« Diary of a Late Night Designer: Entry One | Main | Be Aware 6 »
I ran across this billboard during a recent trip to north-central Iowa. I don’t think there are words that can describe how I feel about its message or its design, so I present it to you as a “moment of Zen” if you will.
 |
|
 |
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Bad Design is Dangerous:
» When Iowa tries to be hip from OPEN 7 DAYS Links
So wrong, so many levels. Discuss. [Read More]
» More Christian Follies from Cynical-C Blog
No wonder why they are being persecuted. They promote prostitution!... [Read More]
Make sure you understand our COMMENT POLICY before you comment. If you haven't left a comment here before, your comment may need to be approved before it will be published. Once it has been approved, it will appear on this entry. Thanks for waiting.
Comments (24)
clinton carlson said:
That’s painful. One has to ask how something can go so wrong at every turn.
Is it me or does the pregnant model have a HUGE left hand? Or is she sticking her left hand out to show that unmarried adolescent girls get pregnant?
Horrible, in every aspect of messaging and design. I’m unable to comment further. Horrible.
p.s. Kadavy, how is this supposed to give me a moment of Zen? Help me.
Posted on October 1, 2005
kadavy said:
Looking closely, she is sticking out her left hand to show that she has no ring.
The “moment of Zen” is in reference to the “moment of Zen” at the end of The Daily Show. I’m not sure how they would put into words what they mean by that.
Posted on October 1, 2005
Adrian said:
This sign made me think of a billboard in Nebraska that says “Abortion stops a beating heart.” But instead of the word “heart” it has a little drawing of a heart. So when you read it, it says “Abortion stops a beating.” Probably not the message they were going for…
Posted on October 2, 2005
':: michael nielsen ::' said:
Wow, that is awesome. No cliche’s in that billboard. There’s a portfolio piece for that graphic artist! Look at the treatment of the gradient on the picture. PRO. :)
Posted on October 3, 2005
Dustin said:
That’s a great challenge: How would you recreate that billboard using the same text to be more effective?
Posted on October 3, 2005
clinton carlson said:
I would never recreate it with the same text… it’d be a waste of time and budget.
Posted on October 3, 2005
jyoseph said:
Man Hands!!
Posted on October 3, 2005
Design Dump said:
Man hands..that’s too funny. I concur this ad does suck. However, it does get your attention and is probably legible from the road. Which most of the billboards I see today have such tiny type. I think it’s so bad…that it works. This is no award winner, but it got your attention didn’t it? Design Dump www.designdump.com Get dumped on!
Posted on October 17, 2005
M said:
So … I can only get pregnant without a wedding ring? OMG, they’ve cured infertility!
Posted on November 28, 2005
auntsnow said:
Wait for the bling, huh?
So the GIRLS are supposed to wait for the GUYS to give them a ring, huh.
What are the guys supposed to wait for before they have sex?
Posted on November 28, 2005
j. neas said:
Reminds me of the abstinence/pro-marriage-before-sex speaker that came to my high school. He said, “There’s only one thing that can prevent bad things from happening to you.” He held up his wedding ring and then someone shouted: “But that’s got a big hole in it!” Classic.
Posted on November 28, 2005
JT said:
Reminds me of the abstinence/pro-marriage-before-sex speaker that came to my high school. He said, “There’s only one thing that can prevent bad things from happening to you.” He held up his wedding ring and then someone shouted: “But that’s got a big hole in it!” Classic.
Oh, in other words, getting married will make all your dreams come true (even if the guy later turns out to be an abusive jerk).
Posted on November 28, 2005
Topo Gigolo said:
What are the guys supposed to wait for before they have sex?
The opportunity.
Posted on November 28, 2005
Ray Radlein said:
I swear that I had to count three times before I was convinced that there were only five fingers on that hand. And the other one looks, I dunno, palsied or something.
Posted on November 28, 2005
knuckledragger said:
Oh well, at least it’s not a butterfly ballot…
Posted on November 28, 2005
holubtimus said:
Tisk-tisk Iowa! Saying sex is O.K. as soon as you’re engaged! OUTRAGEOUS!!! Some people are engaged (with the bling) for years before they are actually married. No one. NO ONE should be able to pork while merely engaged. NO ONE!!!! it’s obscene and flat out terroristic.
Posted on November 29, 2005
dan said:
Nothing makes my heart glow like watching “responsible adults” appropriate outdated youth culture slang to “relate to today’s young people.”
Keep an eye out for next year’s big campaign, “Abstinence: it’s for Shizzle!”
And in 2007, we can look forward to “Abstinence: that’s Hot!”
Posted on November 29, 2005
Bob said:
“What are the guys supposed to wait for before they have sex?”
See, this is what is causing all that rampant homersexuality…
Posted on November 29, 2005
l00n said:
The “moment of Zen” is in reference to the “moment of Zen” at the end of The Daily Show. I’m not sure how they would put into words what they mean by that.
It might be said: A moment of WTF. Or: A moment of confused shock that corresponds psychomorphically to how you would feel for that instant, sitting down to dinner at home, having some stranger run through the room half-naked tearing off a Happy Frog Happy suit with a couple of arrows stuck in the back hindquarter.
Posted on November 29, 2005
Lisa said:
AGH! MY EYES!
Posted on November 30, 2005
chuckman said:
dood i bet you guys have something beter??? its not the greatest but who cares??
Posted on November 30, 2005
Jon said:
What are the guys supposed to wait for before they have sex?
Isn’t it obvious? Women who are already married!
Has no-one seen desparate housewifes?
Posted on December 1, 2005
Lyndee said:
this just makes us people from Iowa look bad. trust me we all are not like that.
Posted on December 8, 2005
Nate Voss said:
Lyndee’s right. Iowan girls do not have man hands.
Posted on December 8, 2005