Helvetica Humor?

Just discovered Barbara Kruger's work in a W magazine article. Really great stuff! Their website doesn't have the article online, but the image above is borrowed from Hamptons.com, where Kruger's exhibit "Plenty" was covered. "You Need It You Buy It You Forget It" -- truthful, huh?

Her ahem ... coverage ... of Kim Kardashian on the November cover is a statement in and of itself.

An observant friend visiting Paraty, Brazil sent me this shot. Check out the top street sign ... and its MasterCard sponsorship?! Couldn't find anything about it in a quick online search, but this primer on Brazilian street signs doesn't mention it.

Lucky 13?

I arranged to spend a day last week with a dear friend getting her chemo treatment. We went separately to the center, so imagine my surprise when I realized what floor the oncologist was located on!

When I mentioned the irony of the location (do you consider 13 an unlucky number?), she laughed. Fortunately, she considers 13 a lucky number ... as do I, having been born on Friday the 13th.

When Smells are Good

This neon sign, "Free Smells," caught my eye in Menomonee Falls, WI. The sandwich shop, Jimmy John's, is an Illinois-based chain.

It's no H1N1 Poster

Caught this in the ladies bathroom at O'Hare yesterday (Concourse E/F). "Keep Area Clean of Rash" is  excellent advice for moms. Don't you love it when just the 'right' letters fall off a sign? This remains "G" rated no less.

Unrelated, the airport website lets you to look up the music you hear playing in each terminal. Not sure that's where I'd go looking for new iPod tunes.

Promo Pick

"Stolen from Booth No. 400" says this guitar pick given to me by a friend. Clever, huh? Wish it had a logo ... to promote the trade show (unknown) or the brand (also unknown) using them as a promotional vehicle. I've seen a lot of custom merchandise, but never picks. A quick Google search showed 275k results with Pick Factory at the top (sponsored). Guess I need to look further than custom pens, t-shirts and tote bags.

Cork Coordinates

Never mind the long-running battle over (cork vs. composite) wine corks. Here's a fun cork from Redwood Creek. It's a Yellowstone GPS hike, complete with latitude & longitude coordinates (Steps 1 and 2). Step 3? "Watch Old Faithful erupt." Gotta love the marketing.

The other side has the requisite URL:

Note: Their website also has some interesting interactive tools along the same lines.

Interesting Sales Pitch

Not 100% sure where I caught this, but I think it was in a Diesel store in Sweden. Judging by the irreverent humor, I think it's a likely match.

Funny Store Sign Geared to Young Adults

Look in the upper right of this photo ... a hip clothing store for young adults called Acne? I thought it was hilarious. It's based in Stockholm, Sweden.