Life — June 14, 1929 — page 35: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a 1920s advertisement for Ethyl gasoline, a premium fuel product. The illustration shows a fashionable woman in 1920s attire (cloche hat, short skirt, heels) standing beside a luxury automobile, conversing with two well-dressed men inside the car. The ad uses aspirational imagery typical of the era: the elegant woman, expensive vehicle, and well-groomed passengers suggest that using Ethyl gasoline signifies sophistication and modernity. The marketing pitch emphasizes performance benefits ("quicker pick-up," "faster all-round performance"). Historically, Ethyl gasoline contained tetraethyl lead as an anti-knock additive—a practice later banned for health and environmental reasons. The advertisement reflects early automotive advertising's focus on luxury association rather than safety information.