good signs..

[annie]

Might be ok if they were a TV ad that explained what they were about....... but the billboards? Yikes!! How many people are going to realize what they are trying to say? Good intentions, not good results, IMHO.

Annie

[pooks]

Good point, Annie. They might be funny on television, but they're dreadful for billboards.

[7rider]

Well, to give a nod to the advertising company.....
The point that they are (perhaps initially?) trying to drive home is...
3 feet.
3 feet.
3 feet.
Simple message.
3 feet.
That is the point they are hitting you over the head with a 2 x 4 - and in that respect, it's pretty effective.
But what does 3 feet mean?
It plainly means something to someone in a car, because the pictures are taken in a car.
It is then, that you come to the conclusion ... 3 feet....space between car and bicycle.
Would it be more effective to show a picture of a car next to a bike with "3 feet" spray painted on the car? Probably not. Folks might interpret that as - bikes keep 3 feet away from cars (not the other way around...which is the point of the board). That would just add fuel to the fire of "bikes off the road."
So, me...I'd give the ad a "B". It's a hard message to get across in one picture. "A" for effort...."C" for execution. "B" total score.

[Geonz]

Only problem is that most drivers are going to stop that mental processing at "three feet." They're not going to ask, "what does 3 feet mean?"

As a *bicyclist,* the lipstick ad is easy to comprehend; it's a cut at the make-up applying drivers with the "3 ft" in there, too. If the drivers were going by at bicycle speeds, some of 'em *might* get it. The designers of the ad, alas, seem to have made an ad to reach themselves, not their target market.

On the other hand, often times these kinds of ads - if there are enough of them - create an image on the brain and if something happens later to explain it, it's received well. I don't think it's going to ever get meme status like "where's the beef?" though

[Zen]

...As a *bicyclist,* the lipstick ad is easy to comprehend; it's a cut at the make-up applying drivers with the "3 ft" in there, too. If the drivers were going by at bicycle speeds, some of 'em *might* get it. The designers of the ad, alas, seem to have made an ad to reach themselves, not their target market...

Have you ever been to Wal-Mart?
There's your target market. These are not going to be very effective ads.

[Dianyla]

I actually just saw the lipstick ad earlier this week when I had to visit Renton officepark hell. It got my attention and I liked it.

[onimity]

You all seem to forget that cars get to sit in traffic and so perhaps they will have plenty of time to figure out what these signs mean.

I'd like to see an ad with a lady my sister saw on her commute the other day: Busy road, two fast-moving standard traffic lanes, 1 well-marked bike lane. Steep hill. A woman in a huge SUV is pulled over to the 'side of the road' talking on her cellphone, that is, she's blocked the entire shoulder, the bike lane and a portion of the lane to the left of the bike lane.

It seems to me that pictures of people doing dangerous things might make more of an impact, with a simple, clear reminder to give 3 feet of space.

Anne

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Have you ever been to Wal-Mart?
There's your target market.

Wouldn't you be more likely to find your target market in Target?