Unintentionally Arty Photo



While I was thinking about making a post about people who plaster their faces on billboards, I snapped this photo near downtown with my new camera phone.



Though many might be pissed at the poor quality of the photo, it was taken at some distance, and I rather liked how it turned out.

You can still make out the Big Brother-like face of the realTOR (yet another irritant -- those commercials touting realTORs) on the sign. He works them there M streets. He isn't all that attractive. So why plaster your face 25 feet high for all to recoil at? Is it gaining or losing you customers? I'd bet on the latter.

There's another one of this guy, ESPN radio host Randy Galloway, around the corner from my house. I get a shock every time I round the bend and see it. Geeg.


It's got to be ego-driven. There's no other good reason.

And if I can't paint my garage door magenta, why in blazes is this allowed?

Comments

Unknown said…
The boys of the Monkeywrench gang harvested billboards as if they were old-growth trees in the forest.

Their day will come again.
BrideOfPorkins said…
ACK!

If I were very handy, I would sneak up to one of those billboards during the night, and mess with it so the mouth would robotically open and close, and spray paint, "BUY MY HOUSE OR I WILL EAT YOU!"

RealTORs (seriously, what is up with that?) around here used to put little plaques inside all the shopping carts at the A&P, their mocking smiles would freak me out everytime I had to go get bananas.
BrideOfPorkins said…
Hmm. I mean I would spray paint, "Buy my house...," not the robot mouth. That's what I get for commenting after sundown.
Jill said…
Why can't you paint it magenta? Uh oh, do you live in one of those restricted neighborhoods?

I've always wondered about those billboards too. Attractive chic or guy, sure. But *bleh* on those you've shown! I think its all about them being recognized.
Anonymous said…
Hey, I just painted my garage door!

Those damn HOA people better not have a problem with hot pink.

The faces are the stuff of egos. Our faces are second only to our NAMES in sacredness.

Later Ari.
V said…
Wiggy: They can tear down Ken Lampton anytime.

BOP: Now THAT would be cool (robotizing it I mean).

RM: I do in fact live in one of "those" neighborhoods, which is mostly ok, sometimes annoying.

LBB: I was just kidding about the magenta. My door is green and it would really clash. And not be allowed. But if I wanted to paint it such, I probably couldn't.
Fantastagirl said…
A local insurance company had the slogan- "Get more Bang" with Suzie Insurance Agent and her picture - what the heck were they thinking?
V said…
FG: I'd bet they were thinking, "Let's use sex to sell this but then if anyone says that, pretend to have no idea what they're talking about."
Zen Wizard said…
As I recall from advertising school, anything less than a 50% cummulative showing in outdoor media should just be used for "location problems."

Like if he was behind something or up an alley, a big-assed arrow pointing to the store.

Radio guys--I mean, there is usually a reason that they are in radio, and it's not because they look like Antonio Banderas.

Any purple hues are advisable for stuff like in-home hair salons.

It's just that purple houses drive your neighbors up a wall.

I know a lawyer who was working on that Prince case in West Hollywood where he painted the building purple.

There are just so many people that are violently opposed to purple.
V said…
LW: All good points. I love purple but it would soak up too much heat in the Texas sun, so I'll stick to a lavender shade for my bedroom I think, sparing others.
Amandarama said…
Oh, Ari. There is a solution for those billboards. Are you ready? Two words:

Molotov Cocktail.

Under cover of darkness, you can turn Mr. Realtor (and/or ESPN dude) into a flaming tribute to excess in advertising. Seriously.
V said…
Amanda: Capital idea! At the very least they might look like they have untreated, blackened melanomas.
Troy Camplin said…
do like the pic. be nice if you could reproduce that effect

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