Not currently on display at the V&A

My Goodness My Guinness

Poster
1935 (issued)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Advertising of Guinness began on a national scale in 1929, through the advertising agency S. H. Benson. The collaboration between the copy-writer R. A. Bevan (son of the painter Robert Bevan), the art director Dicky Richards, and the artist John Gilroy, resulted in some of the most memorable posters ever produced. During Gilroy’s long association with Arthur Guinness Son & Co. Ltd., he invented the famous Guinness menagerie of toucans, seals, ostriches, camels, giraffes, etc. – based on studies he made at the zoo. The campaigns also sought to associate Guinness with strength, so many of Gilroy’s designs show prodigious feats of strength. Humour, too, played an important part. Slogans like ‘Guinness is Good for You’ and ‘My Goodness My Guinness’ became popular catchphrases.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMy Goodness My Guinness
Materials and techniques
Colour lithography
Brief description
'My Goodness My Guinness' [sea lion design]. Colour lithograph van side poster, one of a series advertising the product of Arthur Guinness Son & Co. Ltd.. Designed by John Gilroy. Great Britain. 1935.
Physical description
'My Goodness My Guinness' [sea lion design]. Colour lithograph van side poster, one of a series advertising the product of Arthur Guinness Son & Co. Ltd.. Signed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 76.2cm
  • Width: 203.2cm
Dimensions taken from: Summary Catalogue of British Posters to 1988 in the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Department of Design, Prints & Drawing. Emmett Publishing, 1990. 129 p. ISBN: 1 869934 12 1
Marks and inscriptions
(Signed.)
Credit line
Given by Ogilvy Benson & Mather Ltd
Subjects depicted
Summary
Advertising of Guinness began on a national scale in 1929, through the advertising agency S. H. Benson. The collaboration between the copy-writer R. A. Bevan (son of the painter Robert Bevan), the art director Dicky Richards, and the artist John Gilroy, resulted in some of the most memorable posters ever produced. During Gilroy’s long association with Arthur Guinness Son & Co. Ltd., he invented the famous Guinness menagerie of toucans, seals, ostriches, camels, giraffes, etc. – based on studies he made at the zoo. The campaigns also sought to associate Guinness with strength, so many of Gilroy’s designs show prodigious feats of strength. Humour, too, played an important part. Slogans like ‘Guinness is Good for You’ and ‘My Goodness My Guinness’ became popular catchphrases.
Bibliographic reference
Summary Catalogue of British Posters to 1988 in the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Department of Design, Prints & Drawing. Emmett Publishing, 1990. 129 p. ISBN: 1 869934 12 1
Other number
16/A4 - V&A microfiche
Collection
Accession number
E.149-1973

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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