Life — November 18, 1915 — page 52: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Baker and Rauch & Lang electric automobiles through aspirational imagery rather than humor or social commentary. The illustration depicts a wealthy, fashionably-dressed woman in elaborate fur-trimmed clothing admiring a Baker or Rauch & Lang electric car. The opulent setting (classical architecture, decorative planters, servant figures) emphasizes luxury and social status. The ad's message centers on "Personal Pride"—appealing to upper-class consumers' desire for exclusivity and quality craftsmanship. Electric cars were expensive, prestigious vehicles in 1915, and this advertisement targets affluent buyers by suggesting ownership demonstrates refined taste and discernment. The satire (if present) is subtle: the ad conflates material consumption with personal virtue, suggesting that buying an expensive car reflects one's character and values—a common early 20th-century advertising technique that modern readers might recognize as manipulative.