For the last few years we have been deluged with "KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON" merchandise. We have also been seen an incredible amount of variations of the slogan. I have to admit I liked it. I thought it was a great way to remember that our times and circumstances are not nearly as dire as we think they are. Then I found out that this now ubiquitous poster was never actually used!
It was designed by an anonymous civil servant working at the British Ministry of Information in 1939, several months before World War II started. The British government predicted massive air attacks, which would destroy public morale. The poster was distributed in limited numbers, even though over 2,500,000 copies were printed. The campaign was considered a resounding failure and the majority of copies were destroyed.
Fast forward to the year 2000 when two book store owners, Stuart and Mary Manley of Barter Books Ltd. in Alnwick, Nothumberland were looking through a box of books they bought at an auction. Stuart discovered one of the original "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters. They liked it so much they had it framed and hung it up by their cash register. Turns out, everyone else liked it too. They produced and sold copies for their customers and other companies picked up on this and it is now this incredible phenomenon. Here is a link to the Barter Books website, which has a good, short video about the sign. http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/
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| British WWII propaganda posters |
It was designed by an anonymous civil servant working at the British Ministry of Information in 1939, several months before World War II started. The British government predicted massive air attacks, which would destroy public morale. The poster was distributed in limited numbers, even though over 2,500,000 copies were printed. The campaign was considered a resounding failure and the majority of copies were destroyed.
Fast forward to the year 2000 when two book store owners, Stuart and Mary Manley of Barter Books Ltd. in Alnwick, Nothumberland were looking through a box of books they bought at an auction. Stuart discovered one of the original "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters. They liked it so much they had it framed and hung it up by their cash register. Turns out, everyone else liked it too. They produced and sold copies for their customers and other companies picked up on this and it is now this incredible phenomenon. Here is a link to the Barter Books website, which has a good, short video about the sign. http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/ 