Life, 1922-06-01 · page 27 of 34
Life — June 1, 1922 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **corporate advertisement**, not satire. United States Tires uses the "Life" magazine platform to promote their brand and business philosophy circa 1922. The ad addresses a legitimate market problem of the early 1920s: the tire industry had a poor reputation due to illegitimate dealers selling defective products. The large tire illustration dominates the page, emphasizing product quality. The "message" references U.S. Tires' 1920 campaign encouraging consumers to patronize legitimate dealers selling quality "Royal Cord" tires. The ad argues that competition should be based on **public confidence, quality, and service**—not just price-cutting—and celebrates how tire dealers have elevated their standing to match "the best dry goods or clothing or hardware store." There is no political satire here. Rather, it's a manufacturer promoting ethical business practices while subtly asserting market dominance through a trusted satirical magazine. The tone is earnest corporate messaging, not mockery.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The A N2.1 Tire Man of the Town It takes about 80,000 tire dealers to serve the vast car-owning population of this country. What is your idea of what a tire dealer ought to be? aX IN 1920 the makers Bai of United States Tires broughta note | of commonsenseinto Uthe tire business with a message which said— “Go to a legitimate dealer and get a legitimate tire” From then on—overa period of two years —the American public was given the frankest - picture ever published of the good and bad in tire many It was surprising how man) owners were as anxious to legitimate tire dealer as we Peg fs tell about him. * * * Today,go intoany typical American city and you'll locate one or more tire dealers whose business rank is that of the best dry goods or clothing or hardware store. This wasn’t true a few years ago. Now, when you think of the 12,000,000 automobiles that will soon be running in this country, you can see how legitimate tire merchants are needed. The makers of United States Tires urge upon —manufacturer and dealer alike —a new kind of competition. Let us compete for more and more ublic confidence, Let us compete for higher and higher quality. Let us compete for still more public service. Legitimate tires — such as U. S. Royal Cords. The clean selling idea —expressed by the Royal Cord policy Responsibility. Where else can you get it—or how? * * * The A No. 1 tire man of your locality isnot going to stop grow- ing. He is an active factor in the new kind of competition, brought into the tire busi- ness by the makers of U.S. Tires. A competition for more and more pub- gELF9 lic confidence. A competition for greater and greater public service. Ae 1- =. comicbooks.com