Original, antique, poster: You Can Be Sure of Shell, Explorer’s Prefer Shell, designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer, 1934, which was recently loaned for the V&A Dundee exhibition Plastic: Remaking Our World, 29th October 2022 – 5 February 2023. The poster has been framed by the V&A to museum conservation standards. A photograph of the poster on display is included for reference.

For this image (part of a series implying that everyone prefers Shell), Kauffer has deployed a modernist-inspired style to represent an open map book or travel journal superimposed with a blue globe against an abstract background. A wonderful image, balanced by shaded lettering, in a format which suggests an unfolded map full of possibilities.

Kauffer produced several posters for Shell Oil in the 1930s, which were displayed on the side of Shell lorries as part of a highly regarded publicity campaign. This copy belonged to the leading post war graphic designer Abram Games (more information here). A higher resolution image is available for viewing on request