fig. 7
fig. 8
Keep Calm
“Keep Calm and Carry On” was a British moti-
vational poster created in 1939 right before
World War 2. (Fig. 12) Most of the posters
were never displayed until it was rediscovered
in 2000. The poster reflects the British men-
tality of “stiff upper-lip” meaning to continue
with life regardless of how it may change. The
format of the poster has become a meme, ris-
ing to the height of it’s popularity in 2012.
Most of the memes follow the phrasing of
“Keep Calm and” followed by any action from
a reference to a show, such as “Keep Calm
and Don’t Blink” in reference to the show
Doctor Who. The format has been widely pro-
liferated in merchandise from shirts to post-
ers to everything in between. (Fig. 9-11)
fig. 9
fig. 10
fig. 11
fig. 12
The Meme Textbook | 7