Vintage 1940 Elliott Service Co. Capitalist Workplace Propaganda Poster "Look! Think! Act!"

Item Description

Original vintage workplace propaganda poster measuring approximately 17 inches by 22 inches, published in 1940 by the Elliott Service Co. of New York.

This striking piece features a bold two-color graphic design utilizing teal green and vibrant orange. It depicts an oversized hand clutching and dropping cascading coins, accented by bold directive arrows and text that reads: "LOOK! What kinds of waste are there on your job RIGHT NOW? THINK! What are you doing to prevent them RIGHT NOW? ACT!"

The poster is an authentic piece of mid-century American industrial ephemera, complete with original printer text along the bottom margin ("Copyright 1940 Elliott Service Co., Inc., 219 East 44th Street, New York."). It exhibits age-appropriate toning, minor edge wear, and character true to its history, making it an exceptional display piece for collectors of mid-century graphic design, labor history, and vintage propaganda.

Maker Bio: Elliott Service Co.

Founded in the early 20th century and based in New York City, the Elliott Service Co. was a prominent publisher of professional motivational, educational, and management-control materials. Throughout the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, their distinctive posters adorned the walls of factories, offices, and assembly lines across America. Their publications were designed to boost worker efficiency, encourage safety, reduce waste, and build corporate morale during a transformative era of American industrial output.

Historic Information & Interesting Facts

The Eve of Mobilization: Published in 1940, this poster captures a pivotal transition period in United States history. American manufacturing was rapidly shifting away from Depression-era scarcity and austerity toward the heavy defense production that would fuel the nation's entry into World War II.

Industrial Efficiency and Propaganda: Factory management utilized psychological messaging like "Look, Think, Act" to turn everyday industrial productivity into a civic duty. By framing resource and time management around stopping waste, companies sought to maximize output.

Economical Design: The stark two-color palette (teal and orange) was chosen intentionally. Not only was it visually arresting and impossible to ignore in a loud, busy factory environment, but it was also highly economical to mass-produce during a time when ink and printing resources were tightly budgeted.