Visual Culture and Health Posters

Title:: "We All Share the Same Air" [Environmental Health]

(high resolution jpg) High resolution version (5,872,829 Bytes)

Description:

This 1977 poster illustrates two common techniques in public health advertisements: 1) using a simple photograph of a child to appeal to the adult viewer's sense of accountability; and 2) changing the photograph and content of the poster while preserving the basic style and layout, frequently in an attempt to make a connection with different segments of the viewing population. Without reading the text, this poster featuring a photograph of a smiling child might address any number of topics. This is part of the attempt to catch the interest of viewers and encourage them to read the text. The message in the headline introduces the issue of air pollution and speaks to the viewer in first person plural in order to create the sense that "we're all in this together." The hopeful smile of the child in the poster is combined with the expectation of compliance in the text. While the headline "We all share the same air" could reflect a message of general accountability, the caption beneath the photograph targets the smoker by thanking them "for not smoking." Even here, however, the language is suggestive and encouraging rather than domineering or condescending.

Number of Image Pages:

1 (702,809 Bytes)

Date:

1977

Creator:

American Lung Association

Source:

Original Repository: The History of Medicine Division. Prints and Photographs Collection.

This image may also be accessed from the Images from the History of Medicine (IHM).

URL: http://wwwihm.nlm.nih.gov/

IHM Order Number: A024938

Publisher:

American Lung Association

Rights:

Reprinted with permission c2003 American Lung Association. For more information on how you can support to fight lung disease, the third leading cause of death in the U.S., please contact the American Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or logon to the Web site at:

URL: http://www.lungusa.org/

Subject:

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH):: Air Pollution; Public Health

Visual Culture and Public Health Keywords:: Air Pollution

Exhibit Category:

Environmental Health

Relation:

Let's Fight Air Pollution (1977)

"We All Share the Same Air" [Anti-Smoking Campaigns] (1977)

Unique Identifier:

VCBBDB

Document Type:

Posters

Slides (photographs)

Language:

English

Format:

image/jpeg

image/tif

Physical Condition:

Good

Metadata Last Modified Date:

2007-03-23

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