“Kirin Beer – Quality First” / 「品質本位 キリンビール」, Original Japanese Commercial Advertising Poster c.1978–1979, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) D259

This is an original Japanese B2 commercial advertising poster produced by the Kirin Brewery Company around 1978–1979 to promote Kirin Beer in Japanese restaurants, bars, and izakaya.

Unlike posters manufactured for public retail sale, this was a trade-display advertisement supplied directly to licensed establishments for promotional use. Its restrained product photography, immaculate composition, and minimalist branding exemplify the refined direction of late-1970s Japanese commercial design.

Advertising background

Kirin was already one of Japan’s dominant beer producers when this poster was issued. Rather than relying on celebrity endorsement, lifestyle imagery, or elaborate copy, the campaign places complete emphasis on the product itself: the distinctive Kirin bottle, the golden colour of the lager, and a series of perfectly poured glasses.

The poster dates to approximately 1978–1979, based on the particular combination of bottle, label, typography, and photographic styling.

The featured bottle is the traditional Japanese 633 ml large bottle / 「大瓶」, long associated with restaurants and izakaya. The classic oval label incorporates the mythological Kirin beast within the red-and-white frame, with the capacity marked beneath the principal branding.

The label also displays the broad white outer border introduced during Kirin’s mid-1970s packaging modernisation, while the heavy geometric katakana logotype corresponds closely with the company’s late-1970s visual identity.

Poster design

The poster uses a remarkably clean, image-led composition centred on a single upright bottle of Kirin Lager Beer, surrounded by a carefully arranged group of tall glasses filled with luminous golden beer.

Each glass carries a thick, precisely formed head of white foam. The differing heights and positions of the vessels create a rhythmic arrangement across the otherwise sparse image, while the bottle acts as the composition’s central anchor.

The entire arrangement is photographed against a polished white surface. Soft reflections of the bottle and glasses extend downward into the lower half of the poster, creating a sense of symmetry, purity, and controlled studio precision.

This reflection motif gives the image its distinctive character. Rather than presenting beer within a crowded social setting, the photographer isolates the product in an almost architectural environment, allowing the colour, clarity, carbonation, and foam to communicate freshness and quality.

The restricted palette consists primarily of:

Deep amber-brown in the bottle
Bright golden yellow in the beer
Pure white in the foam, background, and reflective surface
Vivid red in the label and principal brand typography

The result is both highly commercial and unusually elegant, reflecting the shift in Japanese advertising during the late 1970s toward crisp studio photography and disciplined corporate presentation.

Typography and slogan

At the lower left appears Kirin’s corporate slogan:

「品質本位」

“Quality first” or “Quality as the fundamental principle.”

Directly beneath it, the brand name appears in bold red katakana:

「キリンビール」

The restrained black slogan and large red lettering provide the only major typography in the composition, reinforcing the confidence and simplicity of the campaign.

Below the brand name appears:

「キリンビール株式会社」

“Kirin Brewery Company, Limited.”

The small production credits printed at the lower right identify the poster’s designer and photographer, reflecting the carefully controlled studio production behind the image.

Display and distribution note

This poster was produced as an official Kirin commercial display advertisement.

It was not a consumer poster offered for general public sale. Examples of this type were supplied to Japanese izakaya, pubs, bars, restaurants, and other licensed premises, where they were displayed temporarily as part of Kirin’s promotional campaigns.

Because such posters were working commercial material and were often discarded or replaced after the campaign ended, surviving original examples in strong condition are increasingly difficult to find.

It is an original period Japanese advertising poster, not a later reproduction or decorative reprint.

Condition

Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with rich golden colour, crisp photographic detail, clear typography, and excellent overall display impact.

There are light signs of age and handling consistent with an original commercial display poster from the late 1970s, but overall it presents extremely well.

Reference: D259.

Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

This is an original circa 1978–1979 Japanese Kirin Beer advertising poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 45 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.