Life, 1920-08-12 · page 29 of 44
Life — August 12, 1920 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a **full-page automobile advertisement** for the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, disguised within *Life* magazine's editorial layout. The piece uses a rhetorical device: it frames itself as discussing "Who is the Judge of Good Taste?" in automobile design, appearing to debate whether cars reflect artistic genius or mere differentiation. However, this is entirely promotional. The text argues that Packard's design has remained fundamentally unchanged for sixteen years—a claim presented as evidence of superior, timeless quality rather than staleness. The argument emphasizes hand-craftsmanship (hand-buffed leather, nickel fittings, craftsmen rather than machines) and includes a testimonial from the *London Daily Mail* suggesting Packard offers better value than comparable European luxury cars. The illustrations show a Packard automobile from two angles. This is standard early-20th-century *Life* advertising: luxury car makers purchased prominent editorial-style space to position their products as markers of refined taste and judgment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TIVITIES CIC IGT OC ICI SNUINCTAC INU SINCINU SACI AC IAN SS PANS Sy A) NJ — RUAURUAU AV AU AUAD.. ~ tion.” What about the design of the average motor car? Is it born genius or a desire to be different? It is a question for the motor car buyer to consider. How soon will his car be out of date? Packard answers the question at once. Packard design is fundamental with the car— not grafted onto it. Lines may change, and have. But the character of the Packard has not changed for sixteen years. At the Packard plant the first principle of distinction is quality. Hand-buffed, whole- hide leather for upholstery, instead of machine buffed “splits.” Double thick material for tops. Nickeled bronze fittings, designed and made as jewelry might be. Coach work by craftsmen rather than body building by machines. In the London Daily Mail recently an Englishman paid a tribute to the Packard method of building high grade cars, He wrote: “It is for America an expensive car, but, compared with the same class of car at home, it is decidedly cheaper.” The fact of the matter is this: If the Twin- Six were built in Europe with European methods it would be higher priced than even the most expensive European car. PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY +» Derroir Appearance: ACF Many famous designers have drafted individual bodies for the Twin-Stx—but one and all have invari- ably maintained the Pacraan character DIF UP UF UT UF RUGRU RUFC VAUAVAUAU AAU AUG AU AW AUAUS VIFF VURAL WHR ANY) ¥ comicbooks.com