The Rise and Resurgence of 'Keep Calm and Carry On'

In today's fast-paced world where social media reigns supreme, it is not uncommon to come across memes, GIFs, t-shirts, mugs - in fact, anything imaginable - featuring the now iconic phrase: 'Keep Calm and '. But have you ever wondered where this ubiquitous slogan actually originated from? The answer lies deep within British history, specifically during World War II.

'Keep Calm and Carry On': A Poster Born Out of Necessity

The story begins in 1939 when the United Kingdom was bracing itself for a potential German invasion. As part of Britain's war effort, the Ministry of Information commissioned various posters to be created with messages designed to boost morale among the civilian population. One such poster featured three simple yet powerful words: 'Keep Calm and Carry On'.

The purpose behind this particular poster is revealing - its creators hoped that in times of extreme crisis, when faced with imminent danger or destruction, Britons would remain calm and carry on as usual rather than succumb to panic. Little did anyone know at the time just how prescient these words would prove to be.

A Post-War Forgotten relic

Fast forward 70 years and it seemed almost certain that this poster - like so many others from World War II - would have been consigned to history's dustbin forever. That was until a chance discovery by the owners of Barter Books in 2001 changed everything.

The bookshop, located in the historic town of Alnwick in Northumberland, had acquired an extensive collection of old books and memorabilia from various sources over the years. Among these items were numerous World War II posters - including 'Keep Calm and Carry On'.

Initially dismissed as mere historical relics with little monetary or cultural value, fate was about to intervene once again.

The Birth of a Phenomenon

In 2002, two friends - Rob Case and Nicky Weller - stumbled upon the poster while browsing through Barter Books. Recognizing its potential as an alternative fashion accessory (long before it became all the rage), they decided to reproduce several hundred copies themselves.

However, it wasn't until January 2008 that things really started taking off when someone on the popular social networking site Myspace came across a scanned image of the poster online and uploaded it onto their own profile. The rest - as they say - is history.

Before long, 'Keep Calm' fever had spread like wildfire throughout Britain (and beyond). Suddenly everyone wanted in on this retro chic trend: schools were selling Keep Calm t-shirts; coffee shops were plastering up posters featuring humorous variations ('Keep Calm and Brew On', anyone?); even the Royal Family got involved with Prince William himself being spotted wearing a 'Keep Caloam' baseball cap at Wimbledon.

But why did it resonate so strongly?

Some argue that in these uncertain economic times, people are looking for reassurance - something to hold onto when all seems lost. Others suggest that its simple yet powerful message taps into our collective desire for escapism from the stresses of modern life.

Whatever the reason may be, one thing is certain: 'Keep Calm and Carry On' has become an integral part of British popular culture. And judging by sales figures alone (over £70 million worth of merchandise was sold in 2011 alone), it looks like this World War II poster still has plenty more life left in it yet.

So next time you spot someone sporting a 'Keep Calm'-branded t-shirt or see the words emblazoned across their social media profile picture, remember: sometimes history does indeed repeat itself.

History of keep calm and carry on