I brought this t-shirt the other day after being inspired by the history of the design (designer unknown). Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, the British Government commissioned posters to be displayed throughout the country (this one was never officially issued) to relay positive messages from King George VI and reassure the public.
I do find the message and sentiment behind this piece both inspiring and hopeful (and fabulously British!). Perhaps we need to invoke a little wartime spirit in the fight against climate change. If messaging reminded us that we are all in this together, instead of provoking fear, maybe things would seem that bit more possible. It also conveys the attitude that sustainability starts with a state of mind, and with positivity and togetherness we can deal with the situation at hand.
As well as signing up and fighting the enemy, propaganda posters stressed the need to stop waste and unnecessary consumption, for the recycling of scarce materials, and for boosting food production from gardens and allotments. Here are a few more examples of messaging inspiring sustainability, before anyone had even heard the term ‘sustainability’ – when it was just common sense! Apologies for not crediting the artists here, they are hard to find on the web. If anyone knows names please email me!
Keep Calm and Carry on t-shirts and posters are available here.
- Posted by Emily
So true! Would be great to do a poster series for the student population....
Posted by: Casper ter Kuile | April 14, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Nice piece of communciations history - fascinating isn't it. I'll have to check back through my poster database and see if I have more information on these ones, meantime check: http://ww2poster.wordpress.com/
Posted by: Dr Bex Lewis | July 06, 2009 at 03:40 PM