Title:

Man Made Killer

Creator:

The World Health Organization

Date:

[1980s]

Description:

This poster was created by the World Health Organization, which first took a public position against smoking in the 1970s and subsequently helped countries develop a national plan of action against smoking worldwide. The contrast between the black and white photograph and the color background in this poster reflects the contradictory meanings conveyed by image and text. The poster uses phrasing to challenge the cultural meaning conveyed by the act of smoking. The image of an anonymous and partially lit face in profile, with a hand holding a cigarette up to the lips, evokes the allure and slightly illicit sexiness frequently associated with cigarette smoking in advertising and film. Meanwhile, the bold red lettering expresses an opposite message--that cigarettes are man made killers. There is also a unifying message between image and text, tied to a common theme in commercial advertising: consumer choice. The poster tells the viewer that they can escape the fate tied to the behavior depicted.. NOTE: Slide of original poster image is blurry.

Publisher:

The World Health Organization

Original Repository:

The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection

Rights:

Reproduced with permission of the World Health Organization.

Genre:

Posters
Slides (photographs)

Subject:

Smoking Cessation, Smoking, and Public Health

Format:

Still Image

Extent:

1 pages

Language:

English

Legacy Source Citation:

Original Repository. History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection. 11611. Free Text. This image may also be accessed from the Images from the History of Medicine (IHM).. URL. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/ihm/. IHM Order Number. A024962

Legacy ID:

VCBBDW

NLM ID:

101584655X56

Profiles Collection:

Visual Culture and Health Posters

Shareable Link:

https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/101584655X56

Story Section:

Anti-Smoking Campaigns