Stop loose talk to strangers: enemy ears are alert
Distiller-sponsored security poster: a large white hand is held up like a stop signal against a blue brush-shape, under a red 'STOP' and the words 'LOOSE TALK to STRANGERS' and 'enemy ears are alert' on black. The hand is the command and the claim that enemy ears are listening is the fear-appeal.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- House of Seagram (Seagram-Distillers Corp., N.Y.C.); Essargee (artist)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- 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)
House of Seagram. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1817 (NAID 515497).
Text on the object
STOP LOOSE TALK to STRANGERS enemy ears are alert THIS POSTER IS PUBLISHED BY THE HOUSE OF SEAGRAM AS PART OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATIONAL VICTORY EFFORT [signature:] ESSARGEE [imprint:] SEAGRAM-DISTILLERS CORP., N.Y.C.
