Safety First

Safety campaigns touch a nerve in everyone. Over the years, these posters, slogans, and TV advertisements have imprinted themselves on the UK's collective memory, evoking nostalgia for childhood and a bygone Britain. In 2011, RoSPA made a wonderful discovery: a superb "missing" archive of historical safety posters dating from the 1930s to 1970s. Clever, beautifully designed, often amusing, always packing a punch—these posters not only showcase the talented designers of the time, but also reflect the momentous changes that swept 20th-century Britain, revealing social and industrial history from a unique new angle.

Paul Rennie is Head of Context in Graphic Design at Central St Martins College of Art & Design and runs his own shop specializing in 20th century art and design. He is the author of three influential books about design, including Modern British Posters, and is the consultant behind Miller's Buyer's Guide: 20th-Century Design.