Today I really took notice of the billboards as I was driving. Here's my thoughts on billboards in general: they are the modern day false prophets pointing followers to false idols which will fulfill all of our hopes and dreams. You can tell what is important in a culture by what gets advertised and how. There were some trends that I noticed in what was advertised:
- Subdivision and new homes - This taps into one of our most primal needs - shelter. Each billboard touted a different amenity whether it was prestige or price point. I was heading towards an area of town that has seen explosive growth over the past 5-10 years and the sheer number of billboards heralding different subdivisions by different builders was overwhelming. Turn right, turn left, turn around, great schools, pool, clubhouse, more house for your money, lake lots, custom homes... The list goes on and on. All of them were ultimately promising to be fulfillment.
- The other trend I noticed was in medical care - specifically dental care as well as some information regarding preventive medical care. We are obsessed with remaining healthy and having access to immediate high-quality healthcare that is covered by our insurance plans. This is one of the reasons why the healthcare debate in this country is so heated. Again though, the false prophets were proclaiming the health and a bright smile are the path to happiness!
- Government Contractors - I don't ever really understand these billboards. They will be from a government contractor like Boeing or Lockheed-Martin or someone smaller and all they are there for is to proclaim the completion of some project or show what the company does. In some cases there are websites that look like they link to career sites so it may be advertising for job posting but it's pretty unclear.
One of the striking things that I thought while seeing these is how incredibly blessed I am to live here. While I am driving down the road with companies competing to provide me housing and healthcare there are many in the world who have access to neither. We are truly blessed beyond our own recognition even to the poorest among us.
Have a great day!
There's a billboard on Martin Road that's visible on the left side of the road when you're leaving Redstone Arsenal. It's yellow with big letters exclaiming "HIRE ME!" and in smaller letters below that "Certified Windows Administrator." The guy even included a head-shot and his web address. I guess you do what you have to do in this economy. You have to admire the guy's aggressiveness, though!
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