- On June 28, 1914 the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand
was assasinated in Sarajevo.
This effectively began World War I in Europe.
Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia, France and Britain
all now needed to promote their own message
to recruit volunteers, rally the troops,
and convince the public that their fight was good,
and victory was possible.
There was no radio, television, internet or social media.
But new cost efficient printing technologies
allowed for mass production of posters, and these became
the primary tool for war propaganda.
The explorations and stylistic approaches
of art nouveau and arts and crafts were quickly set aside.
The British, French, and American governments
commissioned the work and preferred an approach
that favored realism and traditional images.
Britain, France, and America relied on messages
of patriotism, home, family, and a man's role in society.
British poster questioned a man's masculinity
if he did not enlist, as in the poster,
"Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?"
Others appealed to a man's sense of honor
for the Women of Britain.
American posters used images such as Uncle Sam
and the American flag for patriotism.
Four million copies of James Montgomery Flagg's
"I Want You" poster were printed
and distributed across America.
Unlike the British posters, the American posters
are direct and straightforward.
Uncle Sam looks directly at the viewer
and commands the viewer to join the Army.
A Marine stands before the flag and demands
that the viewer become a Marine.
Even President Woodrow Wilson stares directly
at the viewer and commands them to stand by him.
Before the war, an average American
would not go farther than 20 miles
from their home for their entire lives.
Recruiting posters promised the idea
of adventure and excitement overseas.
German posters continued to use
the simplified plakastil approach.
Simple symbols and typography communicated
messages of strength and victory.
Hans Rudi Erdt's poster for the film "U Boote Heraus"
or the "U-boats Are Out," uses the simplified form
of a sans serif U to frame the abstract figure
of a U-boat commander.
The strong shapes and dramatic action
depict the commander as a new type of hero.
The poster uses hand drawn lettering and bold areas
of flat color, integrating image and text into one message.
Other posters appeal to Germany's medieval past,
and the honor of the country.
While these posters are aesthetically strong,
the abstraction and lack of realism,
had little or no emotional impact.
To date, we are bombarded with images and messages.
It is difficult to imagine a time when a poster
was the most critical propaganda tool for the war effort.
The era of World War I was the first time
that the power of design was used effectively
on a mass scale.
These posters did the job of radio, television,
and the internet combined.