Heat Plays Havoc With Shoe Leather
A drawing of shoes crossed out with red and black Xs beside a stove, under the headline 'Heat plays havoc with shoe leather', above photographs and a list of shoe-care rules. This is an instructional poster; the only persuasive device is the staged damage in the headline and crossed-out shoes, set against a single prescribed remedy (dry shoes away from heat, polish well in), which is the mild fear-appeal pattern.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Board of Trade (printed for HMSO by W. R. Royle & Son Ltd.)
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- 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
- UK Crown copyright, published 1939-1945, expired; held by NARA, Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
Board of Trade (printed for HMSO by W. R. Royle & Son Ltd.). National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-209.
Text on the object
Heat plays HAVOC with shoe leather Wipe wet shoes and lay them on their sides to dry in an airy place AWAY FROM DIRECT HEAT CLEAN REGULARLY RUB POLISH WELL IN to prevent cracking Always remove mud from heavy work boots and dubbin both soles and uppers. Rundown heels throw shoes out of balance. Have them mended in time. Take the advice of your repairer. Never let wooden soled shoes wear down to the wood. Wear shoes on alternate days—this rests the leather. Keep shoes on shoe trees—but never put trees in wet shoes or they will stretch—stuff them with paper instead. Keep goloshes and rubber boots in a cool dark place. Remember sunlight, grease, soap and petrol all help to perish rubber. New or newly repaired shoes should be worn first on a dry day. [imprint:] ISSUED BY THE BOARD OF TRADE B.O.T. 1008 PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY W. R. ROYLE & SON, LTD., 51-3771
