You Know More Than Other People
A text-only poster in black, red and blue tells the reader they are 'in a position of trust' and that careless words 'will help the enemy and cost us lives'. The cost-in-lives warning is the fear appeal; the 'position of trust' flattery is the virtue-word framing.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- H.M. Stationery Office (printer Greycaine Ltd., Watford and London)
- 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
- Security and surveillance, War and the military
- 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
- Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
British government poster, printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Greycaine Ltd., Watford and London. National Archives and Records Administration, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44266570, 44-PF-201).
Text on the object
YOU KNOW MORE THAN OTHER PEOPLE You are in a position of trust. Don't let the fighting forces down. A few careless words may give something away that will help the enemy and cost us lives. Above all be careful what you say to strangers and in public. Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Greycaine Ltd., Watford and London. T 51-6502.
