Description
This exceptional Coca-Cola Our America oil poster from the celebrated “Oil Is Making a New World” series represents one of the most visually sophisticated entries in the wartime educational campaign. The Coca-Cola Our America oil poster numbered #4 exemplifies the Coca-Cola Company’s ambitious effort to position American petroleum as the fuel driving scientific innovation and post-war technological advancement.
Produced in 1943 by Forbes Lithography, this offset-lithograph presents a compelling visual argument: oil doesn’t simply power machines—it powers human progress itself. The composition centers on a scientist in a laboratory environment, surrounded by beakers, test tubes, and chemical apparatus, symbolizing the research and development that transformed petroleum into modern materials and technologies. This “Science Creates the Future” framing elevated oil from mere industrial commodity to the foundation of American scientific supremacy.
Surrounding the central laboratory scene, five distinct vignettes illustrate the downstream applications of petroleum-derived innovations: an airport bustling with modern aircraft, a luxury yacht cutting through waters, a sleek “bullet train” representing transportation progress, a contemporary automobile, and a lighthouse—each representing different sectors where oil-derived science created modern life. The composition creates a visual narrative: petroleum research (center) flows outward into practical applications (periphery).
The design exemplifies 1940s wartime educational graphics at their most ambitious. Vivid primary colors—orange, red, blue, and cream—create visual hierarchy and classroom engagement. The illustrated style combines technical clarity with aspirational optimism, making complex industrial concepts accessible to schoolchildren while embedding patriotic messaging. The poster’s implicit argument is powerful: support American oil production = invest in scientific progress = secure American technological leadership.
The “Our America” series, particularly the five-poster Oil subset, represents a distinct moment in corporate messaging history. Unlike typical consumer advertising, these posters were distributed to schools, libraries, and civic institutions, granting them educational legitimacy. They simultaneously served Coca-Cola’s brand interests and genuine wartime priorities—positioning American industry as essential to victory and post-war prosperity.
This particular poster, #4 in the Oil sequence, stands out for its explicit connection between petroleum and scientific advancement—a more sophisticated argument than simple industrial supply-chain messaging. During WWII, when petroleum was genuinely critical to military success, the poster’s “science creates the future” framing positioned oil as more than a resource: it was the foundation of American technological dominance.
Forbes Lithography, the printer credited on this poster, was one of America’s premier lithographic houses during the 1940s, known for high-quality color work and precise registration. The technical quality of this printing is evident in the color clarity, line definition, and overall finish.
Condition: Excellent, unbacked. This is an original printing with no restoration or relining; the paper and colors have aged beautifully, showing minimal wear consistent with institutional storage rather than public display.
✓ Certified authentic original — IVPDA (International Vintage Poster Dealers Association) certified dealer authentication
✓ Certificate of Authenticity included — official documentation with purchase
✓ Wartime institutional provenance — commissioned corporate educational series, documented production history
✓ Forbes Lithography attribution — premium American lithographic printer, verifiable production standard
✓ Documented series position — #4 of identified 5-poster Oil subset, specific catalog placement
✓ Unbacked original condition — no relining or restoration; pristine paper and color preservation
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