advertising

Hello, everyone. It's been a while. I've been caught up in the world of freelance graphic design lately, quite busy with a few side projects. So since that is where my brain is at the moment, I thought it would be quite perfect for a blog post.

Often when I am in the car with Trevor, I comment on billboards we pass. He usually gives me 'the look' - you know, the one where he has no idea what I'm talking about but is pretending like he cares. (note: this is a different look than the 'when are we going to leaaaave' look) Earlier today we had a conversation about how I always notice these things, advertisement and marketing and such. Subconsciously I guess I'm always getting ideas, always critiquing and thinking about the impact of things like that.

source

I have recently seen the billboards to the left around Saint Joseph. If you're unfamiliar with the symbol it's called a QR code (I've seen these before but I must admit Trevor just told me what they were called the other day). If you have a smart phone you can download an app on your phone which will scan the code and then direct you to a website. A lot of people are putting these codes on magazines, ads, and business cards.

So that brings us to the question - why the hell is this on a billboard? Texting while driving is illegal and extremely dangerous, so how is this any better? I don't disagree with the concept of QR codes but seriously, billboards are definitely NOT the best application here. But I will say one thing about the billboard, it's ambiguity is great for peaking interest.

It definitely peaked mine (although as previously stated, billboards tend intrigue me often), and so tonight I set out to google the billboard, as I am not stupid enough to scan it while driving. Lo and behold, this billboard is for Bridgman Family Dental Care. Yes, dental care. A quote from the WNDU article on the billboard -

"many residents say they don’t know how to use to codes or don’t have the equipment needed to read them. “I don't have an iPhone or a phone where I can scan it so I will never really know what it is,” said resident Catherine Cleary-Sanford."

Clearly, Berrien County is not yet the place for such a billboard. All in all I would say this is  not the best marketing strategy; although it is a great idea it's simply an idea used in the wrong place in the wrong way. At least that's my opinion.


Now for some truly bizarre advertisements.

Uhh...what?

If the best thing they can think of to advertise is the fact that they don't sell bodies, I think something is seriously wrong here.

 Smoking ads...crazy stuff.

Please read the caption. Double you tee eff.

Time for bed everyone. Bon nuit :)