Life, 1915-02-11 · page 31 of 44
Life — February 11, 1915 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a car advertisement, not political satire. It promotes the Studebaker Light Six automobile ($1385) through a 1920s marketing campaign emphasizing nationwide service reliability. The image shows a vintage touring car filled with passengers near a "Studebaker Station" sign, illustrating the company's nationwide service network. The headline's promise—"never more than a town away from Studebaker Service"—represents the company's competitive advantage: extensive dealer and service station coverage across America. The ad emphasizes quality manufacturing ("MAKES SURE") and after-sale service as the brand's core values developed over 63 years. This reflects early automotive industry competition where reliable service networks were crucial selling points, as cars frequently broke down on period roads. The advertisement is straightforward commercial messaging rather than satire or political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Electric Lighting and Starting—FULL Float- ing Rear Axle— Tread Rear Tires—One-man Stud thick - » 1385 1750 itudebaker SIX(7-passenger), 1450 1825 —never more than a town away from Studebaker Service It’s simply this: that Studebaker MAKES SURE. —and makes sure not only in the manufacturing that goes on in the gigantic plants at Detroit, but also in the running of the car on the roads AFTER it is in your hands. For example, you may never need a front axlé forg- ing so strong that it can be TWISTED 3 TIMES without even showing signs of fracture. But if the emergency ever arises, it is there in the car. For Studebaker hus MADE SURE. And so, although you may never need Studebaker Service outside the town or, at most, of the State you live in—Studebaker makes sure that it is there if you want it, For it is Studebaker’s ideal not only to manufacture acar as GOOD as any car possibly CAN be—but also to insure that car’s giving to its owner EVERY- day service and freedom from expense and full - Gecouwse Studebaker Features imken Bearings—Safety ‘ype Top. Price ta Price to ROADSTER, . . $985 $1250 er Gd FO! A + + 985 1250 wri F. O. B. Detroit money’s worth of pleasure for every dollar of the price. And so Studebaker MAKES SURE of Service—and day by day is dotting the country with new Service Stations—building up a National Service organiza- tion of Studebaker Branches and Studebaker Dealers and Studebaker Service Stations so COMPLETE that wherever you drive you are “never more than a town away from Studebaker Service.” And the reason for it all is simply “—because it’s a Studebaker"—because this car carries a name that for 63 years has stood for the highest achievements in vehicles of every nature—a name that has come tobe a PROMISE to the buyer of honesty of man- ufacture AND day-after-day service, And so not only in this matter of giving Service to Studebaker owners, but in every little detail of man- ufacturing, you find this Studebaker policy of MAK- ING SURE the buyer gets FULL money’s worth (La a And It is this that makes the LIGHT SIX, $1385 for example, a most delightful car to drive—but a LESS EX- PENSIVE gure of the ca: freely that while the SIX is far stronger, it #0, LOWER in upkeep cost. But the only thing to do Is to see thi see with your own eyes what Stude sources and Ideals of manufacture, has been abl tod for “The Story of Studebaker. F to ‘run, For Studebaker engineers, seeking to make fety, have disregarded expense and used drop forgings so Iso much LIGHTER in weight—and SIX at your local Studebaker dealer’ ker, with ite wealth of experience and re- to put into this SIX at $1385, And