A brief history of poster prints

A lifetime of success is something we all wish for, but what if we could achieve a thousand lifetimes of success? Well, that is exactly what has happened with the poster. Proving itself to be not only the UK’s most successful form of print advertising, but also the world’s, posters hold a triumphant level of accomplishment, but when exactly did they start to circulate, and how? Join us as we take a trip down memory lane…

The earliest trace of poster advertisement

We know, it seems too early to be true, but archaeologists state that they believe the earliest evidence of a poster dated back to 3000BC. This was supposedly a scribed message written on behalf of slave owner Hapu the Weaver, who was trying to locate a lost slave. Whilst the writing seemed purely informational, there did seem to be an aspect of self-promotion at the end of the note, not differing too much from that that we see on print advertising today!

The introduction of lithography

One of the more reliable sources of poster prints that we can date back to is Lithography. This was initially invented in 1798, but due to the costs around it, lithographic posters weren’t bought into action until the late 1800s. Until then, posters continued to be displayed as simple engravings on wooden or metallic bases. Come 1880, a breakthrough arose with Cheret’s ‘3 stone lithographic process’, allowing artists to produce a range of unending colours with primary-coloured stones. This led to a revolution in poster prints, with a combination of words and images providing new and attractive ways to display creativity. By this time, posters were being mass produced in perfect colour.

World War I and II

The posters of WWI are quite possibly the most recognised prints in our country. The infamous ‘We need you’ wartime posters, first launched in the early 1900s, have become somewhat of a classic in poster prints ever since. They’re even recognised by our generation today. WWII introduced a new style of prints using a photo offset technique, leading to the signature ‘dot’ appearance that remains much in line with the comic strips you’ll find within a newspaper.

Swinging into the 60s

The baby boom of the late 50s and early 60s introduced a whole new era in poster prints. Companies from a wider range than ever were participating in producing posters to display positive and aspirational messages. These each used an array of bright colours and encapsulated happiness, excitement, and positivity.

Stepping into the 70s

The posters seen in the 1970s displayed images not seen before. Also known as the ‘hippie era’, you could imagine what these prints looked like. The eccentric colours, wild designs, and artistic text were used to create inventive art that was enjoyed by many.

Welcome to the 90s

As time rolled by, poster designs took a shift. Whilst bright colours and asymmetric designs were introduced, messages for branding were also bought in. We guess it was here where the transition into modern promotional poster prints truly began!

The modern-day poster

With so much history behind it, the power of the poster has never been stronger. Whilst we are in a new millennium, we are also in a new era of poster design. Being used in a greater quantity to promote the products and services of businesses, we don’t know which direction promotional posters will take a turn to next! What we do know is, when designed and printed with care, they can bring great success to businesses of any kind.

Here at Printingprogress, we are experts in the design and production of entirely bespoke prints. Whilst posters are something of a speciality for us, so are other forms of printed advertising, such as business cards, pavement signs and even van graphics. If you are looking for a little expert guidance in the form of print promotion for your brand, you’ve landed in the right place! Pick up the phone and give us a call on  020 8290 1010 or send us an email at info@printingprogress.co.uk and we will be happy to be of assistance to you.