You see them lining the roads of shopping plazas and commercial zones - portable signs. Some are lit from the inside while others are not. All use bold easy to read flourescent letters. You can't miss them as you whiz by. One thing they all have in common is that they are plain ugly. Blights to our communities. I think they should be banned because of their esthetic insult.
What does a portable sign say about the brands of the host companies? I suggest that they say, "I don't care how bad this looks, so long as it drives sales!" Sometimes, you have to draw the line when it comes to how we advertise products and services. Surely with a little thought, a better alternative can be found to promote the company just as effectively. It irritates me to see these signs and the negative impression I have for the corresponding companies is a shame. This sign pollution is tarnishing good brands.
I wonder how many customers are turned away because of their distain for this promotional short-sightedness? In our city, they are like a plague - how about your home town?
I wonder if some intelligent sign people can dream up something more pleasing to look at AND do the job. Any ideas?
2 comments:
Hi Ed :-) Your post reminds me of a talk I saw last fall hosted by the humanities research group with James Howard Kunstler-- what he calls "entropy made visible"
TED conference Suburbia:: 'the greatest misallocation of resources in the history of the world'-- 'the national automobile slum'-- "places not worth caring about..." Check out the video...
Terrific video, this should be a must view for city planners. I know one whom I am now linking with this video. Very good sense of humor, I only wish he had of commented on what these portable signs say about us.
Thanks again.
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