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BBC: Pitching for "The One Show"

August 18, 2009 By drbexl Leave a Comment

Below is an abstract I have submitted to “The One Show” – who knows if it will get picked up or not, they may already have something lined up, but worth an email (or few!)

“September 3rd 2009 marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War.

In 2000 a poster was discovered in the bottom of a box of books, bought at auction by a book-seller in Alnwick.  The poster, designed by the Ministry of Information in 1939, was intended to be posted in the event of an invasion.  It was (probably) distributed around the country in the same way that other posters were – to post offices, train stations, etc.  Two other posters in the series “Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution will bring Us Victory” and “Freedom is in Peril, Defend it with all your Might” were posted widely.  But as Britain was never invaded, “Keep Calm and Carry On” was never used.

Until now…!

The poster has had a resurgence, particularly since November 2008, when the credit crunch really hit, with many using it as a mantra to get through their daily lives.  Catching the mood of the nation it has been widely distributed, copied onto mugs, T shirts and student walls.

DR BEX LEWIS

Dr Bex Lewis is an expert on 2nd World War propaganda posters.  Her blog http://ww2poster.wordpress.com/ gets many hits about “Keep Calm and Carry On” and it’s variations (which include “Now Panic and Freak Out!”)

Bex Lewis completed her PhD entitled “The planning, design and reception of British Home Front propaganda posters of the Second World War” in June 2004 (examined by Asa Briggs) at the University of Winchester.  She is currently a Lecturer in History, and Associate Lecturer in Media Studies at the University of Winchester.”

Filed Under keep calm and carry on, second world war, TV Show Tagged With BBC, Press Release, The One Show

1940s Society: WW2 Posters

June 26, 1999 By drbexl Leave a Comment

The 1940s Society, 25th June, 1999

The planning, design and reception of British Home Front Propaganda Posters of the Second World War

Ian, of the 1940s Society, discovered my site, and asked if I would give a talk to his group in Kent. So, in June 1999, I went to present a paper regarding my project. I discussed why I had first become interested in the subject (after seeing the Home Front display at the Imperial War Musuem in London), and why I have considered it worthwhile of study (largely because there has been no definitive study).

We briefly considered what ‘propaganda’ and ‘poster’ meant, the inter-war development of market research techniques/social surveys, including Mass-Observation, and use that Government made of it. We considered the organisation that produced many of the posters, the Ministry of Information.

We then had a heavily illustrated selection of case studies, covering:

  • The first posters produced by the MOI
  • International influences upon posters
  • The direct appeal in posters
  • Images for, and of, women in posters

This was then followed by more illustrations demonstrating some of my efforts to date posters, and some of the reasons for, and techniques of propaganda. This was then followd by questions and a discussion.

Feedback:

“In June, Rebecca Lewis spoke to us on the subject of British Homefront Posters of WW2. Rebecca is very knowledgeable about her subject and spoke not only on the design of the posters but also on the political motivations behind them. The talk was illustrated by a large number of slides and we certainly came away with a better understanding of the subject.”

Ian Bayley, The 1940s Society

Filed Under Public Talk, second world war Tagged With 1940s Society, posters, Public Talk
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