Life — December 6, 1923 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Time and Experience" - Michelin Tire Advertisement This is a Michelin tire advertisement, not political satire. The illustration shows the Michelin Man (Bibendum), the company's mascot—a rotund, bandaged figure—balancing atop a large tire while wielding a sword or pole like a circus performer. The ad's message plays on the phrase "time and experience": Michelin claims that years of testing tires under various conditions and climates prove their superiority. The circus/acrobat imagery suggests that mastering tires requires skill built through experience. The bandaged appearance of Michelin Man humorously implies the tire company has endured countless "trials" to perfect their product. The ad concludes by promoting Michelin Cords and Inner Tubes as products justified by this accumulated expertise.