Life — October 7, 1926 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily **advertising copy, not satire or political commentary**. It's a Budd Wheel Company advertisement disguised as an editorial narrative about Mr. Nash (likely Nash automobile founder Charles W. Nash). The "joke" is that Mr. Nash dismissively said "Goodbye, buggy wheels" when switching from wooden to steel wheels—but then discovered customers preferred the new Budd-Michelin wheels so strongly that he adopted them widely. The advertisement documents sales figures from 1922-1925 showing increasing adoption of these wheels. The three large wheel illustrations at bottom showcase the product itself. This represents early automotive marketing: telling a business anecdote to build brand credibility and establish product superiority through real sales data rather than direct claims.