Compañía General de Electricidad AEG
1907
Peter Behrens didn't just design a poster here; he essentially invented modern corporate branding for the German giant AEG around 1907. Notice how the central lightbulb isn't just a simple drawing, but a geometric explosion of dots radiating outward to mimic the actual spread of light in a dark room. This striking advertisement promoted their new metal filament lamp, boasting incredible efficiency at roughly 'one watt per candle.' Behrens was the first designer to create a total 'corporate identity,' designing everything from this poster to the factories and products themselves, effectively becoming the grandfather of industrial design.
Views: 6