Bandwagon
Definition:
Bandwagon is a form of propaganda that attempts to persuade people to join a specific cause by giving the impression that others have already joined and are happier for doing so.
Bandwagon is a form of propaganda that attempts to persuade people to join a specific cause by giving the impression that others have already joined and are happier for doing so.
Analysis:
This British propaganda poster clearly depicts bandwagon as the propagandist aims to tell the audience, “Everyone else is in the army. Why aren’t you fighting for your country?” The main slogan, “Everyone should do his bit” states that it is the duty for all citizens to enlist and fight for Great Britain and therefore, citizens should “enlist now.” But what is more striking about this poster is the background. In faint white letters besides the British Army drummer hangs another slogan that reads, “Why aren’t you in Khaki.” (Khaki was the color of the British Army uniforms during the World Wars and was often used to symbolize the army/soldiers in general) In this miniature poster, the propagandist aims to tell the audience that they are the only ones not “in Khaki” and not fighting in the war and therefore, they must enlist. To further emphasize this point, the propagandist also includes a British army drummer and images of different British army soldiers carrying guns over their soldiers on both sides of the drummer’s head. By including pictures of different soldiers, the propagandist aims to show the viewers that everyone, from riflemen to grenadiers, even younger boys as drummers are fighting for the British Army. It is only the audience who isn’t in the Khakis, fighting in the war. Through these background posters, the propagandist attempts to indirectly force the audience to enlist and hop on the bandwagon.
This British propaganda poster clearly depicts bandwagon as the propagandist aims to tell the audience, “Everyone else is in the army. Why aren’t you fighting for your country?” The main slogan, “Everyone should do his bit” states that it is the duty for all citizens to enlist and fight for Great Britain and therefore, citizens should “enlist now.” But what is more striking about this poster is the background. In faint white letters besides the British Army drummer hangs another slogan that reads, “Why aren’t you in Khaki.” (Khaki was the color of the British Army uniforms during the World Wars and was often used to symbolize the army/soldiers in general) In this miniature poster, the propagandist aims to tell the audience that they are the only ones not “in Khaki” and not fighting in the war and therefore, they must enlist. To further emphasize this point, the propagandist also includes a British army drummer and images of different British army soldiers carrying guns over their soldiers on both sides of the drummer’s head. By including pictures of different soldiers, the propagandist aims to show the viewers that everyone, from riflemen to grenadiers, even younger boys as drummers are fighting for the British Army. It is only the audience who isn’t in the Khakis, fighting in the war. Through these background posters, the propagandist attempts to indirectly force the audience to enlist and hop on the bandwagon.