Life, 1915-09-23 · page 33 of 48
Life — September 23, 1915 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but a straightforward **advertisement** for the Denby Motor Truck Company of Detroit. The page promotes Denby's new truck line by emphasizing innovation: unlike established manufacturers burdened by outdated parts and policies, Denby could adopt "new ideas of proven worth without fear." The company highlights four truck models ranging from ¾-ton to 2-ton capacity, priced $890–$1,985. The illustration shows a Denby truck delivering fuel for "J.J. Quill Fuel & Transfer," demonstrating practical commercial use. A notable feature is the "Business-Building and Sales Efficiency Service"—a $3,000 training program for truck drivers, positioning them as salesmen to increase customer business. This reflects early automotive industry efforts to create customer loyalty through driver education. The tone is aspirational, positioning Denby as a modern, progressive manufacturer unburdened by industrial tradition.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Realizing an Ideal Little over a year ago the men who form the Denby organization saw the fruition of an ideal, when the first Denby truck went into actual service. True, these men had been building trucks for years—good trucks, trucks that represented the best of their day, and achieved a success worthy of their quality. But in the Denby truck they were able for the first time to produce a commercial motor-vehicle that represented the ripest fruits of their experi- ence. They were unhampered by established policies regarding type; they had no obsolete parts or machinery to consider; they were able to adopt new ideas of proven worth without fear. In a dozen different features of design and construction the Denby marked a new standard of efficient, economical service. ublic Recogni- Public opinion was not slow in recognizing this fact. The business has ada grown with wonderful strides. It has become necessary to secure a new factory, which will give us five and six-tenths acres of ground space. Denby trucks are made in four units of capacity, priced as follows: i ‘Type U— %-ton (including open body) —$ 890 Four Units Type B— 1-ton . . . . as Type D-134-ton . . . - 1,685 Type E— 2-ton 8 +e 1985 A A Z . Idi ‘Type U-the latest Denby model—is designed primarily for the emall business, We Business-Building 427° put isto operation on it the Deaby Business-Building and Sales Eficiency Service Service —perhape the most redical step in co-operation ever taken by a manufacturer. It is de- signed to make the truck driver a real ealesman, capable of building and increasiog business, And we have appropriated $3,000, to be awarded to those students showing the most progress. Our Creed This service is merely the latest manifestation of the Denby creed—that no Denby truck is satisfactory unless the owner is getting 100 percent efficiency from it in every way. DENBY MOTOR TRUCK COMPANY 405 Holbrook Avenue, Detroit, Michigan Descriptive literature of any or all Denby models auul be mailed on request comicbooks.com