You Can Use Advertising for Anything

Where: American History Museum

When: closing February 6, 2019

The American History Museum has large glass-fronted cabinets in the middle of the first floor, as you enter the building from Constitution Avenue.  They contain small displays of objects that change from time to time.  I think of them as giving you a "flavor" of the museum.  Right now, the Smithsonian is winding up its shows on World War I, which ended 100 years ago last November.  "Advertising War" tells the story of how Americans, who had a strongly hands-off view of the European conflict, were convinced to enter WWI.

Propaganda learned from commercial advertising - you play on people's emotions and tell them what to do.  Works for soap; works for war.  Enemies were depicted as dark and ape-like, preying on vulnerable light-skinned women.  Interestingly enough, women were also depicted as strong workers who could contribute to the war effort.  So they could take over the farm, but had to be protected from danger.  Who says advertising has to be consistent?

Verdict: Give this a glance if you're at American History in the next few days - we can all use a reminder to turn a skeptical eye towards those who want to sell us something.