Propaganda Poster Analysis

He deconstructed in detail the use of different design techniques in propaganda posters and showed how these techniques communicated ideas effectively. Meggs provided an overview of propaganda posters that happened over different countries, but did not go in depth in the involvement of graphic designers in propaganda. “By the time war was declared in 1939, graphic design had come to play an essential part in political life, particularly at election

Steven Heller, in the book of Iron Fists: Branding the 20th Century Totalitarian State, brought a graphic designer’s perspective into the picture. He examined extensively four significant case studies of the totalitarian regimes, namely the Nazis, Italian Fascists, Soviet communists and Communist Chinese, in the 20th century.

Heller explored how graphic designers express power, propagate ideas and idealogy and use imagery to suppress other thoughts. He also points out how mediums within the visual systems of these totalitarian regimes, together with graphical elements such as symbols, typefaces, logos and colours were used to good effect. Heller proved that the role of a graphic designer was vital, by combining the right graphical elements to produce an impactful propaganda poster. Standard manuals, typesetting guide and graphic arts handbook were developed to show in detail the Nazi design strategies. The significance the Nazis placed on graphic design was

Every image created has an effect. The designers of the Nazis, Fascists and Communists all worked towards a goal, towards an end. Thus I feel that there is a social responsibility for graphic designers.

In the book “Do Good Design” written by David Berman recognises the social responsibility of designers as they create the world we live in. He suggested that the designer subconciously have the power to change the world through their designs.

Generally throughout research materials, books and journal articles, writers only place focus on the propaganda that happened in Germany, Italy, Soviet Union, China, United States, United Kingdom and occasionally the civil war in Spain. One may perhaps question why the Empire of Japan, being heavily involved in the World War II, was left out. Germany, Italy and Japan were together, the axis powers that fought against the allied powers in World War II. The Japanese had diverse forms of propaganda, produced by many different designers to advocate the war