Life, 1917-05-10 · page 2 of 46
Life — May 10, 1917 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Fisk automobile advertisement** disguised as editorial content in *Life* magazine. The ad promotes "Fisk Red Tops" tires and Fisk's motor car service. The satire targets **women drivers** of the era. Two fashionably-dressed women are shown in early automobiles with prominent, eye-catching tires. The ad's text sarcastically suggests women drivers will naturally appreciate Fisk's service—implying women were unreliable drivers who would frequently need roadside assistance. The joke plays on 1910s-1920s gender anxieties: newly mobile women challenging traditional roles. By offering "free" service "no obligation," the ad patronizingly positions women drivers as incompetent, needing constant help. The stylish illustration masks the underlying sexism—the advertisement assumes female motorists couldn't manage their vehicles independently.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pubtuhed every Thursday, Annual Sotacrition ater at the Post Ofice at New York. N. ¥.,4s Second Clas Mall Mater fe Dollars. Single Copies, Ten Cents. Entered at Second Class Mater at the Bost Office Department, Ca Price ia Lagiand, Sixpence. ‘Copyright ia England and the British Pouessions, Naturally. you expect to see FISK TOPS ED MARK REO. US. PAT OFF. ie you see the finest moto cacs ‘Women drivers appreciate Fisk Service, frre at Fisk Branches in all principal cities. No obligation, no matter what tires you use. You are cordially invited to avail yourself of this exceptional service.