Life, 1916-09-28 · page 4 of 41
Life — September 28, 1916 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features an illustration of a luxury automobile with decorative Art Deco styling, accompanied by an article titled "What's In a Name?" The text discusses how brand names carry significance and purpose. It argues that names like "Reo" (the car brand shown) represent more than mere labels—they embody meaning and identity. The article suggests that in recent times, naming has become overlooked despite its importance for establishing reputation and reward. The satirical point appears mild: the piece playfully critiques how consumers often overlook the deliberate strategy behind product naming, treating names as arbitrary rather than recognizing they convey quality and intention. The Reo automobile serves as the example of a name meant to inspire confidence through its "definite, unwavering purpose." This reflects 1920s-era marketing philosophy emphasizing brand identity's psychological power.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
What’s In a Name? The query is centuries old—the answer ever new. For the Bard himself did not give an adequate answer, though cleverly he seemed to do so. Theremay beeverythinginaname—ornothing. Depending entirely on whether or not there is an ideal, a purpose and a will back of the name. Names die or endure—they get their deserts. In recent times men seem to have overlooked that fact—that inevitable reward for good or ill. Names in our day, are, alas, too often regafé only as things with which to conjure—to : ize—to exploit—to realize on—quickly; even the sacrifice of the name. If the name Reo stands for much in ideal—and a definite, unswerving purpos Nothing Utopian or theoretical, but a p! business policy that looks to the fut willing to wait a little while for the full rewaft feeling, knowing, that that reward will b greater for the time spent in deserving it. | CoMmIeHOoKks.con