1970 Matchbox

“Tourist season lasts all year” - Matchbox slogan

The 1970s brought a shift towards bold, reduced, and highly graphic design, visible even in the smallest everyday objects—like matchbox labels. The Z.P.Dz. Marko matchbox from Poland (c. 1970) is a perfect example of this era’s aesthetic: geometric shapes, sharp contrasts, and a minimal color palette.

Designers of the time worked with printing limitations, turning constraints into a style—flat colors, abstract forms, and high readability. The result? Designs that were not just functional but visually striking and instantly recognizable.

These labels weren’t just about fire—they sparked a new way of thinking about graphic design, where simplicity wasn’t a compromise but a statement.

Published by ZPZ Gdańsk, via Design Reviewed