Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Print of the Day: Blue Cross Tea, 1900



Hoarding Poster for Blue Cross Tea
England, 1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum




This British chromolithograph was designed as a hoarding poster. In essence, posters on hoardings were tiled repeatedly so that the image was recurring many times over and seen in full. This design which focuses on the trademark and brand on an uncluttered and brightly-colored ground would have been quickly identifiable and easily read.

The poster was designed in 1900 for Blue Cross Tea. The design features a grocer’s shop which also advertises for Blue Cross Tea, a clever way of reinforcing the brand. A well-dressed man leaves the shop with a package of biscuits on the end of his umbrella. He appears to be saying:

“The Best for Me, It’s Blue Cross Tea.” This is the work of Stewart Browne for The British & Beningtons Tea Trading Association Ltd.






No comments: