AN INTRODUCTION TO BOTTLED WATER
Bottled water has been around for many decades, however, advertising started to increase in the 1950’s. Many of the first advertisements are found in France as can be seen in the Vittel Water poster, "vittelloise-water-1959-eliza-fenn"
and the Poster Print advertising Arista bottled water by Mary Evans,
Both of these prints show different sides of society.
VITTEL WATER POSTER
The Vittel poster shows how water is good for the family. Implying that bottled water will help the equilibrium of the family. The muted blue colouring used to indicate water, with shadowing to show the movement of the water in the glasses. The ‘normal’ family of parents with 2 children are then drawn subtly into each of the glasses. The wording ‘l'amie de la famille’ translates as the friend of the family encouraging the public to use water for the better health of their loved ones. In the poster the bottle is made of glass, this was before plastic bottles became popular. At the end of the 1960s, bottles started to be made of PVC (vinyl polychlorure). It was not until the 1980s, a new kind of plastic PET (polyethylene terephtalate), began to be used. Posters of the 1950’s always showed glass bottles.
ARISTA BOTTLED WATER POSTER
The Arista Bottled water poster is aimed at a different part of society, those who socialize. Here a goddess holds an enlarged bottle of Arista Water with a statement saying ‘The Source of Sterilized Water’ offering carbonated or non-carbonated types. The group of well-dressed men and women are all raising their glasses to the goddess of Sterilized Water, the colouring and lines are of the style of 19th Century artists; the red colouring of the female brings the eye to the poster.
BOTTLED WATER AND SOCIETY
Fresh water is an integral part of family life; bottled water enables the family to carry refreshment with them. Society in all guises now expects water to be at hand and bottled water offers this. The early years of bottled water, although aimed at societal groups, struggled to be accepted. Once society became more mobile then bottled water became more acceptable. These early posters show the steps towards the acceptance today of the bottled water. The availability of the PVC and PET bottles increased the uses of bottled water, less danger from glass, and easily used safely by all members of society.
