Ph Communications

Oklahoma City Copywriting, Design, Creative and More

Because nothing says “eating light” more than ordering one pound of steak!

As I’m freshly home from a family vacation that took me across Kansas (the state, not the band) on our way to Colorado Springs (where we visited a large number of gift shops with tourist attractions attached), I just wanted to share a couple examples of why some people could still use some help with their advertising. (Please bear with me, as I drove on I-70 across Western Kansas and, quite frankly, as abundantly scenic as it is, there’s not a whole lot of there there, and my mind did tend to wander a bit)

Let’s start with the photo on the left. Granted, as America’s national obesity problem continues to…grow, you’re likely to see more signs like this in the future but, for now, this one points out the fine art of perception. Quick! Which term sounds lighter? One pound or 16 ounces? Sure, they’re the same but, if you care about what and how much you ingest, what would you rather order? If you said 16 ounces, then congratulations, you have a chance to live beyond the age of 50. And that’s why perhaps every restaurant in the world with the exception of Montana Mike’s in Hays, KS (including what might be the most famous roadside steak restaurant in the Southwest), sells their entrees based on ounces, not pounds.

Then we have this from Prairie Dog Town in Oakley, KS (this was the second of three consecutive signs plugging Prairie Dog Town):

Let’s read those last two lines literally, shall we? “See Live Rattlesnakes Pet The Baby Pigs” You know, we didn’t stop (I don’t do freak shows at home or on vacation), but I’m thinking just seeing one live rattlesnake pet the baby pigs would have been worth the price of admission. Yes, 99.9% of the people who drive by that sign see those lines as separate entities, but for those of us who are bored out of our minds and look for the absurdity in non-existent punctuation, it’s another graphic example of why, sometimes, every business can use a little help with their advertising.

Yes, both the examples of poor writing/advertising are the product of my idle mind but, let them also serve as a lesson that, for even the simplest form of advertising, it always helps to write clearly so that your advertising helps your business put its’ best foot forward. And, whether you’re in Kansas (the state or the band) or any other state, if you need a little help with your advertising, feel free to drop us a line, and see how Ph Communications can put your business and brand on the road to bigger sales. We might even buy you a steak!

See also, last year’s vacation fun, Advertising Isn’t Rocket Science