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Selling the Dream: Taking on the world with travel posters

Peter Alsop tells us how New Zealand first developed a tourism brand and marketed it to the world through travel posters and other tourism publicity the focus of new book Selling the Dream.

In the early 1900s, New Zealand could see a prosperous future in tourism but, to win that, needed an initial foothold in a competitive global industry. There was no clear identity for New Zealand itself, let alone an established tourism proposition. Without the web, TV and even colour photography, our publicity pioneers had to design travel posters and make them good enough to compete with those of the worlds best poster artists. And as if being a newcomer wasnt tough enough, we had to convince the most adventurous of northern hemisphere travellers to travel six weeks to get here by boat.

Overcoming these and other challenges must count as one of New Zealands most striking achievements on the international stage. The artwork was pivotal in creating our tourism industry and in shaping our national identity as New Zealanders. It is some of the finest graphic art ever produced in New Zealand, and as arresting and impressive today as when it was first created.

A foundation of this story was the establishment of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts in 1901, the first government tourism agency in the world (now Tourism New Zealand). Forthwith, dreamy campaigns included 'Scenic Wonderland, 'The Pocket Edition of the World', Thousands of feet above worry level, The Sportsmans Paradise, Maoriland and A World in Itself suggestive of the exotica, diversity, adventure and escapism New Zealand had on offer.

As with most successes, the environment was also ripe. In the early 1900s, the "art of the street" would have surely impressed. Outdoor advertising beautified railway stations, as well as the landscape as thousands of advertising hoardings were progressively erected along the rail network. There was also a marked shift in poster style from typography to eye-catching graphic work, a trend that would strengthen to underpin the golden age of the travel poster in the 1930s. And commensurate with the growth of international boat travel (and much later air), posters were swapped internationally through reciprocal display agreements with other governments and transportation companies.

A hallmark of the best posters was their simplicity using a stripped back style. With posters needing to weave their magic on a passing gaze, simplicity was the essence of success but if you think it looks easy give it a try! From this poster style, it is easy to see the conception of pop art (coming decades later) and many facets of modern advertising. There is also good evidence that developments in commercial art lead the fine arts in New Zealand; until now a largely missing chapter in our art history.

Also spare a thought for the artisan production techniques used, such as stone lithography and silk-screen printing. We now take for granted a click of an icon or drop-down menu, whereas our publicity pioneers had to create fonts; completely redo paintings; and, to enable reproduction, use hand-cut stencils for screen-printing or slabs coated with greasy inks for lithography.

Were these pioneers good? Yes, very good, and certainly good enough to impress 50-100 years on. Let's also remember that these artworks, with lasting historical significance, were only designed for momentary appreciation and disposal. Instead, some posters luckily survive and resurface to again work their magic, this time in a comprehensive celebratory book.

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‘Selling the Dream’: Taking on the world with travel posters