Life, 1916-01-13 · page 43 of 44
Life — January 13, 1916 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a Timken Roller Bearings advertisement disguised as a humorous domestic drama. The "satire" targets not politics but consumer ignorance—specifically, that even a typical boy ("Billy") understands automotive engineering better than most adults. The setup: A prospective car buyer (Mr. Pierce), his wife, and their son Billy visit a dealer (Kellogg) to examine a car. Billy repeatedly demonstrates superior knowledge about bearings—their function in reducing friction, carrying weight, and handling "end-thrust" (lateral force in turns). He even corrects the dealer and his father. The joke's point: Timken Bearings are so obviously superior and widely discussed that a child grasps their importance, shaming adults who don't. This was effective advertising because it flattered readers' intelligence while subtly pressuring them to buy Timken-equipped vehicles to avoid appearing ignorant. This represents early 20th-century advertising strategy: embedding product messaging in relatable, comedic scenarios rather than direct promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NULLA Dramatis Prrsonar. Roerat Pierce, prospective buyer... . seeeeeeeeee Amy Business Man Haex Pierce, his wife... o ae seteeesAny Average ioman Buty Pirace, his son.....4 Typical Boy Cuaats KELLocc.....eeecseesseeeces seseeeed composite of 40,000 dealers Scrxt—Dealer’s Show Room. Tir, any day in ‘the year. Pierce. family’ and dedler discussing features of car, follow: ing demonstration trip. Buly—( Putting his hand on the front hub.) Got Timken Bearings in here? didn’t say so in your ads. Kellogg—(Seratching his head.) Thought they were given in our specifications. Well, they're in the car all right. (Turn: ing to Mr. Pierce.) Your boy seems to wise to the big things in motor cars. he's the best posted one in but I'm just as much con about bearings as he, and I'd lave asked about them if he hadn't. ,Pierce—Why are Timken Bearings % important? 8 : Slb—(Fagerly.) Let me Kelogg—(With a grin.) All right, youn San, what's the Season? eer . tell her. Even Billy Knew A Scene from a Familiar Drama ‘ause they do all the things any other bearings will and they last a lot longer while they're doin’ ‘em. Billy Kellogg—You sec, Mrs. Pierce, the bear ings in a motor car must do a number of things. Their original function, of course, is to eliminate friction. Billy—(Interrupting.) Suret If the axtes and insides of the hubs were grindin’ away on each other, they'd be hard to turn, and they'd get hot as the dickens, and ‘wear out awful fast. So they put bearings in there, an’ the wheels roll ‘round on ‘em, easy as anything Mrs, Pierce—That’s all clear, b s t why: are Timken Bearings better th: Kellogg—Because they not only eliminate friction, but carry the weight of car and passengers and meet end:thrust as well, Mrs. Pierce—What is“ end-thrust "? Billy—It's what_makes you think you're gonna slide off the seat when you go whizzin’ ‘round a corner. Just think of all that weight tryin’ to shove the axle ends right through the wheels sidewise! Pierce—You've overlooked one _ thing, Villy—there are different kinds of bear: ings. Any, of them reduce friction, but some ‘can’t. stand end-thrust at all: Timken Bearings do both. Kellogg—(Taking two bearings from, his splay board.) Let me show you, Mrs. Pierce, what your husband means. You PETER J. CARLY, notice in this Timken Rearing it makes no difference whether the weight presses straight down or from the side. other bearing the side pressure quickly wear the parts out of shape or push them out of ‘place, because’ the bearing will carry only a straight down: ward pressure. Billy— (Breakin Timken is the only kind of bea can make as good as new by pus! Kellogg—That's a big point. Billy Bearings not only show after thousands of Wut what little w Tim less wear iles of hard service, f there is can be en irely corrected hy. this. simple adjust ment. Other types of bearings, when worn, must be replaced. ve heard enough about bearin troub n some of my friends. won't take any chances in my car. jogg—Well, any be: n front axles and to satisfy you. ings h been doing that ever since the first days of motor cars. Billy—Yes, and “front-wheel service is the test that akes or breaks.” Kellogg—(Laughing.) Your bo certai reads advertising, Mr. Pier Mrs, Pierce—Why are the front wheels so important? iNTER Kell Billy—(Reading Billy Pierce—(Pro Kellogg—There’s no other place in the car nent. Timken Bearings are built te stand that extra hard service. You'll find it all explained in this book, “The J Character of earings.” hh sev like the big seats and every it. I'm willing to take Mr. Dilly's word for the things I can’t see. r—(Anxiously.) ny Timken your car? Me Kellogg! How Bearings ‘are there in e9—(Pulling a little bos ket.) Here's eof 6 The eeps. out of his evidence on this Companies Timken ud.) Timken Bear. ings in front and rear wheels, in the transmission, on the pinion, shaft and at the differential.""—That's the stuff! Kelloga—It_ you want a copy, write the ken Company, either at Canton, Ohio, oF Detroit, Michigan. I'm satisfied. Da him now and let's drive her hon pay K check book.) Shall I make this to your order, Mr. Kellogg, or to the Company? (Curtain. comicbooks.com