“Your next step” ad, London Transport Commercial Advertising
London Transport has always relied heavily on income from commercial advertising revenues – monies made by selling advertising space on vehicles, stations and structures. In the 1930s the Commercial Advertising Department were themselves prolific advertisers in relevant trade journals (here in Art & Industry) and issued much publicity themselves. As in keeping with the company’s strong ethos of ‘fitness for purpose’ even humble press adverts have a real sense of style about them as seen here.
Advertising escalator panel spaces this advert, both graphic and text, plays cleverly on ‘steps’ – steps on the escalator and the advertiser’s next steps. It is thoughtfully set out, typographically, and the graphic captures escalators, passengers looking and a ‘step’. It is by Eckersley-Lombers, the pre-war partnership of designers and artists Tom Eckersley and Eric Lombers who also produced many posters and panel/car posters for LT as well.
The last line is very fine: The LT roundel symbol and “You can’t get away from it”!
