Life, 1917-12-13 · page 31 of 40
Life — December 13, 1917 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **straightforward advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It's a full-page ad for Republic Tires from the Republic Rubber Corporation in Youngstown, Ohio. The page uses testimonial marketing: it claims thousands of satisfied customers report that Republic Tires last longer, resist road damage, and inspire unusual brand loyalty. The ad emphasizes their patented "Staggard Tread" for grip and their "Prodium Process" for durability. The visual shows two tires in black and white illustration, displaying the distinctive tread pattern. The messaging relies on peer recommendation and customer testimonials rather than technical specifications—a common early-20th-century advertising approach. There is **no cartoon, satire, or political message** here. This appears to be typical commercial advertising from *Life* magazine's revenue model.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Service of the Republic Is there a difference in tires ? Republic users say there is. Thousands of them say so. They say Republic Tires last longer. They cannot be attracted away from the Republic to any other tire. They say that the Prodium Process makes Republic Tires tremendously tough and strong. They say that these tires are almost immune to road cutting and chipping. They say that the patented Staggard tread gives extra security in driving. They say these things freely, frequently, to all their friends. Do you know of another tire to which so many people are loyal from year end to year end? Republic Black-Line Red Inner Tubes have a@ reputation for freedom from trouble The Republic Rubber Corporation Youngstown, Ohio Originator of the first Effective Rubber Non-Skid Tire Republic Staggard Tread Republic STAGCARD Misin 16-25-08 Tread Maximum Grip with Minimum Friction REPUBLIC TIRES comicbooks.com