The outbreak of war in 1939 led to new design opportunities for the Post Office. At a time of national emergency, posters were commissioned that communicated how staff and customers could contribute to the war effort.

Posters promoting the Post Office Savings Bank during the early years of the war were initially aimed at allaying public fears that savings would be safer in banks. Reference is often made to the events of war. The incorporation of war photography conveys something of the immediacy of the action.

Telephone and telegraph services were put under pressure as mobilisation affected staffing levels. These lines of communication were also vital for operational activities. Posters were designed to encourage the public to plan in advance by sending a letter rather than congesting these lines.

The circumstances of war provided a context for the development of graphic communication in Britain, with émigré artists from mainland Europe playing a central role. Hans Schlegar (Zero) and F K Henrion were among those who shifted the emphasis from commercial art to graphic design at this time.