{"product_id":"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","title":"“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","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"327\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eThis is an \u003cstrong data-start=\"144\" data-end=\"198\"\u003eoriginal Japanese B2 commercial advertising poster\u003c\/strong\u003e produced by the \u003cstrong data-start=\"215\" data-end=\"240\"\u003eKirin Brewery Company\u003c\/strong\u003e around \u003cstrong data-start=\"248\" data-end=\"261\"\u003e1978–1979\u003c\/strong\u003e to promote Kirin Beer in Japanese restaurants, bars, and izakaya.\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"329\" data-end=\"647\"\u003eUnlike posters manufactured for public retail sale, this was a \u003cstrong data-start=\"392\" data-end=\"423\"\u003etrade-display advertisement\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"649\" data-end=\"675\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"649\" data-end=\"675\"\u003eAdvertising background\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"1011\"\u003eKirin 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1013\" data-end=\"1153\"\u003eThe poster dates to approximately \u003cstrong data-start=\"1047\" data-end=\"1060\"\u003e1978–1979\u003c\/strong\u003e, based on the particular combination of bottle, label, typography, and photographic styling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1155\" data-end=\"1438\"\u003eThe featured bottle is the traditional Japanese \u003cstrong data-start=\"1203\" data-end=\"1233\"\u003e633 ml large bottle \/ 「大瓶」\u003c\/strong\u003e, long associated with restaurants and izakaya. The classic oval label incorporates the mythological \u003cstrong data-start=\"1334\" data-end=\"1343\"\u003eKirin\u003c\/strong\u003e beast within the red-and-white frame, with the capacity marked beneath the principal branding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1440\" data-end=\"1664\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1666\" data-end=\"1683\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1666\" data-end=\"1683\"\u003ePoster design\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1685\" data-end=\"1893\"\u003eThe poster uses a remarkably clean, image-led composition centred on a single upright bottle of \u003cstrong data-start=\"1781\" data-end=\"1801\"\u003eKirin Lager Beer\u003c\/strong\u003e, surrounded by a carefully arranged group of tall glasses filled with luminous golden beer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1895\" data-end=\"2134\"\u003eEach 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2136\" data-end=\"2373\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2375\" data-end=\"2672\"\u003eThis 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 \u003cstrong data-start=\"2592\" data-end=\"2634\"\u003ecolour, clarity, carbonation, and foam\u003c\/strong\u003e to communicate freshness and quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2674\" data-end=\"2719\"\u003eThe restricted palette consists primarily of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2721\" data-end=\"2919\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2721\" data-end=\"2741\"\u003eDeep amber-brown\u003c\/strong\u003e in the bottle\u003cbr data-start=\"2755\" data-end=\"2758\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2758\" data-end=\"2782\"\u003eBright golden yellow\u003c\/strong\u003e in the beer\u003cbr data-start=\"2794\" data-end=\"2797\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2797\" data-end=\"2811\"\u003ePure white\u003c\/strong\u003e in the foam, background, and reflective surface\u003cbr data-start=\"2859\" data-end=\"2862\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2862\" data-end=\"2875\"\u003eVivid red\u003c\/strong\u003e in the label and principal brand typography\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2921\" data-end=\"3119\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3121\" data-end=\"3146\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3121\" data-end=\"3146\"\u003eTypography and slogan\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3148\" data-end=\"3199\"\u003eAt the lower left appears Kirin’s corporate slogan:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3201\" data-end=\"3211\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3201\" data-end=\"3211\"\u003e「品質本位」\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3213\" data-end=\"3271\"\u003e“Quality first” or “Quality as the fundamental principle.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3273\" data-end=\"3338\"\u003eDirectly beneath it, the brand name appears in bold red katakana:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3340\" data-end=\"3352\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3340\" data-end=\"3352\"\u003e「キリンビール」\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3354\" data-end=\"3518\"\u003eThe restrained black slogan and large red lettering provide the only major typography in the composition, reinforcing the confidence and simplicity of the campaign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3520\" data-end=\"3549\"\u003eBelow the brand name appears:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3551\" data-end=\"3567\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3551\" data-end=\"3567\"\u003e「キリンビール株式会社」\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3569\" data-end=\"3602\"\u003e“Kirin Brewery Company, Limited.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3604\" data-end=\"3780\"\u003eThe small production credits printed at the lower right identify the poster’s designer and photographer, reflecting the carefully controlled studio production behind the image.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3782\" data-end=\"3815\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3782\" data-end=\"3815\"\u003eDisplay and distribution note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3817\" data-end=\"3900\"\u003eThis poster was produced as an \u003cstrong data-start=\"3848\" data-end=\"3899\"\u003eofficial Kirin commercial display advertisement\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3902\" data-end=\"4158\"\u003eIt was not a consumer poster offered for general public sale. Examples of this type were supplied to \u003cstrong data-start=\"4003\" data-end=\"4077\"\u003eJapanese izakaya, pubs, bars, restaurants, and other licensed premises\u003c\/strong\u003e, where they were displayed temporarily as part of Kirin’s promotional campaigns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4160\" data-end=\"4360\"\u003eBecause 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4362\" data-end=\"4467\"\u003eIt is an \u003cstrong data-start=\"4371\" data-end=\"4418\"\u003eoriginal period Japanese advertising poster\u003c\/strong\u003e, not a later reproduction or decorative reprint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4469\" data-end=\"4482\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4469\" data-end=\"4482\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4484\" data-end=\"4645\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4484\" data-end=\"4508\"\u003eExcellent condition.\u003c\/strong\u003e A highly attractive example, with rich golden colour, crisp photographic detail, clear typography, and excellent overall display impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4647\" data-end=\"4803\"\u003eThere are light signs of age and handling consistent with an original commercial display poster from the late 1970s, but overall it presents extremely well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4805\" data-end=\"4825\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4805\" data-end=\"4825\"\u003eReference: D259.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4827\" data-end=\"4905\"\u003ePlease review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4907\" data-end=\"5031\"\u003eThis is an \u003cstrong data-start=\"4918\" data-end=\"4985\"\u003eoriginal circa 1978–1979 Japanese Kirin Beer advertising poster\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cbr data-start=\"4986\" data-end=\"4989\"\u003eIt is \u003cstrong data-start=\"4995\" data-end=\"5030\"\u003enot a reproduction or a reprint\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5033\" data-end=\"5065\"\u003eIt is now \u003cstrong data-start=\"5043\" data-end=\"5064\"\u003eover 45 years old\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5067\" data-end=\"5108\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"5067\" data-end=\"5108\" data-is-last-node=\"\"\u003eCertificate of Authenticity included.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Japan Poster Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57066222879098,"sku":null,"price":235.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0424\/8859\/4591\/files\/wall-shelf-with-ornaments-2026-07-14T052915.541.jpg?v=1783974571","url":"https:\/\/japanposter.co.uk\/products\/kirin-beer-quality-first-%e5%93%81%e8%b3%aa%e6%9c%ac%e4%bd%8d-%e3%82%ad%e3%83%aa%e3%83%b3%e3%83%93%e3%83%bc%e3%83%ab-original-japanese-commercial-advertising-poster-c-1978-1979-b2-size-51-73-cm-d259","provider":"Japan Poster Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}