Here lies a good idea: Don't let your idea die, put it in the suggestion box today
War-plant suggestion poster: a cartoon graveyard with a headstone reading 'Here lies a good idea' and a tilted slab urging workers to put ideas in the suggestion box, which is labelled 'Ideas for Victory, win $5 to $250'. The technique is mild: loss is framed as a grave, with a prize offered as the alternative.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Government (issuer not printed; artist Carlson, War Times)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Mixed
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Labor, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- 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 Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Government (issuer not printed; artist Carlson, War Times). National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-975 (NAID 514482).
Text on the object
HERE LIES A GOOD IDEA [small headstone:] IDEAS DON'T LET YOUR IDEA DIE PUT IT IN THE SUGGESTION BOX TODAY [box:] IDEAS for VICTORY WIN $5.00 TO $250.00 [signature:] CARLSON - WAR TIMES [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-599877
