Life, 1920-07-01 · page 12 of 56
Life — July 1, 1920 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **advertising content**, not satire or a political cartoon. It's a full-page advertisement for Mercer automobiles, operated by Hare's Motors, Inc. in New York City. The image shows a Mercer car positioned in a scenic landscape with trees framing the view, conveying aspirational leisure travel. The ad targets touring enthusiasts, particularly those traveling to America's wheat belt (agricultural regions). The copy emphasizes practical benefits: the car's small engine (3¾ inches bore, 6½ inches stroke) provides fuel efficiency and reliable performance; its accessible design reduces maintenance costs; moderate weight ensures tire longevity; and high resale value minimizes depreciation—the largest passenger mileage expense. This represents typical early-20th-century automotive marketing: combining landscape imagery with technical specifications and economic arguments to appeal to middle-class buyers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MERCER MOTORS COMPANY operated by Hare's Motors, INC. 16 West Gist Street New York City + We * Shall « Keep + Faith OURING to the wheat belt is cheaper in a Mercer. Its motor of small bore (334 inches) and long stroke (634 inches) gives exceptional ability with very mod- erate gas consumption. Its accessible design saves labor and cuts the heart out of every repair bill. Its moderate weight and the cor rect distribution of that weight insure high tire mileage. Its high resale Value reduces to a} minimum the biggest factor of pas- senger mileage cost—depreciation. A Hare’s Motors product, it is built with close attention to the fundamentals. comicbookseeen