You Can’t Not Communicate.

It’s the notion that anything you put out in the public realm will be judged on the merits, and says whatever it says, as intended – or not. Design and materiality will either support or subvert your concept.

Every now and again, I run across a retail messaging head-scratcher. Sometimes the examples are just amusing – business managers making bad choices. Sometimes, it’s, “hey, that’s really bad and really big and awfully permanent, wow.” And there are the judgement calls – naïve genius or just low-budget bad taste?

Herewith: my Rogues’ Gallery of Questionable Signage Choices.

Starbucks

This one at my regular errand-day Starbucks has it all: super cheap inkjet printing, typography not found in any brand manual let alone Starbucks’, a big ol’ box around the logotype, a punctuation error, and an orphan/widow you can see from space. And, bonus points for the nonsensical statement. Could it be from the actual brand guide?

Summary: This watery brew has bracing notes of insincerity, with bitter desperation on the finish.

Ticket: Off with a warning this time :)

Liquor 3

A discarded mannequin lashed to a dolly - naive signmaker genius? Had me fooled for sure, as a cheeky bit of low-fi identity. “Come on in, we’ve got a wicked sense of humor, and cheap booze,” giving them full credit for nailing their brand promise?

On closer inspection, there’s a wee stencil on her hand-truck base. Look up “SignDolls.com,” not kidding. The maker ships your Doll with wig, complete costume, and waving arms (this model is out of battery, or is just over the joke). The whole assembly wheels out into the public way on its dolly at opening, and back in at closing. No permit needed!

Summary: Purchased online, not a work of local found-object inspo. Cancels the fun factor for me. Yet — oddly memorable.

Ticket: Vaguely misogynist and definitely creepy - citing this one as a fail :(