Keep Calm and Carry On [Infographics]

It seems you can step out your front door without seeing the words “Keep Calm and Carry On” on a t-shirt, coffee mug, or poster. Where did this comforting phrase come from and what launched it into the collective consciousness?

The line dates back to a propaganda campaign launched by the British government in World War II, the bold white letters on a red background with the crown were designed for the purpose of boosting morale in case of a German invasion.

The invasion never happened and almost all of the posters were destroyed and the slogan was never distributed among Britain’s war-torn masses.