“If Day” Milk Bottle Cap

June 24th, 2009

Design:
Client: Victory Loan Campaign
Date: 1942

A very rare item from the Canadian home front efforts of the war years. The “If Day” was a large-scale propaganda effort held on February 19, 1942 to help people understand what the war was about, and what their city would be like if the Nazis won the conflict across the pond. Part of the campaign was this milk bottle cap, distributed around the city and apparently only issued on the one day. In the simulation, Faux “German” troops seized control of Winnipeg, they arrested and imprisoned the mayor and other government officials, tore up newspapers and other media, rationed food, soap and milk, and created waves of other mayhem. Obviously, pale in comparison to the actual affair but it was still very effective in building public awareness.

What a little time capsule and a bizarre material memory of a difficult time in Canadian life. It is amazing how much story a 1.5″ little piece of cardboard can tell.

-Todd Falkowsky

Read more about the “If Day” here.

Entry Filed under: Advertising,Miscellaneous