Life, 1925-01-15 · page 4 of 36
Life — January 15, 1925 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Packard automobile advertisement**, not political satire. The image shows a 1920s Packard Six automobile positioned in front of what appears to be a government building with a flag. The ad's argument contrasts two types of "good cars": heavy, complicated vehicles with poor fuel/oil/tire efficiency versus the Packard Six, which claims to offer "comfort without bulk, great strength with light weight and...exclusive beauty and distinction." The government building backdrop appears designed to convey legitimacy and prestige. The slogan "Only Packard can build a Packard" emphasizes exclusivity and brand superiority. This reflects 1920s advertising strategy: positioning luxury automobiles as aspirational status symbols while emphasizing practical efficiency—selling both prestige and economy simultaneously to prosperous readers of *Life* magazine.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF GOOD CARS— The heavy, bulky, complicated cars that do not give more miles to the gallon of gasoline, more miles to the gallon of oil, more miles to the set of tires. And the Packard Six that combines low operating and maintenance costs with Poke A Ste furnished in ten body twpes, open ~— comfort without bulk, to $3675 at Detroit. 7 % . Packard’s extremely great strength with light weight liberal monthly pay- ment plan makes pos- sible the immediate en- and, joyment of a Packard, purchasing out of i exclusive beauty and distinction. ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE comicbooks.com