Monday 4 October 2021

Raymond Sheppard and Regent Petrol

Picture Post 12 November 1956

In a previous article we looked at Raymond Sheppard's work for Regent Oil Vaporising Oil . Today I want to move on to other Regent products starting with the Regent 100 Petrol adverts.

"It's the most dynamic petrol of all time!" they boasted in 1956. This Regent 'lion' advert has been found in various local newspapers dating between 31 August to the 12 November 1956, from the Marylebone Mercury (31 August 1956) to the local to Raymond Sheppard Harrow Observer (20 September 1956) all the way to Aberdeen Evening Express (9 October 1956) and Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail (12 November 1956), so all corners of Britain. They might also have local garages listed who were stockists.

The full advert

It's interesting to note how Regent used a lion and Esso used a tiger for their adverts! More on Sheppard's involvement with the latter another day!#

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 7 February 1951
"Nature protects the Stoat in winter"

The next series Sheppard appears to have completed is for "Regent lubrication protects your tractor" in which Sheppard produced black and white drawings of animals. To date I have found five of them. I'll add more here if I discover any more.

 


Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 4 April 1951
"Speed protects the hare"

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 12 June 1951
"Cunning protects the fox"

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 8 August 1951
"Nature protects the hedgehog"

The last one I have found was as a result of Christine Sheppard and Iris Sheppard collecting all the artist's clippings. Here we also have the advertising agency's name, C. J. Lytle. Job No. 15,319 is for the farming press. It's published size was 6 x 41/2 inches. 

Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 3 October 1951
"Thrift protects the squirrel"

The printer's proof to the above advert

The famous advertising company appears to have been founded in the 1930s by an American and sought to raise capital (only the second agency to do so) by going public in 1961. The company wound up in 1965. They had an address in Dean Street and also Bond Street on the corner with Conduit Street. I don't know for sure who the creative director was but John Allan (1922-2009) worked at C J Lytle as group art director and, later, creative director. He left in the 1960s so I suspect he may have figured in this narrative. 

I have one more article to write and images to share about Regent but I'm hoping to get more detail before showing these.