Keep calm and carry on, war propaganda posters

I love this short film explaining the origins of the iconic poster Keep Calm and Carry on. Especially since typeface played a role, lol.

From the Youtube page's summary:

A short film that tells the story behind the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' poster. Its origins at the beginning of WWII and its rediscovery in a bookshop in England in 2000, becoming one of the iconic images of the 21st century. Film, music, script and narration by Temujin Doran. 

The commission was to create posters-

--uniform in style
--with a handsome typeface difficult for the enemy to counterfeit
--minimal graphic devices, deciding upon the crown of George the 6th as the only one




Propaganda posters are interesting. I particularly like the old Russian propaganda posters from a design point of view. Some of the other British posters also are graphically interesting.

The poster was made in 1941 by Irakli Toidze, a socialist realism artist, during the early days of the Great Patriotic War which is what Russians called WWII. It says Motherland Calls!

Russian posters always managed to convey strength.

This one is from Britain in WWI. Even though Russian posters were very graphic and static with one dominant image, they also always managed to convey movement. Even though this poster from Britain in WWI depicts a moving horse, the sense of movement is strangely absent.

Russia/Soviets had the best posters. The coolest. I mean, really, Isn't this one below just sumptuous?! Talk about movement, strength and delicacy in one swoop! I was unable to discover what the promotion was, perhaps the space race?

And this is just gorgeous. See what I mean about movement? Using the piano cover as the graceful backdrop conveys immediately what the poster is about and the swoop of the cover gives that sense of movement even though pianos are heavy and black.

Russian/Soviet posters combined strength and delicacy all at once; an immediately identifiable message, and in good colors, without being garish.

As for Britain's Keep Calm & Carry On and their ilk, war posters in general, can you imagine a designer tapped to produce a message in print that will help the citizenry during war? What a high duty!

I am not a good designer but I love looking at good design. Posters are an incredible world of study, beauty, message, and history all at once. I wish I had lots more time to study them, but meanwhile, I'm glad I can just enjoy.

This one advertises, "books in all fields of knowledge", Lilya Brik in Alexander Rodchenko’s poster for the Soviet publisher Gosizdat, 1924.

“OUR TRIUMPH IN SPACE – ANTHEM TO SOVIET COUNTRY!”

Of course we all remember the gorgeous cruise line posters from the Art Deco period, those were luscious too. As were travel posters advertising skiing in the Alps, Dolomites, etc. But that's another chapter in the story of graphic design!

Simple racial hatred the reason for the no-handshake snub?

As Obama returned from Russia many news outlets touted the visit as a positive step with concrete outcomes.

U.S.-Russia summit called 'groundbreaking'
A recent U.S.-Russia summit was "groundbreaking" for relations between the former Cold War adversaries, a senior Russian diplomat said Thursday. The two sides "have managed to stop the degradation of our relations," Russian Foreign Ministry representative Andrei Nesterenko said in comments televised in Moscow.

President Obama in Moscow
Obama deserves a solid ‘A’ for his Moscow trip.

But then photos and videos and other reports started coming out from other media... and people (including myself) wondered what the real story is.

What not to say in Moscow
Obama’s reception in the country this week was, well, chilly. No screaming crowds. No glaring headlines. Icy resentment at the traffic jams his motorcade produced. Perhaps, Russians and Russianists who spoke to the American press speculated, it’s because Obama’s hosts are skeptical of politicians or the sincerity of powerful people who profess to hold high ideals.

Then the other day I posted a video of the Russian mucky mucks refusing to shake hands with Obama and mused about the reasons for the diplomatic snub.

A commenter informed me of the deep racial hatreds in Russia and told me of the violence against blacks in that country. After some digging I found this contention confirmed through media reporting, though it is not widespread reporting, much to our shame.

Reuters: Obama to visit Russia, where minorities live in fear
When U.S. President Barack Obama flies into Russia on Monday for talks at the Kremlin, he will be visiting a country where anti-migrant sentiment means blacks and other minorities must live low-profile lives to avoid danger.

For Russian Blacks, Obama Visit Stirs Special Interest
[F] for Russians of African descent, in particular, the new U.S. leader is a potent symbol of triumph over the same challenges they themselves face in a country where dark-skinned people remain rare and often unwelcome.

So I am left to add to the list of possible reasons for the snub, in addition my musings of diplomatic machinations and shadowy summit meanderings, the simple but monstrous possibility of simple racial hatred. And if that is the reason Russian diplomat after Russian diplomat refused to shake hands with Obama in the welcome line, I truly sympathize with this man.

Russians reject Obama, snub shaking hands

Of course, this was not reported in America. The refusal to welcome Obama in the traditional manner was obviously deliberate, because they ALL refused Obama but they ALL shook Medvedev's hand, who was right behind Obama. Obama was visibly upset at the snub. A unified refusal to shake hands in diplomatic world is a huge signal. Just why the Russians were upset is to be determined...time will tell.