The 'Keep Mum She's Not So Dumb!' Poster
- Iconic Second World War home front public information poster from the Ministry of Information's anti-rumour/gossip campaign 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'
- An excellent illustration reproduced in full colour!
A careless talk poster, illustrated with the figure of a blonde-haired woman reclining, and officers from each branch of the Armed Forces about her, with the slogan ‘Keep mum – she's not so dumb!' The slogan was an adaptation of the 1940 campaign, ‘Be Like Dad, Keep Mum', which had so enraged the Labour MP Dr Edith Summerskill.
The campaign was issued in 1942, for the attention of all ranks, with this particular image intended for officers' messes and other places where the commissioned ranks met. At the end of May, Advertiser's Weekly noted that 'sex appea;' had been introduced in the form of a beautiful spy, who they insisted on 'christening Olga Polovsky after the famous song'. In June 1941 they further noted thta, having to make a direct appeal along the lines of 'Cherchez la femme', as a reminder that 'when in the company of a beautiful woman, remember that beauty may conceal brains'. Service personnel seemed particularly ready to disclose their station and line of work.
A careless talk poster, illustrated with the figure of a blonde-haired woman reclining, and officers from each branch of the Armed Forces about her, with the slogan ‘Keep mum – she's not so dumb!' The slogan was an adaptation of the 1940 campaign, ‘Be Like Dad, Keep Mum', which had so enraged the Labour MP Dr Edith Summerskill.
The campaign was issued in 1942, for the attention of all ranks, with this particular image intended for officers' messes and other places where the commissioned ranks met. At the end of May, Advertiser's Weekly noted that 'sex appea;' had been introduced in the form of a beautiful spy, who they insisted on 'christening Olga Polovsky after the famous song'. In June 1941 they further noted thta, having to make a direct appeal along the lines of 'Cherchez la femme', as a reminder that 'when in the company of a beautiful woman, remember that beauty may conceal brains'. Service personnel seemed particularly ready to disclose their station and line of work.
The 'Keep Mum She's Not So Dumb!' Poster
The 'Keep Mum She's Not So Dumb!' Poster
