Victoria and Albert Museum
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Year of the Ox
'Bovril. Alas! my poor Brother', based on the original design by W. H. Caffyn
'Bovril. Alas! my poor Brother', based on the original design by W. H. Caffyn
Bovril. Alas! my poor Brother
Based on the original design by W. H. Caffyn
S. H. Benson (advertising agent)
Poster
England
About 1905
Museum no. E.147-1973
This is a poster for Bovril beef extract. The advertising agent S. H. Benson, whose first account was that of Bovril, successfully established it as a household name. First conceived in 1896, ‘Alas! My Poor Brother’ had enduring popularity. It won second prize in a Bovril competition for the most popular poster in 1923. It was bought from the Avenue Press, and is an example of a speculative design bought from these printers. The image was then used in posters, colour throwaways, press advertisements and plaster models for shop window display.
