Change to Laika Circa 1970

This rare circa 1970 Soviet advertising poster titled “Change to Laika” is a compelling example of Cold War–era commercial design, combining bold modernist graphics with the marketing of consumer goods—most likely cigarettes intended for export markets.

Produced by Raznoexport (USSR, Moscow), an organization responsible for promoting Soviet products abroad, the poster reflects a shift from purely ideological imagery toward more internationally oriented advertising. The use of English text strongly suggests that it was designed for foreign audiences rather than domestic distribution.

The composition is striking and unconventional. A stylized rocket, rendered in deep blacks and sharp vertical lines, dominates the center of the image, with a vivid red exhaust cutting through the composition. To the side, an abstracted human face emerges from layered brush-like textures, creating a sense of modernity and psychological depth.

In the lower section, a smaller vignette depicts Laika, the famous Soviet space dog, alongside a pack design or branding reference. Here, Laika is not simply a historical figure but a brand identity, lending associations of Soviet technological achievement, endurance, and modern progress to the advertised product.

The slogan “Change to Laika” is characteristic of mid-20th-century cigarette marketing, encouraging consumers to switch brands. The dynamic typography—bold, angular, and asymmetrically arranged—reflects international graphic trends of the late 1960s and early 1970s, showing how Soviet designers engaged with global visual culture.

This poster is particularly notable for its fusion of propaganda imagery and consumer advertising. While rooted in the legacy of the Soviet space program, it repurposes that symbolism to promote a commercial product, illustrating the evolving role of design in the USSR during this period.

Today, the piece stands as a rare and visually powerful artifact of Soviet export advertising—combining space-age iconography, avant-garde composition, and branding strategy into a single, highly collectible work.

Original Poster

Space - Advertising - Tobacco - Russia - Animals

Good condition, creases, small tears