Red Cross

I get a kick out of vintage posters because of their lack of subtlety. Marketing used to be so honest.

Join the American Red Cross because it's a patriotic thing to do. Three colors comprise this poster. The woman is wearing the shades of red, white, and blue found on the American flag. Also, the shade of red on the cross is emphasized. After viewing this poster, the viewer is supposed to see an implied blue whenever they see a the red cross symbol.

Another use of blue is in the background. This muted blue contains a scene of particular tragedy. Women and children are in a flooded neighborhood. When I see this, I feel guilty that there are Americans living in such awful conditions.

Overall, there is good contrast between the bright and then muted colors. Size is contrasted as well between the subjects in the foreground and background. Colors are repeated. There is a neat and consistent center alignment. Proximity is considered. The woman and text are popped forward from the background.

Overall this poster is very effective. I would like to go back in time and see if this poster was as equally effective in its time.