TOW #2- Rosie the Riveter

 The embodiment of Americans wartime propaganda, “Rosie the Riveter” was the star of the government campaign aimed at recruiting female workers for the military industry. Maybe the most iconic image of workingwomen during the war, the cartoon was initially drawn by Saturday Evening Post cover artist, Norman Rockwell, but would later be redrawn with the phrase “We Can Do It” in 1942 by Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller. Hired by the Westinghouse Company’s War Production Coordinating Committee, he was assigned to create a series of posters for the war effort. The munitions and aviation industry heavily needed to recruited women workers, and used “Rosie the Riveter” propaganda campaign to dramatically increase their employment rates.

Based in small part on a real-life munitions worker, but primarily a fictitious character, the strong, yet feminine bandanna-clad Rosie was an example to women during the era. Contrary to what most people would believe a factory worker to look like, Rosie was both tough, and attractive; she had piercing blue eyes, clean attire, sculpted features, and manicured hands. By portraying her as both feminine and yet independent, she embodied the ideal American women. The bright background and the blush cheeks made the poster stand out and created a sense of energy. This use of vibrant imagery combined with Rosie’s ideal physique made the audience want to be her, and lead to the belief that by joining the munitions workforce, they themselves would become as equally beautiful and powerful as Rosie was.

The advertisement also coined the phrase, “We Can Do It!” The use of the word “We” along with Rosie’s direct eye contact established a connection between both her and her audience. It’s as if she is essentially saying that only together, we as a country can accomplish this task. This call to arms also implies that those who are not currently helping are not fulfilling their patriotic duty.

All in all, The Rosie the Riveter campaign stressed the patriotic need for women to enter the work force. Like most successful propaganda, Miller effectively used the ideas of imagery and inclusion to reach out to women in a time of uncertainty.