These Soviet anti-alcohol posters, produced from the 1960s through to the 1980s, extolled the virtues of booze-free living and warned against the perils of an alcohol rich diet. They seem to be aimed squarely at men.
Displayed in public places these posters attempted to sober up the Soviet citizen by forcing them to confront the issues associated with excessive alcohol consumption. This allowed the poster designers to present the anti-alcohol message in the most graphic terms. They depicted drunks literally trapped inside the bottle or being strangled by ‘the green snake’. Their protagonists always produce sub-standard work, are smashed when pregnant, neglect their families and present a constant danger to fellow citizens. These dangerous elements are paralytic freeloaders and shirkers who drive under the influence, they are violent, black-marketeers and desperate cologne drinkers…
1987
“His inner world.”
1977
“Don’t drink your life away.”
Caption reads:
Fight drunkenness!
[Text on the bottle reads: Vodka]
Artist, date, size:
V. Zharinov. 1977.
1985
“We will overcome!” (Text on snake: “Alcoholism.”)
Caption reads:
Rowdy partying ends with a bitter hangover.
[Text on the tattoo reads: I love order]
Artist, date, size:
P. Sabinin. 1988.
Caption reads:
This is a shameful union – a slacker + vodka!
Artist, date, size:
V. O. Pushenko, Ukrainian SSR. 1980.
Caption reads:
UNDERPASS – to the ‘next world’
Artist, date, size:
S. Smirnov. 1988
Caption reads:
Little by little, and you end up with a hooligan.
Tolerance of dinking is dangerous.
There is but a step from drinking to crime.
Artist, date, size:
Artist unknown. c.1986
Caption reads:
[On the snake are various labels from alcoholic drinks]
Not among trees or grasses
The serpent has warmed up among us.
Don’t suck on him, mammals,
Or you’ll turn into a reptile yourself.
Artist, date, size:
A. E. Bazilevich, Ukrainian SSR. 1972.
These posters and more can be enjoyed in ALCOHOL: Soviet Anti-Alcohol Posters by Fuel Publishing. Buy the book: here
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