Life — August 12, 1920 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Goodrich Silvertown Cord Tire Advertisement This is a straightforward **product advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Goodrich's Silvertown Cord tire, marketed as "America's First Cord Tire." The ad uses a small illustrated vignette of a vintage automobile on a scenic road to appeal to motorists. The tagline emphasizes practical benefits: attractive appearance ("more graceful"), better performance ("easier-running"), and cost savings ("lower-cost"). The fine print at bottom specifies technical specs: Silvertown Cords lasted 8,000 miles versus fabric tires' 6,000 miles—a genuine competitive advantage in the early automobile era when tire durability directly affected ownership costs. This represents early-1920s advertising strategy: combining visual appeal with concrete performance claims to justify premium pricing.