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How World War I Was Sold to the American Public
The U.S. launched a major marketing campaign to get American citizens to support the war effort
President Woodrow Wilson was committed to American neutrality when World War I (called the Great War at the time) first started. Wilson even employed the campaign slogan, “He Kept Us Out of War” when he was re-elected for a second term. However, when German submarines attacked American vessels and Germany attempted to cajole Mexico into becoming its war ally, the United States entered the war in April 1917.
The Committee on Public Information
As soon as America became engaged in the Great War, the “Committee on Public Information” (CPI) was formed by the federal government to brand the war in a positive light, spread patriotic propaganda and drum up support across the country. The CPI, headed by journalist and Wilson associate George Creel, reported directly to Wilson and consisted of notable writers and artists of the era. Sometimes called “Creel’s Committee,” the CPI marshaled the forces of both government and private industry to create the most pervasive, sophisticated American brand marketing campaign to date.
Employing every medium available, along with the extensive use of talks, speeches and elaborate…
