Life — September 23, 1915 — page 47: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily **advertising copy**, not satire or political commentary. United States Tires is marketing their "Nobby Tread" brand anti-skid tires by claiming superior mileage performance. The advertisement states that users are achieving 8,000-12,000 miles per tire, when the baseline expectation was only 5,000 miles—representing exceptional longevity. The images show two tire cross-sections mounted on wheels, visually demonstrating the tire's tread design. The copy emphasizes the product's market dominance ("largest selling high-grade anti-skid tires in the world") and urges dealers not to substitute competing brands. The only quasi-humorous element is the rhetorical question "What's Your Mileage?"—a sales hook inviting consumers to boast about their tire performance. The company also claims to employ 55,484 workers, likely meant to convey economic significance during an era when manufacturing scale indicated quality. This reflects early-to-mid 20th century automotive advertising practices.