Poster Girls: Patriotism and Propaganda in World War II Recruitment

• In Event: Selling in America: Advertising, Campaigns, Recruitment, and Product Placement

Abstract

During World War II, posters used visual metaphors to help promote actions and behavior in the American public. Many campaigns were specifically targeted at women, encouraging them to enter the civilian and military workforce. This paper analyzes the female recruitment poster campaigns of the Navy and Coast Guard. By employing and subverting traditional notions of femininity, the campaign was able to convince 1940s women to serve their country in a non-traditional way.

Author

• Kathleen M. Ryan, Miami University