From Confusion to Bummed Out
Jan 14th, 2008 by Alex
Heading north on Russell Street just before Ravens stadium there’s a billboard that proclaims “Marriage works” while depicting a cheery-faced couple. What are the advertisers trying to sell here in Baltimore? A church? the institution of marriage itself? As far as I can see from the street there isn’t a sponsor listed. Lots a people have thought of it, but I’m still wondering… if advertising for a particular group/company wouldn’t you want to let people know who you are?
Confused.
The second I read about a cool idea — say, charging electronics with nothing but body heat — on Slashdot that could potentially fix my always-dying cell phone battery problem, some random physics dude goes and pisses in my Wheaties by proving it a dead idea.
Bummer.
Okay, so not really bummed out. But that would’ve been slick.
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.moundalexis.com/images/delicious.png){kind=small}
http://sugarfreak.typepad.com/mobtownshank/2007/08/wtf-marriage—.html
look what they did in another neighborhood!
The marriage works business comes to us by an organization called Campaign For Our Children,which is Christian-based and fully endorsed and loved by the Baltimore City Government. They claim that married people live longer, do better economically and are happier. I am sure they can find some statistics that support those particular ideas, but I am not sure they are correct. Married people have also proven to be more depressed, especially those with kids. Married people are also more debt-ridden.
Putting the “Marriage Works” business aside, I am especially enjoying the new, CFOC warlike billboard message from a really mean-looking black woman, “I don’t give it up and I’m not giving in.” Sort of like virginity as a weapon. I thought sex was supposed to be mutual and pleasurable, not a bargaining chip.
marriageworksUSA.com is in small print on the billboards.
The goal is to get teenagers to aspire to marriage and not get pregnant beforehand.
Here’s a good article
There’s one of those newer billboards that Cham mentioned on Keswick at 33rd St. in Hampden. I’m surprised it hasn’t been amended given the reception some other “Marriage Works” billboards received nearby.
Cham: I suppose that PSA have always been marketing to some extent, but this just feels more like… marketing. Statistics are fun but can tell whatever story you like. Consider, married people are 100% more likely to get divorced than unmarried people. Hell, make it 200% while we’re at it.
danielle: I sat at a light for a while and stared, but I suppose over a couple hundred feet my eyes could be mistaken. The amended billboards are probably more effective, seeing how kids like humor and cynicism.
It’s the happy message version of the “Teach your kids ‘virgin’ isn’t a dirty word campaign.