Life, 1924-10-23 · page 4 of 36
Life — October 23, 1924 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. It's a Packard automobile company advertisement from *Life* magazine promoting the Packard Six car model. The image shows a mysterious face with glowing eyes in darkness—a visual metaphor for the car's reliability and durability. The accompanying text emphasizes that one Packard Six completed 108,000 miles of continuous testing without requiring rebuilding or overhaul, yet retained 44% of its original resale value. The appeal targets practical buyers by citing testimony from a garage superintendent (positioned as an impartial expert) who praised the car's quality and longevity. The famous tagline "Only Packard can build a Packard" reinforces brand exclusivity. This represents early automotive advertising emphasizing engineering and durability as selling points.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BRINGS 44% OF ITS COST AFTER 108,000 MILES One of the “Big Four” tire companies tests its products in actual use on the road. Three Packard Sixes have recently completed 320,000 miles of continu- ous service in these tire tests. One of them traveled 108,000 miles on a schedule of 420 miles per day. That is the equivalent of ten years of average owner use. Only it’s much harder on the car than ten years of ordinary driving. Because the wear and tear and strain are concentrated into a few months. Yet this Packard Six, just as it was, at the end of 108,000 miles—without rebuilding or overhauling, without refinishing—was bought by a motor car expert. The superintendent of a large garage —a mechanical authority who knows motor cars—gladly paid for this Packard Six, 44% of its original cost. He says he expects to drive it for ten years himself. That is the kind of quality built into the Packard Six—the kind which makes Packard the most economical investmentin personal transportation. An unretouched photograph taken May 1, 1924, after 108,000 miles of service ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE comicbooks.com