My Poster

This poster would fit right in during the early 20th century because of its colour, symbols, logos and text. The colour of this poster is essential in its success. Its a bright yellow/gold that looks very attractive. There is a bright blue sky and red writing all included on this poster. This poster also has some major symbols. The reason the poster is only wheat is to show the golden success of farming in the West. The blue sky is a good image also as it has some clouds that promise rain. The initial text is very catchy: "A Golden Yield In Every Field". It is in yellow letters outlined with black to make it stand out and easily read. The poster also promises free land, and the acreage is specified below.

Context to the Posters

Canada, during the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th welcomed more immigrants than ever before, to settle the prairies. Free homestead lands could make the Canadian West very appealing for Americans and Europeans...if Canada could play it right. Laurier, Canada's Prime Minister, put Clifford Sifton in charge of immigration. So, how do you get people to immigrate to Canada? One word: Advertising...and maybe a bit of false-advertising too. They used millions of pamphlets, newspaper ads, public lectures, and free trips to people who would encourage settlement in Canada to advertise.

Analyzing a Poster for Canada West

The Poster I will be analyzing



This poster is very rich in colour, symbols, images, slogans and text. There is reasons why it was made this way and I will explain some of the major elements.

One of the first thing that you notice of an advertisement is the colors. This poster is no exception, the yellow makes it very attractive. There is a bright blue sky, a golden wheat field, and some green grass in the background. This makes it a really appealing place to live because of the beauty.

There are also lots of symbols and images in this poster. For instance, the lush colors and clouds in the sky, symbolize fruitfulness and fertility. All of this lush farming also points toward an abundance of resources. Something peculiar about this poster is that there are quite a few trees which is innacurate because these plains were usually treeless. There is a man looking at the poster in the poster and shows that this land is perfect for a man.

The final thing to look at is the slogans and textual information. In big letters behind the man it reads: "It's mine!" which once again is advertising directly to men who want to farm and have a succesful family. It also says: "The Right Land For the Right Man: Canada" This is the third slogan/image that is advertised for men. Finally it tells of the CPR being "the right way" in which CPR also gets some advertising.

This poster may look very attractive and promises success in a new life, but sadly this is mostly fiction and there is little truth in advertising. For instance there are no posters showing the frigid winter that happens every year. Also, there is no mention of hail or drought that  can destroy your crops. You can't believe everything you see and hear, and this is no exception. Many people came to Canada West not knowing what to expect and ended up as a complete failure...barely making it out alive