Life, 1929-05-17 · page 43 of 52
Life — May 17, 1929 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page **advertisement**, not satire or cartoon commentary. It's a commercial pitch for Dunlop tires using an innovative marketing strategy for the era. **The Pitch:** Dunlop addresses consumer confusion about tire quality—you can't judge tires by appearance alone. Their solution: they back their product with a **Surety Bond**, underwritten by the American Surety Company. This legal guarantee promises performance against "almost every conceivable tire hazard, even abuse." **The Strategy:** By invoking the trustworthiness of surety companies (which bond banks and businesses), Dunlop transfers credibility from a financial institution to a rubber product. The ad emphasizes quality ingredients (Egyptian cotton, premium rubber) and manufacturing oversight, then clinches the argument with formal insurance backing. **The Modern Reader Context:** This represents early mass-market consumer protection advertising—using third-party financial guarantees to build brand trust during an era when consumer product reliability was genuinely uncertain and unregulated.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
This tire was first built. to stand abuse . then bonded against abuse N the maze of claims and counter- claims, howcan you be sure which tire will give you the most trouble- free service. Certainly you can’t tell by appear- ance. Look at any five tires without knowing the names or prices. You cannot even guess which tire is best But here is one way you can cut straight to the heart of the question. Dunlop Tires are first buile to stand abuse, then to prove this, they are bonded against abuse. Every advantage of the world’s greatest tire-building experience . . . 4o years of it. . . goes into each Dun- lop Tire. Every step of the manufac- ture is guarded by skilled craftsmen. Life Why try to GUESS which Tire is Best ? Only long-staple Egyptian cotton for maximum strength . .. only cords woven in Dunlop's own mills at Utica,N.Y... only the very finest process- ed rubber. . . go into each Dunlop Tire. Dunlop users know this extra quality. But Dunlop leaves no doubt. Dunlops BONDED, even against abuse Surety Companies are the most pru dent people in the world. Their job is to safeguard other people—bond banks against embezzlement and for- gery —bond business men against loss . . . guarantee everywhere faith- ful performance of duty. So Dunlop Tires are bonded by a Surety Bond, backed by both Dunlop and the American Surety Company. This bond guarantees Dunlops against almost every conceivable tire hazard, even abuse. Takes the guess out of tire-buying Unoer the Surety Bond Plan, you know exactly what you are getting —a tire built to make good, then bonded to make good. A tire guaranteed against almost every tire hazard. A guarantee so sweeping in its statements—so simple in its applica- tion—that any Dunlop dealer makes good in his own store—instantly. Naturally, such a guarantee has aroused wide-spread interest. Thou- sands of people have asked to see the Bond. To answer these inquiries, we have prepared specimen Bonds—one is ready for you now. It is free. Even if you are not buying tires immedi- ately, it will be worth your while to see it. Mail the coupon below—a free specimen Bond will come back by return mail. Send for FREE S; Dep. wat sind, Bull Please scod me free specimen copy of the exw Dunlop Surety Bood. Ic is understood this does aor obligate me in aay way DUNLOP BUILT TO STAND ABUSE: BONDED AGAINST ABUSE comicbooks.com