Life, 1923-04-05 · page 5 of 40
Life — April 5, 1923 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a cartoon advertisement for Kelly tires set in Hyde Park, London. The illustration shows well-dressed gentlemen in top hats in an early automobile, with others standing nearby under weeping willow trees. The humor relies on a conversation about tire quality. "Hon. Freddy" asks about "tyres" (British spelling), and Ridley responds enthusiastically about "Kelly-Springfields, sir—American, nothing to touch 'em—never blow or skid." The satire targets American commercial boosterism: here, British aristocrats in their own park are being won over by American tire superiority. The advertisement leverages nationalist pride and emerging automobile culture to sell a product. The formal setting and dignified characters lend credibility to the product endorsement, a common advertising strategy of the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
om, eda m,” vere past she fast! souls HYDE PARK, LONDON* Hon. Freddy—“Haven’t the foggiest idea, old chap—Ridley, do we use tyres?” Ridley (waxing warm)—“Kelly-Springfields, sir—American, nothing to touch ’em—never blow or skid—a bit of orl right, sir, if you ask me!” fee qualities which a motorist seeks in tires are the same practically all over the world. These qualities are long mileage, freedom from trouble, safety from skidding, and low cost. Since Kellys com- bine all these qualities to a marked degree, it is not surprising that they have become internationally Urswing ‘gud dleladue” By Deurbace’ Fellows, London famous. It costs no more to buy a Kelly. comicbooks.com