Keep Calm And Carry On Poster

Keep Calm and Carry On – A Brief History

Have you seen the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ themed merchandise that is around? It is hard to miss, despite its simple white text on a red background with a crown at the top.

This slogan has become very popular over the last decade or so, but what most people don’t know is that it can trace its roots back through history and right to the beginning of World War II.

Origins in Wartime

Back in 1939, World War II was just beginning and in Britain the Ministry of Information assumed that many would soon become demoralized after the first few weeks of the war.

As such, the government decided to come up with posters that were meant to boost morale and rally the British to the war effort. That is what led to the creation of the first Keep Calm and Carry On posters.

Truth be told, the Keep Calm and Carry On slogan was actually the third and final one to be used. Before it was published, two others had already been printed and distributed - ‘Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory’ and ‘Freedom in Peril’.

Both of these initial campaigns were widespread, and in fact over 800,000 copies of the ‘Your Courage…’ poster were distributed.

However for various reasons the Keep Calm and Carry On posters were never used. Instead, most of the two and a half million copies that were printed were stored in archives, and only a handful actually made it out into the public view.

Bearing that in mind, it may seem surprising that this slogan is ever so popular nowadays, and the truth is that its newfound popularity started almost entirely by accident.

Rediscovery and Modern Popularity

Over 60 years after it was created, a copy of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster was unearthed in a second-hand bookshop named Barter Books in Alnwick, Northumberland.

Customers begun to ask for copies to be made of this poster, and since the Crown Copyright no longer applies to any works created by the UK government that date back over 50 years – the owners of Barter Books were able to comply.

Soon enough, they along with people from across the world began using this slogan on a wide range of merchandise including coffee mugs, clothes, doormats, mouse pads, t-shirts and so on. Its boom in popularity was initially said to be a bit of nostalgia, but some feel that it could even apply to modern day challenges such as recession and financial problems.

For whatever reason, this slogan has certainly struck a chord in this day and age, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be waning in the slightest.

Although simple, the elegance of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster lies in how it is able to put forth its message with no bells and whistles. While World War II may be over, people still face challenges in their everyday lives and this slogan is a reminder to persevere.

Check out some of the best Keep Calm and Carry On products around, right here in our store.