Agents of Imperial Propaganda A Multimodal Analysis of the British Empire Marketing Board Poster Campaign أدوات الدعاية اإ

Abstract

Amid the turmoil of post-war economic instability and anti-empire criticism, the British Empire Marketing Board (EMB) was established as part of a larger strategy to consolidate the empire. This paper focuses on the EMBs poster campaign, having received limited scholarly attention so far, and presents a multimodal analysis examining their textual and visual elements aiming to reveal how they were used as agents or tools of imperial propaganda. Applying a multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis on a sample of twenty-three (23) posters, the analysis shows that, in addition to its economic agenda, the EMBs broader marketing strategy was to rationalize, sustain, and promote the empire. Delving into the interplay between imagery, language, and design, the paper also uncovers clear strategies employed by the EMB to push forward and leverage a narrative of imperial progress, abundance, and convenience at the expense of the exploitation and commodification of colonial territories and subjects. This study ultimately highlights the particular role envisaged for the EMB posters in shaping public perception and justifying the continuation of imperial policies, and also showcases how posters, a type of visual media, can be used as tools of propaganda, pushing forward and sustaining broader social, economic, and political agendas