Though safety cards for air travel have been around since the early 1900s, the primarily graphic safety card as we know it is traced to the later half of the 20th century. Though its design elements are created for quick and easy comprehension, the illustrations and graphic styles are influenced not only by the airline and its country of origin, but the era in which it appears in as well.
Airline safety cards are brief archeological looks into the tastes and styles of the day, which not only makes them interesting to view, but popular collector’s items as well. It is illegal to remove safety cards from an aircraft, however once out of current circulation, collectors around the globe scour the internet for carriers and equipment versions to add to their libraries.
The Interaction Group archives are a veritable historical capsule of modern hairstyles and fashion from the 1970s to today. But whether the looks are cringe-worthy, or back in vogue, safety never goes out of style.
Want to take a deeper dive into safety card history and nostalgia?
Check out these articles and web resources.
- https://thepointsguy.com/news/airline-safety-cards/
- https://www.seatbacksafety.com/
- https://kottke.org/21/12/a-collection-of-airline-seatback-safety-cards
- https://wahsonline.com/category/safety-cards/
- https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2017/12/from-staid-to-funky-inflight-safety-card-design-sends-a-brand-message/
- https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/trisha-ferguson-on-the-psychology/