Now! Is the time to investigate the opportunities offered by enlistment in the United States Navy

Navy recruiting poster: a painting of the cruiser U.S.S. Philadelphia at sea, above 'now!' in red and a line inviting readers to investigate the opportunities of enlistment. The technique is glittering generalities, since 'opportunities' is left unspecified, with some transfer from the ship's image to service life. A blank panel at the foot was left for a local recruiting address.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Glittering generalities Transfer

Date: 1940
Period: Second World War
Made by: U.S. Navy (painting by Matt Murphy)
Region: North America
Country: United States
Medium: Poster
Issuer type: Military
Regime: Roosevelt Administration
Leader: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Audience: Domestic public
Purpose: Recruit
Theme: War and the military
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. Navy. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1427 (NAID 515090).

Text on the object

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

U. S. S. PHILADELPHIA
[signature: Matt Murphy USN]
now!
Is the time to investigate
the opportunities offered
by enlistment in the
UNITED STATES NAVY
[blank panel]
[imprint: NRB—27590—5-20-40—10M.]