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It Wasn't Us!

If you ever spot someone peering closely at the materials and construction methods used in an interpretation board or exhibition display, or you find someone examining the paper quality and folds of a leaflet rather than reading its content, the chances are its one of us!

At the risk of being branded "publicity anoraks", we do take a close interest in such things - to find solutions we can suggest to our clients in future projects.

But at the same time, we do come across some marvelous errors and mistakes in published material - which often distort the meaning completely. The following are - believe us - genuine!

Think carefully about this caption we once spotted under a photograph in an advertorial feature for a recruitment company:

"Thousands use our services - they know no better!"

The way text is laid out is also important to monitor closely. This was the heading on a tour operator's promotional leaflet picked up in northern Thailand:

Adventure Travel
Limited Welcome

The English have no justification at all in mocking other nationalities' use of our language, but we did enjoy the caption under a photograph of a field of bright wild flowers in a Chinese province's travel guide:

"Beautiful fields of fragrant cauliflowers in the bright Spring sunshine"

This sign is at the door of a major chain store in our local High Street. A high step prevents easy wheelchair access:

"Wheelchair Users: A ramp is available. Please ring the bell or ask at the Counter" (The counter is, unfortunately, inside the building....)

Another recent find was this handy and timely warning printed ("Phew, I was just about to do that...") in large letters on the packaging of a new vacuum cleaner:

"DO NOT DROP"

If you find any more mistakes you'd like to share, (a fatal thing to say, as you'll probably find them within this website!), e-mail us and we'll add them to this page!

[Oh - and if you have one of our Graphic Words promotional magnets - and haven't yet worked out which service on the list we don't actually provide - the answer was "manned lunar exploration" !]

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