New exhibition at the APG|SGA ePoster Gallery: Hot drinks in advertising

What would you like – coffee, tea or hot chocolate?

Espresso, Earl Grey or hot chocolate: the APG|SGA ePoster Gallery, published today, showcases cosy, warming hot drinks in posters. A virtual exhibition brings the charm of historical subjects to life and tells the stories behind them, from the last century right up to the present day. The collection was created in collaboration with the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich and explores the symbolism of coffee, tea and cocoa – once exotic luxury goods – in advertising.

Oscar-worthy star line-ups have recently been promoting hot drinks. Posters featuring George Clooney for Nespresso, Brad Pitt for De’Longhi and Sean Connery for Teekanne are legendary. But what did these campaigns look like over a hundred years ago, when coffee, tea and cocoa were rare luxury goods? A look at the history of advertising in the APG|SGA ePoster Gallery reveals that, at the start of the 19th century, the legacy of colonialism played a major role. Stereotypes were often portrayed uncritically, following the pattern of dark skin and black coffee. It was only industrialisation that brought about a decisive change in advertising imagery and led to the disappearance of illustrations depicting racist exoticisation (which, from our perspective today, are completely unacceptable). From then on, the leading coffee brands in Switzerland promoted a rich aroma and strong concentration in their campaigns.

Tea culture found it far harder than coffee, with its stimulating properties, to gain a foothold in this country. Advertisements for tea bags, with claims such as ‘mild and wholesome’, failed to make much of an impression. With the invention of instant cocoa powder, drinking chocolate became increasingly popular instead, leading to the development of new breakfast habits, accompanied by popular poster campaigns promoting increased energy and stamina.

The ePoster Gallery traces the history of hot drinks in poster art and illustrates the alluring advertising power of steaming hot cups of coffee. This striking selection of drinks was curated by Nico Lazúla, the curator of the poster collection at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich.

More on the history of posters
_ Part of the poster collection can be viewed via the Online catalogue or in the eguide.ch can be searched.
_ Of the posters in the collection, Reproductions for private use can be ordered.

An Overview of Poster Art
The poster collection at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich is one of the world’s most significant archives of its kind. Around 350,000 items – of which some 120,000 have been digitally catalogued – document the history of the poster in Switzerland and internationally, from its beginnings to the present day. From this collection, a series of virtual special exhibitions is being produced for the APG|SGA eMuseum, which has been providing financial and cultural support to the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich for many years. The diversity in historical, thematic and geographical terms enables both a tour d’horizon of poster art and a glimpse into a visual archive of everyday life.