Life, 1923-09-20 · page 2 of 36
Life — September 20, 1923 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Michelin Tire advertisement**, not political satire. The page features a cartoon of the Michelin Man (Bibendum)—the company's mascot made of stacked tire tubes—wielding giant scissors to cut through bills or invoices. The ad's humor is straightforward commercial messaging: Michelin's ring-shaped inner tubes supposedly last longer than competitors' tires, thereby reducing owners' replacement costs and "cutting" their expenses. The text claims Michelin tubes "outlast several tires" and cost no more than alternatives. The "suggestion" in the headline is simply a sales pitch—buy Michelin tubes to reduce your vehicle maintenance bills. This represents typical early-20th-century advertising humor: personifying the brand mascot performing an action related to the product's benefit.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
lire: Published Week!y by Life Publishing Compuny at 598 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y. ‘Annual Subscription, Five Dollars. Entered as Second Class Matter June 8, 1883, at the Post C N nder m1 Vol. 82. No. 2133 ‘September 20, 1923 office at_New York, the act of March 3d, 1879.’ Printed in New York, N. Y., U.S. A‘ ed. as Second Class Matter at the Post OMce Department, Canada. CHARLES DANA Ginsox, Presiden ie Rov Minium ‘eammee™t re 5 Copyright, 1923, LIFE, in the United States, Ingland and the British Possessions B. F. PRovANDIE, Advertising Director A Suggestion _ -for cutting your tube bills! Lik year over 8,000,000 more inner tubes were used than tires. In other words, the average in- ner tube did not last as long as even one tire. But any user will tell you that MichelinTubes outlast several tires. Their unique ring-shape, com- bined with the unequalled life of their famous red rubber, gives them remarkable durability. Yet they cost no more. Try a Michelin and prove for yourself that you can cut your tube bills greatly. MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY, Milltown, N. J. MICHELIN “Ring-Shaped Tubes” comicbooks.com