Mayakovsky posters. The role of Vladimir Mayakovsky's creativity in the creation of modern campaign and advertising materials. Caramel "Red Army Star"

A century ago, advertising developed at a rapid pace in Western Europe and the USA, but in the USSR it was just in its infancy. One of the first and most famous "copywriters" of the 1920s was Vladimir Mayakovsky - the author of not only wonderful poems and plays, but also brilliant advertising posters... His works became classics of Soviet advertising art and a significant milestone in the history of the 20th century poster.

In the USSR, there was no urgent economic need for advertising - the monopoly of state enterprises on the production of goods did not imply competitive struggle... Soviet advertising was significantly different from Western - its main task was agitation and propaganda. It was necessary to convince everyone that Soviet goods were the best. And there are no others for this very reason - why else should there be something else when there is the best?

V. Mayakovsky was the author of political, commercial and social advertising. In 1919-1921, during the Civil War and military intervention, he worked in the "Windows of ROSTA Satire" - the poster department of the Russian Telegraph Agency. The main task of the satirical posters was to ridicule and destroy the enemies of the young republic and support "Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country." The first posters were created by hand, then - using stencils.

In 1923, in collaboration with the avant-garde artist A. Rodchenko, Mayakovsky began to work on trade advertising. The creative alliance "Advertising-Constructor Mayakovsky-Rodchenko" creates advertising for GUM, Rezinotrest, Mosselprom, Gosizdat, Tea Office. The texts of advertising posters were as laconic and catchy as possible, easy to remember and extremely simple - what else is needed for effective advertising?

The slogan “Nowhere but in Mosselprom” has become a classic that has entered the national circulation. The author replied to all claims: "Despite the poetic hooting, I consider" Nowhere but in Mosselprom "poetry of the highest qualification." And if questions arise about the aesthetic value of such poems, then there is no doubt about their marketing effectiveness.

V. Mayakovsky was well aware of the economic necessity of advertising, back in 1923 he wrote: “Usually they think that it is necessary to advertise only rubbish - a good thing and so it goes. This is the most wrong opinion. Advertising is the name of a thing. As a good artist creates a name for himself, so he creates a name and a thing for himself. Advertising should remind endlessly of every, even wonderful thing. "

IN modern world Many advertising authors use old Soviet forms and images in their design, sometimes with changes, and more often almost without altering the original. Especially popular is Mayakovsky's style of advertising. In our research, we will analyze the "Household agitation" by Vladimir Mayakovsky, the images in his advertising and political posters "Windows ROSTA", and also look at the influence of the poet's advertising creativity on advertising today.

Analysis of "Economic agitation" as a new genre of commercial and industrial advertising

In early July 1923, on the cover of the Krasnaya Niva magazine, a drawing and verse by Mayakovsky appeared, advertising the Mospoligraf products, and soon the newspaper Izvestia published an advertisement for the State Department Store, created by Mayakovsky: "Everything that requires a heart, body and mind , - everything is provided by GUM ". It was from that moment that his active advertising activity began, aimed at commercial and industrial enterprises. He attaches great importance to this work. Mayakovsky's increased interest in such advertising was due, first of all, to the fact that in the first years of the New Economic Policy the country faced great national economic and party political tasks. Mayakovsky, on the other hand, set himself the goal of improving and improving trade, and a new page appears in his agitation and artistic activities - commercial and industrial advertising .. So, Mayakovsky developed such an advertising genre as "economic agitation". Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 173

In an article by Mayakovsky entitled "Agitation and Advertising" Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume 12. Articles, notes and speeches. November 1917-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 184. The poet attaches great importance to "economic agitation".

In this article, Mayakovsky calls on the working class, deprived of tools and means of labor, to take an example from the bourgeoisie, that is, from the ruling class, which actively use advertising in their activities as an effective agitational means that engenders competition. “We must not leave this weapon, this agitation of trade in the hands of the NEP, in the hands of a foreign bourgeois. Sun in the USSR? must work for the proletarian good. Think about advertising! ”- says Mayakovsky and plunges into this business, creating stunning advertising samples. Mayakovsky's work on commercial and industrial advertising continued until 1930, but it was especially intensive in the first two and a half years (1923-1924). In his opinion, advertising should be varied, interesting and entertaining, it should be done wisely, with creativity and humor. In the article by Mayakovsky, "Agitation and Advertising" considered by the author, the poet argues that in our country there are practically no institutions that would issue leaflets, advertisements, and that in general in Soviet Russia they did not officially take up advertising. As an example, he cites such advertising messages of that time: "... the Moscow communal services notify ...", "The Commissioner informs." The poet comments: “... What a bureaucracy - distorts, informs, announces! Who will go to these calls? You need to call, you need to advertise, so that the crippled get healed immediately and run to buy, trade, look! " Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume 12. Articles, notes and speeches. November 1917-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 82. This is what Mayakovsky thinks about advertising. It should attract the attention of the public and influence the senses and mind of a person.

Mayakovsky developed advertising for such enterprises as Mospoligraf, GUM, Mosselprom, Tea Management, Rezinotrest and so on. The poet himself perceived his advertising activities as a continuation of his work. In the article by E.O. Safronova "V. Mayakovsky as the father of Russian copywriting ”, it was mentioned that some advertising texts were combined into whole“ stories ”to promote the brand.

Let's take, for example, the cycle dedicated to Rezinotrest galoshes. These humorous advertising texts in the form of poems can be divided into several types according to the audience.

1. Some texts are childish, simple and emotionally oriented:

Rain, rain, pouring in vain

i won't go out without galoshes.

With the help of Rezinotrest

i have a dry place everywhere. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 277

Sell \u200b\u200bup,

oriental people -

best galoshes

brought a camel. Ibid (Appendix 5)

It's more elegant without galoshes "-

it's a lie.

All elegance

from our galoshes. In the same place

Still others are aimed at promoting Rezinotrest as a global brand. The main product is galoshes - they are positioned as the salvation of Europe and one of the wonders of the world. Such advertising verses are metaphorical. For example, one of the advertising posters depicts the planet Earth, and above it the Rezinotrest galoshe, which protects the USSR and Europe from rain:

Rezinotrest -

protector in rain and slush.

Without galoshes

sit and cry. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 278 (Appendix 6)

Another poster shows many pairs of galoshes held by two oriental men. The caption reads:

Galoshes of Rezinotrest -

just a delight.

and east. In the same place

Another interesting page in advertising activities Mayakovsky - this is work on advertising Mosselprom. What is it? Mosselprom is a Moscow association of enterprises. Work on advertising for Mosselprom lasted about two years, and it is she who plays the main role in terms of its scale and creativity, not only in the life of Mayakovsky, but also the group of artists who also worked on this case. Mayakovsky headed this team both ideologically and organizationally.

It should be noted that advertising for Mosselprom was very diverse in its subject matter. Buyers were offered to purchase various products of state enterprises, for example, table oil and cheap bread, pasta and noodles, ham and sausage, fruit water and dry kvass, spices and chocolate, sweets of various varieties, and especially cheap caramel, which was distributed in the village. Beer from Moscow factories, pipe tobacco and numerous varieties of cigarettes were advertised. Both the advertisement itself and the sources in which it was published were diverse. Mosselprom's advertisements could be seen in newspapers, on posters, shop windows and banners, on kiosk and store signs, on biscuits and candy wrappers, on all kinds of packages, labels, and inserts. All these products were under the "common" advertising slogan, which Mayakovsky came up with: "Nowhere except in Mosselprom", which gained great popularity in the country. In Moscow, in the very center, next to the Arbat, there is a unique building - the Mosselprom house, which is a monument to Soviet constructivism and the avant-garde. Now on the building you can see the inscriptions "Mosselprom", "MSNKh", "Cigarettes", "Yeast", "Beer and Water" restored in 1997, and the famous Mayakovsky slogan is repeated several times. (Appendix 7). The author himself highly appreciated his advertising work both in Mosselprom and on all "economic propaganda".

In his autobiography "I myself" Mayakovsky writes: "... Despite the poetic hooting, I consider" Nowhere but in Mosselprom "poetry of the highest qualification". Mayakovsky V.V. Complete works in twelve volumes. Volume one. Autobiography "I myself". 1912-1917.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 67 Peculiar constructivist images and font became the main means of expressing his advertising idea.

It is worth noting that in Mayakovsky's advertising posters, ordinary, working people in everyday clothes have always served as the image of a Soviet person. In the first collected works of Vladimir Mayakovsky, published in 1934-1937, illustrations by Alexander Rodchenko and the poet's text were combined. We can say that this collection is a book masterpiece, where the achievements of advertising, illustration and poetry are used. For example, take an advertising poster for the "Young Guard" magazine. It depicts the figure of a red worker holding these magazines in his raised hands. Such figures can be seen in the political posters of "Windows of ROSTA", where Mayakovsky, through such characters, designated the goodies. (For more details see 3.2.) We can say that taking on advertising work, "ROSTA Windows" served as an example for him in the creation of commercial advertising. Or, take, for example, the poster of the State Publishing House, which depicts the model Lilya Brik in a red work kerchief, who conveys her energy and optimism to everyone looking at this poster. Thus, Vladimir Mayakovsky showed that advertising is close to reality and that this poster can depict any Soviet citizen of the twenties: optimistic, beautiful, "building socialism."

Texts for wraps, advertising posters, boxes, signs, etc. Mayakovsky were of a topical and agitational nature, and you can see that for the first time in his work he began to use indirect (hidden) advertising. Consider an ad copy for a product like caramel.

1. Caramel "Red Moscow".

The texts for the candy wrappers were written by Mayakovsky in the second half of November 1923. Each candy wrapper in this series depicts the most remarkable buildings, structures and monuments for Soviet Moscow.

The series consisted of 12 figures with texts. For example:

Tretyakov Gallery

The merchants ripped off from year to year,

then the pictures were hung in the hall.

The cry of the communists:

Art to the people! -

They took back their wealth. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 203

2. Caramel "Red Army Star".

About Mayakovsky's work on a series of these sweets was written in the press: “Vladimir Mayakovsky is busy composing drawings of wrapping" papers "for cheap caramel varieties bought by the village. In addition to the drawing, the agitation wrappers will contain a couplet "(Latest News, April 14, 1924) V.V. Mayakovsky. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 204. For example:

If there is danger at the front,

our protection is the Red Army. (Appendix 8)

Open your eyes wider to the West,

a thunderstorm may come from the west. (Appendix 9)

Note that in these poems and drawings, Mayakovsky glorifies the exploits of the Red Army in the civil war, calling for strengthening the defense capability of the Land of Soviets in order to be ready to defend against new enemies.

3. Caramel "Our Industry".

The caramel wrappers of this series depict heavy industry products that were produced in the USSR. These drawings illustrated the text (as usual in poetry), which was distinguished by its pretentiousness.

The type of such advertising raised the people in the spirit of Soviet patriotism and made them proud of their country for its labor successes. Just like the Krasnaya Moskva caramel, a series of advertisements for the Our Industry caramel consisted of 12 pictures with texts. For instance:

Don't stand by the river

to the gray century -

better throw a bridge

across this river. (Appendix 10)

Pan took up whiskey:

disgrace, -

pinched in a vice

bourgeoisie. (Appendix 11)

4. Caramel "New weight" and "New measures"

The texts for candy boxes and candy wrappers were written by Mayakovsky in the period from December 1923 to April 1924 and illustrated by him. The texts and pictures of this series "New Weight" promoted new metric measures of weight and volume, and explained their relationship. The wrappers of the New Measures series of sweets were numbered and subdivided into two series, series A and series B. In the first, the new metric measure of length was promoted, in the second - the area. A few examples of New Weight caramel:

Kilogram

Not to understand that would be shameful:

a thousand grams is a kilogram.

Look, a kilogram is drawn there

two and a half is equal to pounds. (Appendix 12)

You also don't need to be cunning,

to measure liquid by a liter.

For simplicity, you need to remember:

there are a dozen liters in one bucket. (Appendix 13)

Caramel "New Measures". Series "A":

Centimeters too.

Easy to measure with your palms.

So that he could measure 10 centimeters,

put your palm down, not along, but across? to.

Remember also (no difficulty):

10 centimeters is one decimeter.

Series "B":

Remember right away, do not stand still:

a kilometer is approximately equal to a verst.

Those looking for precision

in a kilometer - a thousand meters.

For this kilometer

carry the goods whistling in the wind. Mayakovsky V.V. collected works in twelve volumes. Volume 8. Propaganda posters, slogans, advertising. 1919-1930.-M.: Pravda, 1978, p. 205

Reading the texts of Vladimir Mayakovsky for candy wrappers of the New Weight and New Measures series, one involuntarily recalls the state program of Soviet Russia - "Elimination of Illiteracy", which began with the decree of the Council of People's Commissars "On the Elimination of Illiteracy in the RSFSR" dated December 26, 1919. According to him, the entire population of Soviet Russia aged 8 to 50, who could not read or write, must learn to read and write in their native language or in Russian (at will). Library of Siberian Local Lore. (Electronic resource). Access mode: http://bsk.nios.ru/enciklodediya/likvidaciya-negramotnosti-likbez (Last access date: 10.02.15)

From this it should be said that Mayakovsky fought against illiteracy through his advertising texts. Caramel series "New weight" and "New measures" has become a kind of source of information about new metric measures of weight, volume, length, area, taken to replace the old measures. Advertising Mayakovsky provides information about the world around and the processes taking place in it to a wide audience in understandable language, unobtrusive. The poet understood the power of trade and industrial agitation and the importance for her country. Creating his advertising texts, he not only advertised the goods, but informed the citizens and residents of the country about the power and strength of the state, his advertising was in the spirit of that time.

The implementation of revolutionary advertising ideas in the 1920s was demonstrated by the community of "advertising designers" - the greatest masters of constructivism - artist A. Rodchenko and poet V. Mayakovsky. The first independent work of "advertising designer Rodchenko" was a poster: "He is not a citizen of the USSR, who is not a shareholder", made in two versions with blue and red backgrounds. Thanks to him, the advertising community of the artist and the poet was born. Mayakovsky suggested that Rodchenko write poetic texts for posters executed by the artist. In a short period working together From 1923 to 1925, several outstanding advertising posters were produced.

Among them, a leaf calling for sucking on Rezinotrest's nipples stands out, and the emblem of Mosselprom. The advertisement of the "Young Guard" magazine reached the greatest expressiveness. Issues of this literary and publicistic magazine did not shine with special richness and colorful design. The authors portrayed a seller in overalls and a cap with the numbers of the "Young Guard" in his hands, who loudly praises his goods. This red figure, as if cut out of cardboard and reminiscent of the heroes of the propaganda performances of the first years of the revolution, was subsequently repeated in hundreds of advertising samples of the 20th century.

Poster "Working people, high prices and NEP are not afraid - buy cheap bread!" , addressed to the mass consumer audience, on the contrary - the reception of the image of the advertised items is close to the pre-revolutionary signboard. However, it looks unusually modern, thanks to the thoughtful compositional interaction of graphic elements - rulers, text blocks and volumetric drawings.

Constructivists have developed special techniques for enhancing visual impact: unexpected angles, dynamics expressed through shifted axes, oblique verticals and horizontals, the use of simple bright colors without halftones, flat fills with one paint, contrasts of red and black, black and white. This formal language attracted attention, convinced the audience.

One of the most prominent figures in constructivism was Alexander Rodchenko. Since 1913, he participated in exhibitions of "left" art, but gained wide popularity only after the revolution. Recalling those times, Rodchenko wrote in 1935:

“I was starving. But I despised the bourgeoisie ... We were rebels against the accepted canons, tastes and values. We did not work for the taste of the bourgeoisie. We resented their tastes. They didn't understand us and didn't buy us ... We were inventors and remade the world in our own way ... And the year 1917 came. We had nothing to lose, and we could gain the whole Union. And we bought it. We came to the Bolsheviks ... We made posters, wrote slogans. We installed the slogan font that still exists today ... I want to ask if I have the right to search ... how to express our theme in high quality means? Have ups and downs? Or be a middle peasant, imitating the picturesque classics ”.

Lavrent'ev A.N. Rodchenko's angles. M., 1992, p. 18-19.

“We worked with great enthusiasm. It was a hype, and not for money, but to promote new ads everywhere. All Moscow was adorned with our products. Mosselprom signboards are all ours. Signboards of the State Publishing House, Rezinotrest. GUM. Tea management. Up to fifty posters were made, up to a hundred signs, packages, wrappers, illuminated advertisements, advertising poles, illustrations for magazines and newspapers. Volodya took the work on the Soviet advertisement very seriously. In the morning he went and took orders, took digital and thematic material. Often it was a large number of boring reports, books that he read and wrote out numbers, topics and so on. "

Photo. V.V. Mayakovsky (1893-1930).

The sonorous lines of his poems reflected the time itself - formidable and heroic. Open any volume of poems by V.V. Mayakovsky and you will face the young Republic of Soviets, blown by the wind of revolution, in its big and small deeds.

Actually, there were no small and insignificant cases for V.V. Mayakovsky. The poet of the revolution, he burst into the thick of events - always active, irreconcilable, partisan in his assessments. The country fought and built. Built tomorrow. But yesterday's world was still clinging to life, and in order to end it, not only heroic deeds were needed, but also inconspicuous, everyday, sometimes not entirely pleasant, work. Subsequently V.V. Mayakovsky will say about her, as always figuratively and laconically, in his poem "With the Whole Voice" (1930):

"For you,

which

healthy and agile,

poet

licked

consumptive spitting

in the rough language of a poster.

V.V. Mayakovsky, making rhymed signatures for sanitary and educational posters, was proud of his work, because he believed that his poetry brings real benefits to people.

1919 year. Hungry, ravaged by a long war, the Republic is squeezed by the ring of intervention. Moscow: broken tram wires, deserted streets. And suddenly an unexpected crowd in front of the windows of an empty store. In the window "ROSTA Satire Windows" there are multi-picture posters that the Russian Telegraph Agency began to produce.

Sharp, intelligible, satirical posters with short, easy-to-remember poetic texts exposed the enemies of the young Soviet republic, highlighted topical events, illustrated telegrams transmitted by the agency to newspapers. The posters, with the exception of the first ones drawn by hand, were made and reproduced with the help of a stencil to 150 or more copies, then exhibited in showcases in Moscow and other cities. In "Windows of ROSTA satire" the traditions of popular prints and raeshniks were widely used. Drawings "ROSTA Windows" (in series up to 12 on one sheet) were distinguished by the emphasized simplicity and laconism of pictorial means (expressive silhouettes, coloring in 2-3 colors). These original satirical and political magazines were made by a small team, whose soul was V.V. Mayakovsky.

The first "ROSTA Window" was performed in October 1919 by M.M. Cheremnykh. Then he was joined by V.V. Mayakovsky, I.A. Malyutin, D.S. Moor and others. Kazimir Malevich, Aristarkh Lentulov, Ilya Mashkov and Kukryniksy also took part in the creation of "ROSTA Windows".

Photo. ROSTA artists. 1919 Vladimir Mayakovsky, Ivan Malyutin, Mikhail Cheremnykh.

"Windows ROSTA" played a significant role in the formation of Soviet fine arts.

Similar "Windows" were also produced in Petrograd (L.G. Brodaty, V.V. Lebedev, A.A. Radakov and others), in Ukraine (B.E. Efimov and others), in Baku, Saratov and others cities.

Fig. "Windows of ROSTA satire".

Fig. Artist A.M. Nuremberg “V.V. Mayakovsky at work in ROSTA ".

On "Windows of Satire" Mayakovsky the poet and Mayakovsky the artist worked together, reflecting topical political, economic, sanitary and hygienic and military tasks in poetry and drawings. In the article “I beg you to speak,” written ten years after the creation of the first “Windows”, Mayakovsky recalled how a handful of artists “handled a hundred and fifty million people by hand”: “The range of topics is enormous. Agitation for the Comintern and mushroom picking for the hungry, the fight against Wrangel and typhoid lice ... ". Many posters created by V.V. Mayakovsky, was dictated by concern for public health and were vivid examples of sanitary and educational campaigning.

V.V. Mayakovsky considered his work in the "Windows of ROSTA satire" political, he vividly responded to the first decrees of the Soviet government concerning health issues:

The main anti-epidemic measures are visible on the poster - in the lower third of the drawing, a man is generously poured with water from a bucket, two more people are busy washing clothes, a sanitary doctor is standing in the background.

- "On the supply of bacteriological institutes and laboratories with materials and equipment necessary for their work" (April 10, 1919);

- "On the fight against typhus on the Eastern and Turkestan fronts" (November 5, 1919);

- "On providing the Red Army and the civilian population with soap" (December 30, 1919);

- "On providing the population of the Republic with baths" (September 30, 1920) and many others.

Fig. "ROSTA satire window".

The poster depicts the consequences of smallpox - blindness and scarring of the skin of the face, which could have been avoided with smallpox vaccination.

Mayakovsky draws a "Window" called "New Enemy":

“But vigilantly, comrade,

guard the trouble,

again at the gate she stood:

typhoid, hunger and cold are dashing enemies -

here are three new generals. "

Fig. "ROSTA satire window".

In March-April 1920, the Week of Sanitary Cleaning was held in Moscow. The poet responded to this event with a poster, which called for the fight against dirt and devastation.

The next "propaganda" - for the May Day holiday:

“Stop, citizen,

Listening to GROWTH!

What need to do

First of May?".

Of course, to go to the bathhouse, "until I fell ill with typhoid infection," and then "celebrate May so that even a speck is not dirty."

About what "Windows" just did not tell! Here they warn about the dangers of drinking raw water, here they offer advice on how to protect yourself from cholera, here is their powerful fire of satire V.V. Mayakovsky brings down the fans of the "green serpent". Extremely expressive and laconic texts are quickly remembered, passed from mouth to mouth.

Fig. "ROSTA satire window".

The propaganda of decrees and resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars, the Council of Labor and Defense becomes the main task of the collective of artists-agitators headed by V.V. Mayakovsky. Decrees and other important documents of the Soviet power required detailed explanations. They demanded not only an increase in the verbal and figurative base of the poster, but also a change in the environment for their perception.

V.V. Mayakovsky leaves the telegraph agency for Glavpolitprosvet. "Windows of Glavpolitprosvet" were made by the efforts of the same team as "Windows of ROSTA satire". V.V. Mayakovsky determined the theme of the posters, selected factual material, wrote texts on its basis and often made drawings for them, gave assignments to artists, and accepted posters from them. He also dealt with issues of their replication and distribution both in Moscow and in the periphery.

With the departure from ROSTA, not only the workshop was replaced. Mayakovsky turned out to be "ripped out" of the unique atmosphere of creative enthusiasm. There Mayakovsky was in the thick of life, aware of everyone major eventsthat took place both in the country and abroad, and the very first recipient of all this news. Such advantages were provided by the very specificity of the telegraph agency.

In the Glavpolitprosvet, Mayakovsky had to to some extent reorganize and establish a local network for the reproduction and distribution of Windows. And this, of course, could not but create additional difficulties of its own.

The theme of "Windows" has finally changed, which appeared in ROSTA soon after the end of the civil war. At the end of 1920 and beginning of 1921, the main theme was the struggle for the restoration of the national economy, destroyed during the imperialist and civil wars. In dozens of "Windows", built on concrete factual material, the labor successes of the advanced collectives were shown, calls were made to develop competition, to strengthen labor discipline, create shock groups of exemplary labor, show creative initiative.

"Windows of Glavpolitprosveta" are parting with shop windows and settling in agitation centers, clubs, red corners of factories and factories, Red Army barracks and institutions, in rural huts-reading rooms. These multi-frame, 12-16 figures, posters were designed, as a rule, for a long existence and in this respect were close to printed propaganda posters.

At the same time, these "Windows" continued to retain their great propaganda significance. And here the contribution of V.V. Mayakovsky and his comrades in helping the starving in the Volga region. This topic became the main one, starting in July 1921 and until the termination of work on the release of "Windows". Special attention was given to help starving children. "Windows" urged citizens of "fruitful" provinces to take on the education of starving and sick children of the Volga region. Used "Windows Glavpolitprosvet" and for information about the measures taken by the Soviet government, the progressive forces of the world to help the starving.

Poster master, V.V. Mayakovsky, of course, could not ignore the problems in the life of society; the genre of his art by its nature was intended to reveal the negative phenomena of social life, give them a fair assessment, and subject them to criticism.

At the same time, social and cultural gains could not but find their reflection in “Windows”.

In December 1921 - January 1922 V.V. Mayakovsky, busy with other creative plans (including work on printed propaganda posters for Glavpolitprosvet), pays less and less attention to Windows. Their number is sharply reduced. Their replication becomes more difficult; multi-frame propaganda posters with extensive text made the work of stencils and type designers difficult.

Since the beginning of 1922, the windows of the Glavpolitprosvet Windows ceased to be a political tribune.

“Mobilized and called upon by the revolution,” the poet worked for the future, marching “in step with every minute” with the whole country. V.V. Mayakovsky was, is and remains a contemporary of many, many generations.

It seems that everyone knows the talented futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, many remember the photographer Alexandra Rodchenko... They were the first Soviet advertisers.
Imagine that today the poet Dmitry Bykov was offered to write poetry for commercial instant noodles filmed by Timur Bekmambetov. Explosion? Then, in the 1920s, creative union Rodchenko and Mayakovsky were the same nuclear mixture.

Main advertiser, since 1921 - At the time of the NEP, there was a state. It is it, as one of the initiators of concessions, trusts, etc. were interested in selling their products, primarily goods popular consumption. Foreign companies and private firms were still using pre-revolutionary advertising tools. With the strength and power of political propaganda in its arsenal, the state transferred the propaganda to the fight against competitors and did not fail.

Here is what A. Rodchenko wrote in his memoirs about working with Mayakovsky:

Even during the years of work in "Windows ROSTA" Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote texts for political posters, including in collaboration with designer, photographer and artist Alexander Rodchenko. Over the course of a decade, they defined the face of Soviet advertising, carried out orders for large trade enterprises - they created signs and magazine drawings, advertisements for showcases and posters.

We know perfectly well the power of agitation. In every military victory, in every economic success, the skill and strength of our agitation is reflected by 9/10. The bourgeoisie knows the power of advertising. It is a weapon that strikes the competition. Our agitation has grown underground; before the NEP, before the blockade was broken, we did not have to compete. We idealized the methods of agitation. We abandoned advertising, treating this "bourgeois trick" with disdain. Under NEP it is necessary to use all the weapons used by the enemies, including advertising, to popularize state, proletarian organizations, offices, and products. We are also puppies here. We need to learn. Officially, we have already taken up advertising, a rare institution does not place ads, does not issue leaflets, etc. But how inept it was. Here in front of me is a random piece of announcements from Izvestia: "The Moscow Communal Services announces ..." "The Board of the Renovated Fiber Trust announces ...", "The Commissioner announces ...", "The Board of Borkombinat announces" , etc., etc. ad infinitum. What a bureaucracy - notifies, informs, announces! Who will go to these appeals ?! You need to call, you need to advertise, so that the crippled get healed immediately and run to buy, trade, watch!

I remember European advertising. For example, some company advertises wonderful rubber for suspenders: in Hanover, a man is rushing to the Berlin train and did not notice how in the station restroom he caught a nail with suspenders. He drove to Berlin, got out, - bam, and he's back in Hanover, he was pulled back by braces.
This is advertising! You won't forget this.

"Advertising Constructors" - This is how avant-garde artists signed on the posters. Each of the participants in the tandem had their own functions - Mayakovsky wrote slogans and propaganda (now they would say he was a copywriter), and Rodchenko translated them into graphics and illustrations.
Moreover, both masters had their own creative tools.

Vladimir Mayakovskycombined in verse commodity agitation with political. The ideological component has now become a distinctive feature of Soviet advertising. Catchy, catchy slogans-verses are embodied in the same bright and sharp graphic forms. They are dominated by text.

AND Rodchenko to highlight it, he uses typographic means - fonts, exclamation marks, arrows, question marks according to the principle "minimum funds - maximum expediency." In his works, the boundaries of explicitness are clearly marked: if the text, then it is highlighted and divided by meaning, and if the graphics are well readable, understandable, geometrically simplified.

Advertising posters depict the image of a Soviet man - a contemporary, and Rodchenko's favorite element in advertising production was photography. So, in documentary images of the type of a Soviet person, workers, ordinary people in Soviet everyday clothes are captured. For example, a poster from Gosizdat depicts a model Lilia Brik (Mayakovsky's muse) wearing a red scarf, conveying energy and optimism. Thus, it was emphasized that advertising is close to reality, that the poster can depict every Soviet person of the 1920s, "building socialism", cheerful, handsome and literate.

Over the years of cooperation, Rodchenko and Mayakovsky have created dozens of propaganda trade posters. Let's conditionally divide them by state enterprisesfor whom this ad was made.

[GALOSHI] 1 Rezinotrest - protector in rain and slush. Europe without galoshes is to sit and cry.	5 Buy up, eastern people - the best galoshes were brought by a camel.	[TIRES] Winner of all tires in the all-Russian race of passenger cars.
2 Rain, rain, pouring in vain - I won't go out without galoshes. With the help of Rezinotrest, I have a dry place everywhere.	6 Wear our galoshes forever, - neither Elbrus nor Kazbek will rub.	[BALLS] Comrades girls, comrades boys! Demand these balls from your mother.
3 Shoeless people, buy galoshes, there will be no discounts.	7 "More elegant without galoshes" is a lie! All the elegance from our galoshes.	[Nipples] The best nipples have not been and are not present - ready to suck until old age.
4 In the rain and the centipede will not move without the rubber boots.	8 Galoshes of Rezinotrest are a delight. Wears north, west, south and east.	[TOYS] These games make children quiet. Without these games, the child is a tiger.

Man - only with a watch. Moser's watch only. Moser is only at GUM.	We are not trying to persuade you, but we warn you: Dutch oil is the best of oils. For salads, sauces and other foods, there was no better oil and no.	Give the sun at night! Where can you find it? Buy in GUM! Dazzling and cheap.
The most business-like, the most accurate one, get a Moser watch in GUM.	There is no room for doubt and thought - everything for a woman is only in GUM.	Those are not afraid of the ominous frost, who buys warm clothes in GUM.
Everything that the stomach, body or mind requires - everything is provided by GUM.	Comfort - and without spending large sums. Remember the following line: the best carpets are sold by GUM - available to anyone, cheaply and in installments.	There is nothing to cry about the prices - in GUM, Komsomol members, in GUM, workers' faculty!
Where and how to get English pipe tobacco? We inform you not to be tormented by the thought - only in GUM and GUM departments.	Grab this lifebuoy! Good quality, cheap, first hand.	A visitor from summer cottages, from cities and villages, there is nothing to ruffle the soles in search of - right in GUM you will find everything neatly, quickly and cheaply!

["IRA" PAPIROS] We only leave from the old world - "Ira" cigarettes.	[HOME LUNCH] Down with the cooks! There are no cooks. I ordered lunch at Mosselprom. Make sure yourself - go to these addresses.	[FRUIT WATER] Drink Mosselpromovka fruit waters. Good for hot and cold weather.
[PRIMA DADS] Stop! Not a step past! Take the Prima cigarettes. If you smoke 25, it's completely harmless: a filter mouthpiece.	[TRIKHORNOE BEER] Down with the lyk drinkers, but drink on the Trekhgorno beer - drink the "Double Golden Label".
[MONPANCIER] Where best production monpensier? Remember everything: nowhere except in Mosselprom.	[PASTA] Once you eat this pasta, you will be conquered forever. This miracle is not found anywhere except in Mosselprom.

In the mid-1920s, the gradual curtailment of the NEP began. The role of advertising in the economy and artistic life is becoming less significant, V. Mayakovsky and A. Rodchenko are completing their work in the commercial and industrial poster. The Soviet advertising poster is gradually returning, oddly enough, to the pre-revolutionary tradition - the enlargement of one commercial image.
Thus, the role of constructivist artists (and here we can safely include Mayakovsky himself, whose drawings were quite good for poster art) is invaluable in an attempt to find their own for advertising in the young Soviet country. form style and your new face.

It might be helpful to read: