OUGD401 TASK 1 IMAGE ANALYSIS

In this task we were asked to compare and contrast the two images below, thinking about the choice and organisation of the font and style of illustration, the purpose and meaning of the image, the potential audience of the image, and the social and historical contexts relevant to the production of the image. We were asked to complete this in small groups, and then later shared our findings with all the other groups.

Image 1. The Uncle Sam Range (1876) Advertising Image by Schumacher & Ettlinger, New York.

Image 2. Poster by Savile Lumley (1915)

Image 1 is very surreal, with the earth sitting at the dinner table, which suggests fantasy or an imagination of somebody. However image 2 is a lot more realistic, something that would happen in everyday life, nothing out of the ordinary. This makes it seem a lot more truthful and believable. 

Image 1 is actually an advertisement for The Uncle Sam Range of cookers, where you can see the cooker just in the corner, whereas usually if a company was trying to promote their product, they would have it centre stage, so that it's obvious what is being advertised. Uncle Sam in this image is the centre of attention, being in the middle of the image, although that isn't directly what the image is advertising to people to buy. Uncle Sam is the personification of America, and is showing off the food coming out the cooker to his guests. This suggests that if you buy this cooker, you don't only get the cooker, but you also get all the things showcased in this image, you will achieve the American Dream, going from rags to riches. It also suggests that this is an amazing cooker than has conquered the world, as the world has come to dinner, which is emphasised by the food bill running off the table with lists of countries on it and what they've had to eat. It is using the American propaganda to sell this cooker.

This is similar to the second image, as it is using the British propaganda to guilt people into joining the army to fight for their country in the first world war. It does this by the text at the bottom of the poster. It appear as though the little girl is asking her Dad what he did in the Great War, so it sounds sweet and innocent. This is emphasised by the script style font that has been used. Although this may at first sound like the little girl is addressing only the Dad, in the caption "YOU" is capitalised and underlined, which suggests although the girl is addressing her Dad, really she's asking everyone reading the poster what they did in the Great War, and if they aren't doing anything, this makes them feel guilty and want to help, even more so as it's coming from a sweet girl rather than a commanding officer.

Image 2 is targeted at men of the lower class, as the upper or middle class would never join the army as they have too much pride and dignity. Image 1 similarly is also targeted at men, however more of the upper/middle classes, and the lower class would never be able to afford such a grand cooker. It is targeted at men because of Uncle Sam being the centre of attention, a male figure of superiority, and it's the men's job to be the centre and the leader of the family.

These two images both have similar and contrasting features, although the main similarity being that they use their countries propaganda to get the public to do something that they want them too, to sell them on something. However a major difference between the two is that image 1 uses American propaganda and image 2 uses British propaganda, this is shown how in image 1 the colour theme is very similar to the American flag colours, and also Uncle Sam, the personification of America is there central to the image. In image 2 it is less clear, however it is evident in how the little boy is playing with toy soldiers dressed in the Queen's Royal Guards uniform. It is also shown by the red roses print on the curtains, with roses being the symbol of England. Both are very interesting and powerful images.