Life — January 29, 1920 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily **advertising content, not satire or political commentary**. The page features a Packard Motor Car Company advertisement titled "Who Dictates the Changes in Motor Car Design." The image shows a crowded city street filled with automobiles from different eras, illustrating traffic congestion. The ad argues that Packard's design philosophy prioritizes fundamental engineering and good taste over fleeting fashion trends. It claims this stability protects owner investments from "sudden changes of 'fashion'" dictated by competitors. The tagline "Ask the Man Who Owns One" was apparently Packard's advertising slogan. The piece is essentially a luxury car manufacturer defending conservative design choices while implicitly criticizing competitors (likely Ford, General Motors) for frequent model changes that rendered older cars obsolete.