The advertising poster is not only a tool for selling products but also a powerful weapon for shaping nations and driving social movements. While we explored the poster’s artistic side in the Belle Époque in our previous blog, this blog shows how the same medium was used for political and national power.
When World War I began, posters transformed into the most important political visual medium available. Governments needed to quickly communicate crucial messages to large populations. The process involved a dramatic shift from commercial art to mass persuasion. Iconic examples like James Montgomery Flagg’s “I Want YOU for U.S. Army” featuring Uncle Sam became visual images of patriotism and recruitment. Posters were essential for encouraging everything from rationing and the purchase of war bonds to promoting national unity on the home front.
The poster’s role as a tool for ideology extended beyond the world wars. In the 1920s, the Russian Constructivists used posters to promote revolutionary ideas. Their designs were bold and geometric and often utilized photomontage and stark visuals to convey revolutionary propaganda and progress. This style proved how powerful a simple composition can be when communicating a complex political message.
During World War II, the focus on propaganda was renewed and intensified. Posters were designed to recruit women into the workforce, an urgent national necessity. The “We Can Do It!” poster, now famously associated with Rosie the Riveter, served to boost morale and encourage women to take on factory jobs . These visuals helped enforce wartime policies and showed citizens how their daily actions contributed to victory.
Moving into the later 20th century, the poster became a crucial vehicle for social justice and counter-culture movements. It was a cheap and immediate way to spread ideas outside of mainstream media. The Civil Rights movement and anti-war protests used posters to mobilize people and share powerful calls for change. Later, artists like Keith Haring and collectives like Gran Fury used bold, accessible graphic work during the AIDS crisis to demand awareness and action. This history highlights the poster’s duality as a medium serving both government authority and the counter-culture movements challenging that authority. The poster is a simple piece of paper but it has consistently proven its ability to influence history.
How are posters relevant today and what role do they play? Join us next week as we discuss modern posters and how they still have a role to play in our modern society!