Life, 1926-04-08 · page 37 of 52
Life — April 8, 1926 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for Dodge Brothers Motor Cars, appearing in *Life* magazine (page 35). The illustration depicts a 1920s sedan with passengers and pedestrians, serving as a visual centerpiece for advertising copy emphasizing safety features: all-steel bodies, slim corner pillars for improved visibility, one-piece windshields, and reinforced construction. The ad compares Dodge's safety standards to "all steel sleeping cars," referencing public demand for protective design. It emphasizes that these improvements incur "no penalty from the purchaser"—meaning no price increase—while announcing lower prices and increased production. This represents early automotive marketing focused on safety as a selling point, a relatively novel concept in the 1920s when standardized safety features were still being established as industry norms.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Dodge Brothers Motor Cars are built to protect passengers. That is why Dodge Brothers pio- neered in introducing the all steel body, and why they have continued to pioneer byrecently improving and perfecting it. Like the all steel sleeping car—now insisted upon by public opinion— Dodge Brothers all steel bodies are fireproof and as near shock-proof as motor car bodies can be built—an armor of protection in emergencies. Electrically welded and staunchly braced and reinforced at all points of strain, they are noiseless and built to endure permanently. They also provide unparalleled vi- sion. The menace of thick corner pillars—blocking the driver's vision at street intersections —is elimi- nated. Slim, steel pillars take their place. One-piece windshields and excep- tional window areas further increase driving vision and safety. And while safety cannot be measured in dollars, it is gratifying to know that these improved steel bodies ex- act no penalty from the purchaser. With production vastly increased, these and many other vital improve- ments were announced coincidently with the most attractive schedule of low pricesin Dodge Brothers history. Dooce Brotners.|Inc Detroit Dopee Daomeas (Canana) UmiTeD Dooce BROTHERS MOTOR CARS comicbooks.com