Original Vintage Guinness Toucan Poster, advertising, Icarus Greek feathers sun, ale Irish stout store beer print wall art retro 1970s

Original Vintage Guinness Toucan Poster advertising Icarus Greek feathers sun ale Irish stout beer print wall art retro 1970s

This poster comes from the Guinness factory where the previous owner had collected them when they worked there in the 1970s. This shows Icarus flying too close to the sun. dressed as a toucan and sporting toucan feathers by Warren Madill.

"I'm Icarus, fly me" were fated
To be the last words of this Greek
For the wax in his wings got cremated
and the string snapped that held his beak

The toucan goes back to 1935 and the advertising firm S.H. Benson. Artist John Gilroy had been recently hired, and Dorothy Sayers, a famous crime writer and playwright, wrote advertising copy for the company. When Guinness came to the agency, they had a very particular request. “The Guinness family did not want an advertising campaign that equated with beer,” the UK History House writes. “They thought it would be vulgar. They also wanted to stress the brew's strength and goodness. Somehow it led to animals.”

There was the pelican that stole everyone's beers with the copy, “My goodness — my Guinness!” Also the sea lion that had a habit of stealing Guinness. And the turtle that steals Guinness on its back. A lot of thirsty animals, basically. None earned as much fame as the toucan, however.

The toucan's brightly colored beak contrasts nicely with two dark glasses of Guinness (almost always two glasses, playing off of the similar sounds of “too can” and “toucan”). But it was Sayers's copy that elevated the toucan to legendary status.

“Guinness is good for you,” one poster reads. “How grand to be a Toucan, Just think what Toucan do.” Then there was the “Guinness Time” ad: “‘I do like,' says the Toucan, ‘to be beside the blue. With Guinness time in view can you guess what Toucan do.'”

The toucan and its gang of animal friends graced Guinness ads for decades. Then, in 1982, Guinness stopped working with S.H. Benson and dropped the animals.

Because of the age of these posters, there are areas of wear and tear, particularly on the edges. I have done my best to take photos where they are torn or stained. The good news is that when framed, the tears press up well against glass, and edges can be hidden by mats. Any wear picked up from years are part of the vintage charm.

When framed these colourful and detailed posters, with vibrant colours can become a centre piece for any room, to remind us of a simpler time.

These posters are sent as unframed. They will be delivered in a cardboard backed envelope for protection.

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