The 1920s and 1930s had an extreme effect on all aspects of everyday life, especially graphic design. Around this time, the designer’s true power came to light. Post-war designs show a sort of consumerism that the US had never seen before. What was previously just images of products with a brief description was now an idealized, over-exaggeration of the product in order to increase attraction and overall sales. The introduction of flashy, overbearing product advertisements completely shifted graphic design. It was now the designer’s role to create traction for a product, meaning that designs had to constantly compete for the most attractive. This eventually led to fraudulent designs which may deceive the consumer. This is something that would never be accepted now, but for the time, no laws or restrictions stopped this.
I think that although we have more restrictions regarding design nowadays, our design atmosphere is much better and well-versed. While gross consumerism is ever prevalent in our world, it is much simpler to find honest design than in the early 1900s. What we now take for granted was not so simple in earlier times. I think of the slogan “Redbull gives you wings” and can understand that I will not actually grow wings, and the line just adds to the design of the product. But back then, the design could blatantly lie, telling the consumer that cigarettes are good for you, and get away with it.
The 1920s and 1930s put the power of public perception in the hands of the designer. While we are all thankful for the spotlight we now receive, our tactics and morals are very different from the time. What may have been considered acceptable then, is now condemned by us designers. We are forever growing and improving, making today’s design standards completely different than in the 20s and 30s. However, you can still find subtle traces of the previous times all throughout work from present times.