WTF Wednesday: The Mess with Texas

Howdy folks. I’m writing this post while on a drive back from Houston, Texas—the Dutch oven of our fair state. Don’t worry, I’m not actually doing the driving. I leave that up to Mr. Weenie and Wally the Poodle (whose foot keeps hitting the space bar).

As I stare off across picturesque fields of grazing cattle and mattress factories, I’m reminded of a common design practice which dictates that “less is more”—a practice completely disregarded by most advertisers from Katy to La Grange. Let’s face it, everything’s bigger in Texas—trucks, hair, presidential libraries—and typography is no exception.

Now, far be it for me to argue with one of the all-time greatest design tips I ever received: “When in doubt, make it big. If still in doubt, make it big and red.” I try to honor this tradition as much as possible, but I think an argument could be made that Texans tend to take this a bit far.

Take, for instance, a sign advertising ZDT’s Amusement Park:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but if an advertiser has but a few seconds to get his or her message across as I go speeding down the highway at 70mph, wouldn’t it make more sense to put the emphasis on “Amusement Park” rather than “ZDT’s?” How many extra seconds are my eyes off the road as I try and determine what you’re selling? Please don’t make me think while I’m driving. I’m dangerous enough behind the wheel—just ask Mr. Weenie.

Here we have another example of this trend in highway signage:

Who is this Nancy person? She must be awfully popular with the truckers in order to get her name so prominently displayed on the marquee.

Now, there are definitely situations where a name becomes as popular as the product it promotes. Take, for instance, the original American highway eatery, Stuckey’s. The name alone says “Good Eatin’.” I mean, where else would you ever go for a pecan log? And then there’s the king (or queen) of tasty treats in Texas, Dairy Queen. The shape of the sign alone makes my mouth water for a Dilly Bar.

So the next time you decide to vacation in scenic Texarkana or cosmopolitan Waco, Texas, check out the side of the road along the way. You never know when you’ll find a real gem. Or a pecan log.

Now get out there and make things pretty.