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Footballers Prefer Shell

Poster
1935 (printed), 1935 (issued)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a poster for Shell petroleum. Heeding the protests of SCAPA (The Society for Checking the Abuses of Public Advertising) against poster hoardings and obtrusive signs along the roadside, Shell began to attach posters to the sides and backs of lorries. Jack Beddington, publicity director of the amalgamated Shell-Mex and BP Ltd, commissioned well-known artists as well as specialist poster artists to produce these lorry bills. These bills were changed every few weeks, so many artists were involved. This particular poster campaign claimed that a wide range of people, from scientists to footballers, used Shell. The slogan ‘You Can Be Sure of Shell’ aimed to promote good will towards the company, and to assure the motorist that Shell was available throughout Britain.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Footballers Prefer Shell (assigned by artist)
  • You Can Be Sure Of Shell (series title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph print on paper
Brief description
'Footballers Prefer Shell'. Colour lithograph poster advertising Shell Motor Spirit, part of the 'You Can Be Sure Of Shell' series. Designed by Paul Nash and issued by Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd., Great Britain, 1935.
Physical description
'Footballers Prefer Shell'. Colour lithograph poster advertising Shell Motor Spirit. A stylised design showing a tan coloured football flying through the air into a netted football goal. Printed in blue, black, grey and browns on a white ground.
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'YOU CAN BE SURE OF SHELL' (Lettered above image.)
  • 'FOOTBALLERS PREFER SHELL' (Lettered below image.)
  • 'PAUL NASH' (Lettered below the bottom-right corner of the image.)
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is a poster for Shell petroleum. Heeding the protests of SCAPA (The Society for Checking the Abuses of Public Advertising) against poster hoardings and obtrusive signs along the roadside, Shell began to attach posters to the sides and backs of lorries. Jack Beddington, publicity director of the amalgamated Shell-Mex and BP Ltd, commissioned well-known artists as well as specialist poster artists to produce these lorry bills. These bills were changed every few weeks, so many artists were involved. This particular poster campaign claimed that a wide range of people, from scientists to footballers, used Shell. The slogan ‘You Can Be Sure of Shell’ aimed to promote good will towards the company, and to assure the motorist that Shell was available throughout Britain.
Associated object
E.2630-1938 (Duplicate)
Bibliographic references
  • 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
  • Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1965
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.85-1965

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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