Recession 101: Modern day propaganda, or sympathetic wisdom?

[ivania]

i've seen a sleu of these billboards pop up all over los angeles, and apparently they are all over the country.
this is a mission of pushing  resiliency in the american people, to make it through the recession and all.
what do you all think?
they kind of make me angry.






ok thanks!

[Matt Volta]

this is really just an attempt to get americans to put the blinders back on by way of "light hearted" wise cracks about a serious situation. it most definitely is a propaganda of sorts and to be honest, it makes me a little angry too. why not put up billboards, street furniture, posters and other crap that tells of ways to save money? i think that might make americans feel a little more optimistic than an expensive, nationwide billboard(propaganda) campaign...

[Mike Delman]

whoever is putting up money for these billboards probably isn't in the same American recession we are

[Lauren Quillin]

sure sounds like propaganda. i would love to know who this "anonymous donor" is. and the last pic is pretty ironic with the empty store-front and the van for sale beneath that billboard telling us the recession isn't so bad...

[Kidknapper]

I would definitely say its better to have the American people see the reality of the situation they live (including myself) live in. If we choose to put a blind eye to everything, the situations at hand would never be faced. Also someone said something about putting up campaigns about ways to face the problem and even trying to fix it by explaining ways to save money. Agreeeeeed.

[ivania]

i agree, i believe that the people who sponsored these billboards probably isnt in the same recession we're in! i still see them around the valley, but they're slowly being covered by Alice and wonderland billboards.
i think i am most bothered by the promotion of ignorance. there are a ton of people without jobs, and a ton more losing their jobs. we're at a stale place in american economics, and it's not getting any better by pretending with our kids that we can afford not to be told about this.

i say TSK, TSK.

[blayde webster]

what makes you think america is in a recession?

i find it funny that all it takes to make you angry is a bill board.

[Stu-Art]

RECESSION !) BILLBOARDS - The campaign is still up over a year later including last years GIANT placement in Times square...
or media coverage was GREAT as we wanted. Or message worked for the client and that was our job.
The message(s) is just what it says...no more to talk about it.

I do appreciate your message...although Im over a year late in responding to it.

Stu-Art
Stuart Bailey
www.ThinkGraphics.net
Designer and Art Director of Recession 101.