Contextual & Theoretical

The Uncle Sam Range

1876

Schumacher & Ettlinger

This piece is an advertisement trying to sell the "Uncle Sam Range", i.e.. the oven in the corner. It is a heavily cluttered image with a lot of patriotic western references within it. For example, the eagle (USA's superpower bird), the western inspired font and the inclusion of stars and stripes within the decoration of the room and the characters clothes themselves. It marks the 100th anniversary of the US's independence and progression. This is evidentual through small details in the image for example the two years used on the clock and the list showing different foods from other countries almost mocking the stereotypes of the rest of the world. For it's time, ironically the advert seems to be aimed at America's patriotic men due to the message of power and success the advert conveys as a result of buying the "Uncle Sam Range". The oven is pushed into the corner with not even a full picture of it. It seems they are advertising the concept and image gained when owning the oven rather than the oven itself.

Saville Lumley

1915

With it's culinary font and emphasis of "you" with capitals and underline the Propaganda poster automatically addresses to the audience as individuals. It is aimed at men under the conscription act during the "Great War" when the demands of the war had been severly underestimated, "Over by Christmas". Perhaps middle class men in denial of the war.

The message it tries to give across is the fact that if they were to sign up they would be immediately idolised and go down in history as a hero in the "great war". This is given across by the masculine feel given across and merely the fact that the child is playing with soldiers from history himself. The poster is glamorizing the image of a soldier.

Both the poster and he advertisement give a domestic feel across. They both involve a lot of patriotic imagery involving the curtain pattern of roses referring to the English flower, and the US inspired flooring and clothing in the advertisement. Finally they are both trying to convey an image that you would gain or follow by either buying into the object in the advert or the image you would be making for yourself by signing up.