12.29.2008

Be careful. For the kids.

Sign spotted on country roads near Riviere Rouge this weekend. Classic. Can you imagine how the creative meeting must have proceeded for this gem?

"Ok, so we need to make this sign more impactful. It's not enough to say, 'watch out for our kids'. We need something to make drivers think twice about speeding."

"You're right. Let's add a visual. How about the silhouettes of children crossing the street?'

"Nah! Too boring. Been done before. This sign needs to scare drivers with the reality of the consequences."

"What would you suggest?"

"I'm seeing one child. A child who has just been hit by a car. His cherubic face turned towards the road, his eyes closed, his fate uncertain, no mother to soothe him..."

"But how do we know he's been hit by a car? Do we see the car? Taillights dimming in the distance? Skid marks?"

"No, no, too heavy-handed that. We need more drama. I don't know... maybe tear his shirts in a few places?"

"Oooh, yeah, yeah! And maybe he's only wearing one shoe! The other lost when he was hit!"

"Good idea. But the lonely shoe on the highway image has been overused. It's trite. Oooh! Oooh! I'm a genius! Let's also pull the sock off a little! The driver will definitely notice the missing shoe then. It will add another layer of pathos."

"You are a genius, boss! Should we also add some blood around the head?"

"Too crass there, junior. Crosses the boundary of bad taste. Get the artist on it immediately."

"Yes, sir!" 

7 comments:

Unknown said...

The best variation I find is :"Attention à nos enfants, ça pourrait être le vôtre". Now, if you are a man looking at this sign, it raises a lot of questions especially if you have never been in that specific part of the province.

ad said...

Steve: Are you implying that there are people in other parts of the province who understand this sign?

Unknown said...

Quite thruthfully, I think it falls in line with the : "L'alcool au volant ça s'arrête ici" signs. I can imagine the drunk driver stopping his car, and continuing on foot just because the sign said so

ad said...

What colour is the sky in your world, Steve?

Unknown said...

It all depends on the direction the rain is falling

Anonymous said...

You know, there's a website dedicated to this sign! We loved it so much that we made a t shirt based on it! The site is www.treefrogshirts.com. We just "couldn't let it go" either.

ad said...

Sev: I love the Italian one!