Life — September 1935 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is an **advertisement for Ethyl gasoline**, not political satire. The page uses the phrase "Mike and Mame" (likely referencing common names for generic "everyman" characters) to present two zebras side-by-side as a visual metaphor. The ad's message: regular gasoline and Ethyl gasoline look similar, but Ethyl contains an additive (tetraethyl lead) that makes a crucial difference—likened to the contrast between "plain glass and jewels." The three facts listed below explain Ethyl's technical advantages: superior fuel quality, better performance in high-compression engines, and protection against engine knock. This appears to be vintage advertising from the era when leaded gasoline was standard and marketed as a premium product, before lead's health hazards were widely known.