#47: Punny Propaganda

During WWII, Japan produced anti-British propaganda posters that featured a clever visual pun. These posters depicted the face of Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister at the time, with the initials “W.C.” beneath it. While “W.C.” humorously referred to the initials of Winston Churchill’s name, it also had a dual meaning, as “W.C.” is a common abbreviation for water closet, a term used for toilets.

This clever play on words aimed to diminish Churchill’s reputation and portray him in a less flattering light, using humor as a propaganda tool during a tumultuous period in history. It’s interesting to see that this type of cheap propaganda started way before social media was a thing!