Stetson - Let's Bring Him Home Quicker

This striking WWII propaganda poster, “Let’s bring him home quicker – Keep it under your Stetson”, illustrates the deep emotional stakes of the American home front. A serviceman, just returned, joyfully lifts his infant child as his wife looks on with adoration, framed by a comfortable domestic interior. The intimate scene is meant to remind viewers of what is truly at risk—and what loose words could jeopardize. The message is reinforced with the admonition: “Loose talk lengthens the war – Keep it under your STETSON.”During the Second World War, Stetson—long established as America’s premier hatmaker—placed its advertising resources in service of the national cause. Rather than simply promoting their products, the company produced a series of powerful posters that linked their brand name with patriotism, discretion, and civic duty. The slogan “Keep it under your Stetson” cleverly combined the company’s iconic hats with the urgent need for silence about troop movements, military production, and other sensitive information. Stetson’s campaign stood alongside the broader U.S. government efforts to eliminate “careless talk,” a nationwide program that warned Americans against gossip and unguarded conversation that might aid the enemy. Popular phrases such as “Loose lips sink ships” and Stetson’s variation became cultural touchstones of the era, repeated on posters, in magazines, and even in Hollywood films.The artist, John Gannam (1907–1965), was an accomplished American illustrator whose work graced the pages of Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and other major magazines. His style—warm, human, and emotionally accessible—made him an ideal choice for wartime posters aimed at the general public. Gannam’s skill in depicting family intimacy heightened the impact of Stetson’s message: that silence on the home front would help bring fathers, sons, and husbands home sooner.This is an Original Vintage Poster, it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.