Life — July 13, 1922 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Michelin Cords Advertisement This is a **product advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes Michelin tire cords—the internal reinforcing material in tires. The ad features the famous **Michelin Man** (Bibendum), the brand's mascot character made of tire rings, depicted here in a humorous scene with three smaller Michelin Men appearing to struggle with or install a large tire. The text's logic is straightforward marketing: since consumers already trusted Michelin's "Ring Shaped Tubes," why not trust their cord products? The implication is that Michelin's quality extends across all tire components. The playful illustration with the undersized figures and oversized tire creates visual humor to catch readers' attention—a common advertising technique in 1920s publications.