Propaganda is an attempt to influence people through words and images. Propaganda posters are snapshots of the past. They provide a window into the concerns of the time and the means used to address them. Posters appeal to their audience with symbols and stereotypes. Propaganda posters appeal to the audience’s emotions. They engage with the audience and encourage them to act. Keep an eye out for their purpose and audience.
What Is Propaganda?
Pope Gregory XV established the Congregation for Propagating the Faith to spread Catholic missionary activity. “Propagate” is a fancy way of saying “spread.”
Propaganda is an attempt to influence people through words and images. It is a type of advertisement. Governments, organizations, and individuals use propaganda.
We can spread propaganda by word of mouth, radio and television, and printed images. Posters provide a cheap, catchy, and mass produced means of spreading propaganda.
Propaganda posters are snapshots of the past. They provide a window into the concerns of the time and the means used to address them.
Is Propaganda A Bad Thing?
The word “propaganda” often has a negative connotation.
Propaganda does not tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It provides a one-sided message, which is somewhat unfair and biased. Propaganda posters appeal to our emotions.
Positive propaganda follows the “a little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down” philosophy. Negative propaganda uses shame, guilt, and fear to convince us.
Appealing to the Audience
Propaganda is a means for a person or group to convince an audience.
Posters try to connect with the audience. They directly talk to the audience, often appealing to “you.” Uncle Sam “needs you.” “Loose lips sink ships.” Are you listening?
The United States used propaganda posters during each world war with different audiences in mind. Some posters were for the population at large. Others appealed to certain people.
Recruiting posters appealed to young people of draft age and potential women factory workers.
Catchy slogans and colorful imagery appeal to the viewer. We are encouraged to feel a certain way. The posters appeal to our emotions. We feel shame, guilt, hate, excitement, and patriotism.
Stereotypes and Symbols
Images on propaganda posters use stereotypes and symbols.
Stereotypes are oversimplifications. For instance, caricatures are images that simplify, often in an offensive way, types of people. World War II propaganda posters portrayed the Japanese with glasses, slanted eyes, and a big toothy grin.
Symbols represent concepts and ideas. They are quick ways for the audience to bring certain things to mind. An eagle is a symbol of American independence and strength.
Propaganda posters use text to help reinforce stereotypes and symbols. Posters often use a limited amount of text. The viewer quickly obtains the message. Pay close attention to the text. How does the message appeal to the audience?
Final Conclusions
There are various types of information you should look for when examining propaganda posters.
What types of information do the posters provide? How do the posters try to connect with the audience? What emotions (positive or negative) is the audience supposed to have?
For instance, World War II posters had different themes. They warned about careless talk (“loose lips”), sold war bonds, riled up emotions about the actions of the enemy, and promoted new roles for women (Rosie the Riveter). Each did so in somewhat different ways.
Bottom line, answer these three questions: what was its purpose, who does it speak to, and how accurate was it? Propaganda does not tell the whole truth. Analyze it with a grain of salt.
A Couple of Examples
China used this poster to promote its “four modernizations” program.
The worker here is carrying a mallet. He is a symbol of typical communist. The text is “Purge the “Gang of Four” and promote Dazhai County.” The Gang of Four were communist leaders during the end of Mao’s reign. The poster provides a cheery image with a call to action (“purge”).
The U.S. government sold war bonds to help finance World War I. Buying war bonds was considered to be a patriotic obligation. Propaganda posters promoted this message.
This propaganda poster directly talks to its audience. It sells liberty loan bonds.
We are supposed to feel guilty if we do not buy one. A stereotypical white child tells us her daddy did! The color of the text matches the color of the girl’s ribbon. The innocence of the girl also suggests the stakes of the war. We are fighting for families like hers.
What about other families? What does the choice of this specific picture tell us?