Life, 1928-06-14 · page 5 of 42
Life — June 14, 1928 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Ethyl Gasoline, a commercial fuel product from the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation (addresses given: New York City and Toronto). The ad uses racing culture as its appeal angle—claiming that race car drivers add "Ethyl" fluid to their engines for better performance, and that oil companies are now adding it to consumer gasoline. The implicit message: if it's good enough for professional racers, it's good enough for you. The circular emblem serves as brand identification rather than satirical commentary. This represents straightforward early-20th-century product marketing leveraging motorsport prestige to sell fuel additives to the general public.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Racine car drivers can’t take a chance with their engines. Before a race they test their cars with the best gasoline obtainable. Then they add “Ethyl!” fluid— theanti-knock compound—to develop the lastounce of power for speed and safety. Similarly, leading oil companies areadding™ Ethyl” fluid to the gasoline produced for the general motor- ing public, so that your car too may increase its per- formance under all driving conditions. What Ethyl Gasoline is THYL GASOLINE was developed by General Motors research to provide @ more efficient fuel for internal combustion engines. It is formed by adding Ethyl brand of anti- knock compound (“Ethy!” fluid) to selected motor gasoline in an amount sufficient to utilize the higher compression created by car- boa deposits or advanced engine design. “Ethyl” fluid is a concentrated liquid Containing tetraethy! lead which has the property, of controlling the combustion rate of gasoline. Itis 2 patented product. Only oil refining companies licensed to sell Exhy! Gasoline ean mix “Ethyl” fluid with their gasoline. Ia every case the amount of “Ethy!” Guid must be sufficient to meet @ definite standard of “anti-kaock” quality rigidly controlled by the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation. Ethy! Gasoline is colored red for identif- tation. The color has nothing whatever to do with its performance. It takes more than dye to make “anti-knock” gasoline. _Ethy! Gasoline is sold only at pumps which Gisplay the "Ethy!” trademark. Eth! Gasoline is the yardstick by which other baselines are measured. This fuel is called Ethyl Gasoline and is sold at pumps which display the emblem shown below. Read the facts about Ethyl Gasoline given below. Remember that even the best gasolines become better when “Ethyl” fluid is added. Then give Ethyl a trial. Its price is merely the price of good motor gasoline plus the few extra pennies the “Ethyl” ingredient costs. But what a difference it makes in your car! ETHYL GASOLINE CORPORATION 25 Broadway, New York City 56 Church St., Toronto, Canada What Ethyl Gasoline does If your car is designed to operate on ordi- nary gasoline, the use of Ethyl Gasoline will: Eliminate “that knock” and power less. Mate carbon deposits a source of extra power. For carbon increases compression and Ethyl Gasoline asthe high compression fuel. Give a smoother and better palling slarly on hills ravy roads. Reduce gear-shifting and increase acceleration, thereby making trafic driving easier. Cut down vibration, thereby reducing engine wear end tear and depreciation. Save you the expense of carbon remeval and ether repairs caused by “bnockin formation. bert more power per gallon for your fuel bills— more mileage a: pression is increased ty carbon deposits. If your car is a high compression car, just remember that Ethyl Gasoline made it possi ble and its use is necessary to obtain maximum performance, In short, Ethy! Gasoline increases the per- formance of any automobile engine—whatever ite compressioa—whatever the climate or other comicbooks.com