rates. The "Safety First" messaging reflects broader Progressive Era public health campaigns emphasizing accident prevention, particularly relevant as automobile adoption increased. The language appeals to motorists' practical concerns: durability, performance, and cost savings through longevity. This represents standard early automotive advertising positioning a manufacturer's technical features as consumer benefits.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: SAFETY FIRST Quality, Service and Lower Cost Mileage for Goodrich Tire Users Goodrich fread LIFeS Best in the Long Run Hg PE te) seer oe Goodrich Unit Molding is really the original “Safety First’’ idea in tire construction. oe ¢ & Safety must go deeper than the tread. oe It must be made into the tire. Goodrich Tires are built on a foundation of safety. i Me Pet oo & The quality of Goodrich Tires today is the standard by which all high grade tires are judged. This is because they represent the perfection of tire-making and tire-knowledge —which gives Goodrich ‘Tires their leadership. eo ¢ The body of the tire, side walls, fabric, rub- ber, bead and tread are balanced and inter- locked through and through so that the whole tire is one live unit. oo & The user of Goodrich Tires gets the utmost in service and mileage, because each tire wears as a unit—every part of the tire helping every other part to perform the service demanded of it. This is one of the reasons why Goodrich Tires give better service and lower cost mileage. ,." he A A Sei Sat ois Be Five Bars and a Crosstie The “Safety First” Symbol The strong rubber fingers of the Safety Tread clean and grip the road. ‘They stop the skid before it starts. They make the brake effective and make your steering sure. Mi r eo % ¢ And now the Goodrich Safety Tread solves the skidding and sliding problem for the motorist and gives him ‘‘Safety First’? in ac- tual operation as well as in construction. oo 6 No odd projections to knock out the under- lying tire structure. Just the unit-group of bars and crosstie which brace and balance the strain on the tire, so that the Safety Tread runs as a smooth tread does and gives more actual service and mileage. Here are the prices to pay for the best tires ever produced in the Goodrich factory: Size Smooth Tread | Safety Tread |Grey Inner Tube Prices Prices Prices Size Smogth Tread | Safety Tread |Grey Inner Tube Prices x Pets 33x4 34x4 $11.70 15.75 16.75 23.55 24.35 $12.65 17.00 18.10 25.25 26.05 $2.80 3.50 3.70 4.75 4.90 $33.00 34.00 35.00 $35.00 36.05 37.10 44.45 57.30 34x4 35x iy 37x5 41.95 38x5% 54.00 a0 Factories: The B. F. Goodrich Co. Akron, Ohio Branches in All Principal Cities There is nothing in Goodrich Advertising that isn’t in Goodrich Goods TEL ee oe the he fe biaap hee Sh. - PETER J. CAREY, PRINTER OU Tre eer