Life, 1920-09-09 · page 29 of 44
Life — September 9, 1920 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Packard automobile advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes the Packard Twin-Six motor car through aspirational messaging rather than humor or mockery. **The appeal:** The ad targets wealthy, discerning buyers by suggesting that owning a Packard signals refined taste and judgment. The headline—"How Many Buyers Can Judge Value?"—implies that most people *cannot* properly evaluate quality, positioning Packard owners as an elite group. **Key claims:** The text emphasizes Packard's 21-year track record, its manufacturing excellence (praised by WWI inspectors), and its ability to produce premium cars "on a quantity basis" while maintaining high standards. The car illustration at top shows an open-air touring vehicle typical of the 1920s era. **The pitch:** Rather than compete on price, Packard positions itself as the obvious choice for the sophisticated buyer who understands true value—implicitly flattering the reader's judgment while subtly suggesting cheaper alternatives appeal to those with inferior taste.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LLL LLL ISL ILLIA T= came ILI ILL SONSSSSSsS ——————_ CSOSSSSo DIOS EDVLSHS SLY ESD LISS SVSESDV LLL SSS oe: How Many Buyers EARLY every man has his visions of finding the ideal motor car. He anticipates the true mastery of the SNL roads at last, and the prestige of ig right at every point of his motoring. For the man who wants the Packard quali- ties in his motoring, only the Packard Car will do. While if his taste and sense of values are not up to the Packard, some other car will do. The Packard Twin-Six really is as true and fine as anyone ever assumed any car to be. It occupies, alone and sufficient, the place it has made for itself. It stands aloof equally from the car that obviously can be no better Can Judge Value? than it looks, and from the car that strives to look better than it is. The dominant place of the Packard is not a thing of chance. For twenty-one years the Packard has been delivering intrinsic value— the soundest value a motor car has ever given. During the War, inspecting officers spoke of the Packard plant as a manufacturing marvel. The only automobile plant in the world to produce high-grade cars on a quantity basis. Why this tremendous plant investment? Simply to produce a car of Packard grade at a price within reason. If built by piecemeal methods the Packard would be the highest priced car in the world. PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY +¢ Derroir Q¢ SS Qf Performance: Tux Twin-Six Excine— \|Q More reserve power at all car speeds than any other stock car engine built. SON GEFDISOINOS SSD SSIS SSS) 2 > SSS SS SS SEIS SSS S SSS S SLES SS LTE > SOS ESI SS EDU comicbooks.com