Life — April 1, 1920 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Michelin Tire Advertisement Analysis This is a **straightforward product advertisement**, not political satire. Michelin Tire Company advertises their 30x3½ tire size for small cars, positioning it as "the outstanding quality tire for the small car." The visual humor employs **Michelin's famous mascot, Bibendum** (the rotund "Michelin Man" made of tire rings), depicted here with companions in a early-model automobile. This playful imagery was designed to make tire advertisements more memorable and entertaining. The ad lists factories in Clermont-Ferrand (France), London (England), and Turin (Italy), emphasizing international manufacturing and distribution. This appears in *Life* magazine's early period, likely pre-WWI or 1920s-era, when such whimsical advertising mascots were novel and effective marketing tools.