Poster
1953 (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 | |
| Materials and techniques | Colour lithography |
| Brief description | Colour lithograph poster issued at the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation, showing various animals previously linked to Guinness by advertising campaigns, being borne aloft above a cheering crowd and waving Union Jacks. Designed by John Gilroy. Great Britain. 1953. |
| Physical description | Colour lithograph poster issued at the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation, showing various animals previously linked to Guinness by advertising campaigns, being borne aloft above a cheering crowd and waving Union Jacks. Signed. |
| Dimensions |
|
| 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/A10 - V&A microfiche |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.154-1973 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
