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Half sheet notable British World War II propaganda poster titled "When You Go Out Don't Crow About... The Things You Know About," created by the influential graphic designer Abram Games.
Design and Symbolism
True to Games' personal motto of "maximum meaning, minimum means," the poster uses clever visual puns to deliver a serious message about wartime security:
The Cockerel (Rooster): A literal representation of the idiom "to crow about something," meaning to boast or brag.
The Suit and Medals: The figure wears a pinstripe suit with military medal ribbons, suggesting a civilian who may have access to sensitive information or a service member in plain clothes.
The Comb: In a characteristic Games "visual pun," the rooster's red comb is shaped like a raised hand, signaling "stop".
Historical Context
Designed around 1940–1946 and issued by the War Office, this was part of the "Careless Talk" campaign. Its purpose was to promote wartime vigilance, warning people that seemingly harmless boasting about what they knew could inadvertently leak vital information to the enemy.
Games was the only person to hold the title of Official War Poster Artist during the war, creating over 100 posters for the Army. Today, original lithographs of this design are considered significant pieces of graphic design history and are held in collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum. |
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