Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
If You Don't Need It... Don't Buy It, 1941 Canada poster: A large smiling white elephant wearing a 'For Sale' tag is admired

If You Don't Need It... Don't Buy It

A large smiling white elephant wearing a 'For Sale' tag is admired by a small couple, under the words 'If you don't need it... Don't buy it'. The 'white elephant' idiom for a costly useless possession is attached to unneeded purchases, and the couple's size shows the temptation.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Transfer
Date
1941
Period
Second World War
Made by
Director of Public Information, under authority of Hon. J. T. Thorson, Minister of National War Services, Ottawa; artist McLaren
Region
North America
Country
Canada
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Mackenzie King Government
Leader
William Lyon Mackenzie King
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Mobilize or secure compliance
Themes
Home front, Economy and finance
Event
World War II
Source
Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
Source
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights
Public domain (Canadian Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired; no URAA restoration)
Director of Public Information, Department of National War Services, Ottawa, 1941-1942; artist Alex McLaren. U.S. National Archives, RG 44.

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

If you don't need it...

FOR SALE

DON'T BUY IT

ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION, UNDER AUTHORITY OF HON. J. T. THORSON, MINISTER OF NATIONAL WAR SERVICES, OTTAWA
EC-1
Printed in Canada

[signature in the picture:] McLaren

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