The Stage of Marketing Evolution

1930

This remarkable photograph from 1930 captures not just a refuelling moment, but a creative peak in early 20th-century advertising. Here, a motor lorry is being filled up at a petrol station shaped like an Egyptian Pharaoh’s head—complete with the hose comically emerging from the statue’s mouth. The words “Fill Up Here” crown the sculpture, blending commercial appeal with architectural whimsy.

This was the golden age of roadside marketing, when petrol companies and transport businesses embraced bold, eccentric designs to catch the public’s eye. With the rise of car culture in Britain, competition for motorists’ attention led to unforgettable promotional stunts like this one.

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