The original displays were oil paintings on glass which were then mounted on the outside walls of hotels. Various other sports were displayed including cricket, tennis, fishing and horse racing.

By the early 1930s Tooth's had beaten-off most of their competition. They launched the poster art as part of a major advertising drive to ensure they remained at #1 across New South Wales. At the same time Tooth's utilised heavy advertising in the newspapers and remodelled many hotels. Most of the posters were designed to compliment each hotel's style.