Propaganda, symbol systems, and Political campaigns, 2008, (continued)…

Another thing we want to look at in terms of graphic design and political propaganda, especially this year, besides the fonts, is the concept of “symbol systems” and what those have meant in the past, as well as now. We’ll also be linking to some commentators and what they have to say about what they see in the current campaign. We’re also going to look at the concept of “operatives” because that word was used in the Chicago Press relating to people working for Obama when he went up against Alice Palmer.

So, last post we looked at a propaganda poster for the SS. We looked at the font choice which was a strong sans-serif much like Gotham. But what about the symbols? Let’s look at more posters. This time we’ll head over to Russia.

If we scrutinize this from a graphic design standpoint what is going on? Can you spot the symbol systems? First, we’re looking at another example of that harsh, simplistic very graphic style that most propaganda looks like. The “logo” — in this case the hammer and sickle motif of communist Russia is up there on the red flag. Red is often a symbol connected to blood, violence, revolution, action and so forth. The flag represents “uniting” for a cause. The hammer and sickle is a very simple easily recognizable “mark.” Even if we can’t see the whole thing, we know what it is — because in propaganda campaigns this mark will be used over and over again until that symbol is “branded” into people’s brains. What else do you notice about this piece of propaganda? What is happening? What else did the designer want you to notice?

Let’s look at another one —

What is going on in this image? Even if you can’t read the language? Can you see symbols scattered around? Or colors? The numbers refer to time, and there is a red star too. This time we see a flag bearer. It looks like the artist is depicting an old order “bricks” (1945) — into “machines” (1960). We saw the red star before, on the first page of this series on Mao’s hat.

Here is a different view of that first poster —

Okay. There is that red star, lots of red, a crowd and a benevolent looking “leader” type standing in a halo of the rising sun. Same plain graphic style, same “flags” same “red” as the color. What do you think this poster is trying to say to the viewer? Who is the crowd, and what are they doing? Notice, in classic propaganda style, that one liner at the bottom. I can’t read Chinese either, but I don’t have to. Because in a propaganda poster it always is something like the word “Progress” or “We are the chosen ones…” (As long as we obey)…

We had some propaganda posters in the United States once, during the period of World War II.

“Uncle Sam” — you’ve probably seen him around, a time or two…

If we didn’t know what this image was used for in the past, and we couldn’t see that sentence that we can read, what does it look like the poster is wanting? A propaganda poster is always trying to convey a message to the viewer. By the eyes and gestures. Keep that in mind.

The Nazi’s used a lot of propaganda in their day. We don’t have to go back into that terrible page of history, but I’ve made a link to a page where there are more posters to look at, as well as a bit of the ideology behind Hitler’s manifesto.

Because ever since WWII the free world has been on the alert for signs of this ever happening again. And so we are also on the alert for any type of propaganda as well. Especially in political campaigns. And especially here in America.

Goebbels was responsible for orchestrating the propaganda. You could say he was kind of like a campaign manager or public relations manager for Hitler.

Whenever we see a leader who likes to see themselves like this:

It sends up a RED FLAG WARNING to the Western World. At the bottom, we see the classic one liner of a propaganda campaign. I don’t speak German either, but what this translates to is something like “One People, One Empire, One Leader.”

Got that? Keep that in mind too.

Here is another kind of propaganda poster from WWII. Can you tell what the artist is trying to say in this one? Look at what you see. This is a classic kind of “fear building” or censorship-style propaganda ad. Notice the only word. Propaganda always uses the simplest of slogans, usually so that people (the proletariat) can “get it.”

Suppose you saw something like this plastered all over the walls of buildings in your city?

What sort of message do you think a poster like this sends, to a neighborhood, or a group of people? Is there anything scary about this poster to you? When we look at the colors this artist used what do they tell you about the “mood” of the times. How about the font? This poster also has something being used subliminally in it. Can you see it? Maybe not at the first glance, but the second time?

Continuing right along.., (and this is being written for people who might not know this stuff!)

Stay tuned…