Life, 1915-02-04 · page 3 of 44
Life — February 4, 1915 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **advertisement for Goodyear Fortified Tires**, published in *Life* magazine (page 175). The ad promotes five exclusive features: rim-cutting resistance, blowout protection, loose-tread reduction, puncture/skidding defense, and insecurity prevention via braided wires. The large tire image dominates, showing the distinctive tread pattern. The copy emphasizes that Goodyear monopolizes these defenses and offers them "without an extra price." A ship photograph appears in the background, likely suggesting reliability and durability. This represents early automotive advertising, when tire safety was a major selling point and manufacturers competed on technical features rather than brand prestige alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ER ES Fortified Tires This is what we mean by Goodyear FORTIFIED TIRES. And this is what they mean to you. We have fortified them in the best way known against each major tire trouble. And each way is exclusive to these tires. These Five Ways Against rim-cutting. Our No-Rim-Cut feature has proved itself for many years the most efficient method known. Against blowouts. We save the countless blowouts due to wrinkled fabric. We do this by our “On-Air” cure, used by no other maker. It means final-curing on air-filled tubes, under actual road conditions. It costs us $450,000 yearly. Against loose treads. A patent method used by us alone reduces this risk 60 per cent. Against insecurity. In each tire base we vulcanize six flat bands of 126 braided wires. These tires can’t be forced off the rim. Against punctures and skidding. Our All-Weather tread offers maximum protection. It is tough and double-thick. _ Its grips are sharp and resistless. It is flat and smooth-running. It’s immensely enduring. No Other Like Defense Remember, these are all exclusive Goodyear features. No other tire in all the world offers such defenses. Not in one way only, but in these five ways, FORTIFIED TIRES conspicuously excel. And each contributes vastly to the staunchness of a tire. Quality means more than rubber, more than fabric, more than skill in making. Several makers, we be- lieve, aim at the best in those things. None can claim monopoly. But Goodyear quality includes these de- fenses. These we do monopolize. Yet, through enormous production, we offer them all to you without an extra price. Don’t Trust Luck In any make one often gets a lucky tire. and misuse, and makes a rare record. But such luck isn’t oft repeated. The best tire serves best on the average. The tire which best combats troubles will, in the long run, suffer fewest of them. The general verdict, after 15 years, favors Goodyears in a most convincing way. They outsell any other. Last year we sold about one tire for every car in use, That's the result of building FORTIFIED TIRES. Soon or late you Any dealer will supply you when you do. It avoids mishap - x = o 28 F aim Goon SSvEAR “asone Fortified Tires The Only No-RimCut Tires The Only “On-Air” Cured Tires The Only All-Weather Treads