IMAGE ONE:
'The Uncle Sam Range' Advertising graphic image by Schumacher & Ettlinger, New York, 1876
'Daddy, what did you do in The Great War?' Poster by Savile Lumley, Britain, 1915
Image ones' purpose is to advertise, yet image two serves to create feelings of guilt in the audience. Both images seem dated to modern eyes thanks to their use of propaganda in various forms. For example, image one uses a cooking range to personify the American Dream. The advert was designed to celebrate 100 years of American independence. In basic terms this is an advert for a range cooker, but in actual fact it is much more a representation of American ideology. The image depicts a celebratory dinner in Centenary Hall, Philadelphia (the old capital of the US), with the now iconic figure of 'Uncle Sam' sitting in the centre. He is surrounded by symbolism; a bald eagle perched on his shoulder, fireworks in the distance celebrating independence and plenty of red, white and blue stars on the carpet. What we see is the early self promotion of America. The advert is demonstrating how far it claims to have come in one hundred years. The image is exporting a lifestyle through a product and speaks directly to upper -middle class Americans. It is saying 'America can now lead the world thanks to this brilliant new piece of technology'. Interestingly, the cooking range is relegated to the side of the image, along with a young black slave, suggesting that the product that is being sold it is merely an object, what is really being sold is an ideology. The advert depicts a 'buffoonish' globe, holding a long menu of stereotyped foods of other countries, for example bird nests' in China and potatoes in Ireland. The ad suggests that the Uncle Sam Range can cook anything, portraying America as a far more culturally advanced nation than the others. The designer has used a 'Saloon Bar' style Slab Serif typeface to represent the brand, paying homage to the Wild West, another example of Americana. They have opted for upper-case lettering, giving it commanding status.
Image two was made one year after the war began, yet it speaks to the audience as if the war happened a while ago and that the father figure is reminiscing. The image shows a boy playing with toy soldiers, glorifying the war, and his sister sat on the father's lap presumably reading a book about it. The fact that the designer has opted to call it 'The Great War' a year after its start is a bold statement to make. It suggests the war was successful, celebrating its the glory. It raises the point that every man, no matter what his background should contribute to the war effort in some way. In 1915, considerable social pressure was brought to bear on men to volunteer, and those who did not risked ridicule. For many men, however, awareness of their responsibilities towards their families as wage earners proved a compelling disincentive to volunteer. Posters like this used that powerful sense of duty to family, but instead suggested that, in the future, children would hold their fathers to account on the service that they performed for their country rather than the social protection that they ensured for their immediate family. This poster shows a sophisticated use of art and imagery in provoking a powerful emotional response, unlike image one which is somewhat emotionally detached.
For me, the biggest difference between the images is the cultural tone. Image one is incredibly nationalistic and garish, the use of American symbolism and colour shows this well, where as image two is far more subdued and subtle in its delivery of message. I feel image two is far more successful in speaking to its intended audience.
No comments:
Post a Comment