Our minds on media.

I love this poster because the intended message gets so overwhelmed and even contradicted by aspects of it’s design. Despite a US literacy rate of 99%, the US adult population can be categorized into “half readers and half non-readers.” Reading is not exactly an American past time, is what I’m saying, and Britney Spears (as opposed to some famous author) is not exactly the best spokesperson choice for literacy, IMHO. And I wouldn’t have pointed out the U states reading stats but it’s sort of irresistible given the symbolic patriotism stretched across Britney’s boobs.¹ And I suppose that Harry Potter is the pop fiction of the age, but aren’t there really more literate choices?²

“Hey!” (sounds out the inevitable disagreement) “Other options wouldn’t make reading as exciting and cool for kids.” Yeah! I agree! In fact, we should put the word “Read” right in the poster in an over-used trajan-like movie poster font that looks like daggers, cuz reading will cut ya’, man! And Britney Spears is more than an awesome spokesperson—–she is so radical that she should have an angelic gaussian light spilling down on her! We could even present the book over Britney’s nether-regions as if to say, boys, if you you finish this book, guess what else you’ll get? And don’t tell kids to go to the library tell them it’s “@ your library,” because @ is cool or something. Yes, I am certain—certain, I tell you—that kids read because of this poster’s placement in children’s libraries.³