Life, 1919-11-06 · page 36 of 36
Life — November 6, 1919 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **commercial advertisement**, not political satire. It's a Fisk Cord Tires ad from *Life* magazine featuring "The Magic Circle"—a stylized checkered figure seated in a large tire rim. The ad invokes **"The Square Deal,"** Theodore Roosevelt's progressive political platform from the early 1900s, to market tires as ethically manufactured and fairly priced. By associating the product with Roosevelt's reform agenda, Fisk positions itself as a company that treats workers well and conducts honest business—appealing to consumers' values during the Progressive Era. The checkered figure is Fisk's brand mascot, designed to be memorable and eye-catching. The ad promises durability and value ("uncommon mileage") backed by the company's ideals of fair dealing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE SQUARE DEAL works wonders, It is born and bred into Fisk Cord Tires. Fisk Standards are high—to realize it com- pareFisk Cords with any other cord tire. Big, even for oversized tires, well made and good- looking in every detail; you expect uncom- mon mileage from such tires and you get it. They are built to an ideal: ° “To be the best concern in the world to work for and the squarest concern \ in existence to do business with.” ’ Next time—BUY FISK from your dealer comicbooks.cofiigy