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Attraction, advertising, sun screen, tanning lotion vintage advertising poster for
Bergasol sun tanning lotion, created by the acclaimed French graphic artist Bernard Villemot. The poster, originally produced around 1976, is known for its bold, minimalist style and striking use of color.
Poster Details
Artist: Bernard Villemot (1911–1989), known for iconic advertising images for brands like Orangina, Bally shoes, and Air France.
Brand: Bergasol, a historic French suntan lotion company.
Circa: 1976 (some sources also mention 1973 or 1970s).
Text Translation: The French text "BRONZAGE NATUREL RAPIDE" translates to "Rapid Natural Tanning," and "exclusivement en pharmacie et droguerie" means "exclusively in pharmacies and drugstores".
Design: The poster's minimalist design features stylized figures and a high-contrast yellow and brown color scheme, typical of Villemot's work. The contrasting skin tones were meant to illustrate the "rapid, natural" tan the product offered versus a sunburn.
Historical Context: In the 1980s, the Bergasol brand faced scrutiny because its products at the time contained bergapten, a photosensitizing molecule found in bergamot oil that could cause skin irritation and was later linked to potential health concerns. The modern Bergasol brand, now owned by Noreva, has reinvented itself with new, safer formulations and an ultra-broad spectrum sun filter system. |
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