Everywhere I go there is some form or variation of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster, so I have done a little digging and thanks to my trusty companion Wikipedia, have come up with some history behind the iconic artwork:
Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of World War II, intended to raise the morale of the British public under the threat of impending invasion. It was little known and never used. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private sector companies, and used as the decorative theme for a range of other products. There are only two known surviving examples of the poster outside of government archives… Two-and-a-half million copies were printed, although the poster was distributed only in limited numbers. The designer of the poster is not known. (Wikipedia)
Since Crown Copyright expires on creative works by the UK government after 50 years, the image is now in the public domain and has inspired knock-offs and parodies galore, as well as various ranges of clothing, mugs, doormats, baby clothes and other merchandise.
Some of my favourite Keep Calm… adaptations below, enjoy x
(by Alan Ivester Spach)
Lots more Keep Calm… merchandise for sale here: http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/
