Cardinal Mercier has appealed to the Food Administration for more food for starving millions. Eat less wheat- meat- fats and sugar. Ship more to the war stricken people of france- Belgium- Italy" poster
The pattern
This still is filed under Civilian war-duty equate.
Define
A civilian act (saving, making, staying quiet) is framed as the same duty as the front.
Mechanism
Moral equate. The small act inherits the gravity of the large one. The ask is ordinary. The meaning is not.
Verdict
We need mass compliance on an unglamorous behavior and can honestly tie it to a shared stake.
Why it works
It uses a specific, respected moral authority figure to personalize the suffering of 'starving millions.' The plea for help comes from someone credible, making the request to eat less feel urgent and morally necessary.
Steal this when
You need to rally support for a humanitarian cause by putting a credible, respected face to the crisis.