Propaganda, Placement and Persuasion

There's a relatively new billboard that I pass by almost daily. Its colors are washed out, the style is reminiscent of the 1930s WPA (Works Progress Adminstration) government posters and government-sponsored artwork. Apparently it resonates with the public, because Verizon Mobile has launched a new graphic, titled Rule the Air in a style that could be mistaken for WPA art.

Both ad campaigns disturb me in their simplicity and ties to another era, an era of desperation, cemented by a determination that only the federal government could provide the solution.