THURSDAY ARCH SERIES

Haven’t run this feature in a long time, but it’s hard to find something new to see in a 190 meter steel wicket after 30 years of photographing it. The huge billboard tower stands beside the major highway bridge over the Mississippi. Looks like ad biz isn’t so good.                

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - HŌNTO?

Some years ago, Mrs. C and I took several months of Japanese lessons before a trip to that country. It often happened that our sensei would ask me a question, I'd bungle the answer, and she would look at me sternly and say hōnto? REALLY?

That was the first thought that came to mind when I saw this digital billboard while walking along the Las Vegas Strip. I'd say I'm pretty skeptical but not cynical. Tic Tok sparks good? Gimme a break. Love the stomping boot in the upper right.

           

HAVE A NICE DAY

After I left the soccer stadium, I went cruising around the area for images. This sign looms over a major highway flanking downtown. I don't know who paid for it or why it was erected, although I have seen some similar billboards in recent years. The juxtaposition reminds us that not everything is roses and lollipops in this town. There are some very serious problems but the reasons are much too complex to discuss here.           

MOTIVATION

I've had these signs here before. This one, I 🖤 STL and just plain LOVE. They have been around for at least a couple of years. I looked it up once - some person or foundation sponsors them. It's just local. Does it accomplish anything?     

CHOOSE YOUR BILLBOARD

Or are they really advertising the same thing? Jefferson at I 44. Today's theme music here.            

A POLITE CITY

St. Louis has good manners, or some people want you to think so. I doubt that we are better or worse than other cities. Except maybe Japanese cities. The people there are amazingly polite.

The billboard on eastbound I 44 gets everyone's attention. There are a couple of others. One of them, also yellow on black, says "I 'Heart' STL".  The third, white on red, simply says "LOVE."  They were quite a mystery until it was revealed that the billboard company itself did it just as a pleasant gesture. Sure beats "this space available."

Not far away sits the Courtesy Diner. Imagine going in for coffee and a piece of pie, have the server bow, gesture toward a convenient seat and ask how s/he may serve you. No, I don't think so either.

      

ADDENDUM

The acutely observant Mrs. C, who proofreads my posts, pointed out that I had overlooked an obvious addition to this sequence. It's Polite Society restaurant in Lafayette Square, one of our favorites.

 

Forget The Milk And Cookies

But Santa, Little Billy cried, won't bacon grease get on your nice white gloves?

Ho ho ho, Little Billy, don't worry, the jolly old elf replied. They're latex. You wouldn't believe the slop I see in some of these houses. Anyway, milk and cookies are full of cholesterol and sugar. Here, have some fried pork fat with a bit of meat yourself. Ho ho ho!

What will the marketeers think of next? Does this billboard make you any more likely to buy bacon? (Vegetarians are not allowed to vote.)

I know advertising is part of a market economy. My firm advertises. But all of it is hogwash (except, of course, my own).
                           

Dream On

There is no national lottery in the U.S., unlike most of Europe. But 44 of our states have one, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. An American variation is that groups of states have joint lotteries, making the jackpots much higher. Powerball and Mega Millions are the big ones.

This sign tells us that the Powerball jackpot is up to $400 million. That creates frenzy and the amount can rise quickly. Of course, your chances of winning are less than the odds of being hit by lightning X dying in a commercial airplane crash X being thrown into an active volcano by malicious Mesoamerican priests. Plus they cheat here: if you win you don't get that amount of money. The $400 mil is the sum of annuity payments over 20 years. If you want all the money now you get much less. Plus it's taxable. Some people call lotteries a tax on the stupid.

The second sign is for a local hospital, actually a very good one. I find it appalling that American hospitals - and sometimes individual doctors - feel the need to advertise and are permitted to do so. Guess who pays the marketing costs in the end. Another aspect of American healthcare, the most screwed up in the industrialized world.