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Ad design by Michael Engelmann

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Advertising the Beetle. Volkswagen Advertising in the 1950s

Volkswagen commissioned a fantastic range of graphic designers, including Wolf Zimmermann, Hans Looser and Michael Engelmann. The designers amplified the brand image of Volkswagen with strikingly modern designs.

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Publimondial 75, 1956. Cover design by Guy Georget
  • Design Archive Feature, Design Inspiration, Members Only Content

The Illustrative Covers of French Journal, Publimondial

Publimondial was founded André Roulleaux in 1942 and remained in circulation until 1960. The French journal was published by Art et Publications and was subtitled ‘The Magazine of Graphic Arts and Advertising Technique’.

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Hermann Rastorfer, VW 1500 Advertisment. Early 1960s. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 07, 1962 Cropped
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

A New Visual Aesthetic. Hermann Rastorfer and the advertising for Volkswagen

Rastorfer transformed the advertising of Volkswagen and his work contrasted with that of the previously commissioned designers. It reiterates the importance of finding a designer who can transform your vision and adverting and how the significance of consistent messaging across advertisements, contributes to the creation of a memorable campaign 

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Engineering, British Job Centre Postcard, mid to late 1970s
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Friendliness and Efficiency. 1970s Postcards for the British Job Centre

The designer is unstated on these postcards, which were designed during the mid to late 1970s, but these playful illustrations alongside what looks to be Frankfurter Bold definitely fit the criteria of friendliness and efficiency

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Pino Tovaglia’s Advertisements for Finmeccanica, 1950s. Scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 10, 1955
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Pino Tovaglia’s Advertisements for Finmeccanica

His distinctive style echoes the artistic expressions of fellow Italian designers Giovanni Pintori and Erberto Carboni. Tovaglia's mastery in taking concepts and translating them into visually compelling narratives is evident in this selection of advertisements I have scanned from Gebrauchsgraphik, 10, 1955.