APT poster on the theme of residential telephone installation

The advent of the modern poster can be dated to the 19th century following the invention of the lithograph (1798), which allowed thousands of copies to be printed in just a few hours and for a lower cost. This technique was later enhanced by chromolithography (1827). Designed to be affixed to a wall, it catches the passerby’s attention by means of its bright colours for a short period of time, “two seconds” according to Attilo Rossi, just enough to ensure the message gets through. Under the custodianship of the Fundação Portuguesa das Comunicações and part of its iconographic collection, this is one of a collection of advertising posters designed for the Anglo-Portuguese Telephone Company, Limited aimed at encouraging the public to install a telephone at home or in their business. Adapting new verbal and graphic techniques, advertising has evolved up to the present day to cover a wide range of subjects, remaining at the forefront of commercial activity. It is not just limited to enticing the public into buying a particular product as opposed to another, but to awakening needs that are essential, others that are merely useful and others again that are even unknown.