Photographer: Michael Joseph
Date: 1966
Image : W: 500mm H : 760mm
Advert for “John Courage” beer.
Photo of a little old lady drinking beer with enthusiasm, this was the first image by Michael to become a billboard in the UK .
Laminated item that has been framed in a simple black timber frame. Item in two parts, the frame’s rear has been signed by the photographer.
According to my father Michael Joseph, this photo of a little old lady drinking beer with enthusiasm, was the first image of his to become a billboard in the UK. He had just returned from his harrowing experience taking photographs of the the war in Vietnam – here’s an extract from an interview:
1965 The Courage lady was my first poster, a 16 sheet. Roy Carruthers was the art director. He had just left Town to join Benton and Bowles advertising agency. It was up for a record time of over a year, and got the ball rolling for me. I was quite amused to be photographing little old ladies because I had just come back from Vietnam and people didn’t think I could shoot advertising scenes with a product. But I thought, “Well, if this is how you make a success of it, why not?’ and I managed to get quite a lot of character into the old dear.”
Will be packed flat and shipped via Colissimo.
Those were the days -§- nostalgia -§- world of advertising -§- sixties London advertising photography -§- footloose and fancy free -§- elderly ladies in advertising -§- grey hair -§- female beer drinker -§- Courage
