Summary

In the years 1948-1955 advertising in Poland did not exist in practice. The obligatory Stalinist doctrine assumed that advertising was unnecessary or even detrimental in socialist state, where competition among companies was not allowed. Hence there was ban on using any forms of advertising in industry, commerce and services. However, fter the fall of Stalinism, the opinions about the question of advertising changed radially. Both party and state authorities announced the need for socialist advertising, totally subjected to the economic programme and social policy of the state, and central state control. Control was chiefly manifested in the fact that the authorities decided which goods and at what time and in what way were to be promoted.
In spite of many ideological and technical (e.g. lack of raw materials) and adminisative restrictions, a number of modern forms of advertising developed in People's Poland. Some of them achieved a high level of excellence, e.g. advertising posters and film clips. Yet, the above-mentioned restrictions hampered the enormous potential of the creators of Polish socialist advertising.