Description:
In the late 1920s, as it was a tradition, there was a tender, inviting entries for a competition to find the perfect poster for the 'Harang' soap. The winner was Sándor Bortnyik, one of the masters of Hungarian poster art. Together with Róbert Berény and Lajos Kassák, Bortnyik introduced the modernist-constructivist poster style in Hungary in the 1920s. His prominent commercial posters from the 1920s and 1930s are worldwide known.
Although Bortnyik won the competition, the best 14 works were published in one of the most important graphical magazines of the era, 'Magyar Grafika' (Hungarian Graphics) in 1929. These works are good examples of the so-called “objective poster” which got its name after the focus on the advertised object, differing from the previous commercial posters which motivated to consume goods in general. The kind of objective posters came into being in the 1920s, connected to the modern culture and lifestyle of the era.
This poster is one of the best 14 works of the competition. It is based on the image of a brightly clean, white sheet on the drying line. The sheet is in the centre of the composition, in a beautiful curve, in front of a blue background. The transitions of white and blue are beautifully captured. The advertised product, 'Harang' soap can be seen in the lower right corner. The brand 'Harang' means bell, that was why the product had a graphical design of a bell as a trademark on the packaging. The slogan appears in bright yellow, creating a contrast with the softly cold atmosphere of the blue shades used. The typography is placed at the top and at the bottom of the composition, with more emphasis on the word 'excellent' at the bottom. The whole design tried to highlight how excellent the soap was by showing the result of the use of it with the brightly clean sheet.
This design is a simple and nice composition, focusing on the quality of the product.
