I realize that many ads are sent to newspapers with “camera ready” art and the paper merely places it on the page. Still, the egregiousness of some errors makes you wonder if anyone who knows English reads the paper before thousands of copies are distributed. In a supplement today, I learned that a man with a Masters in Education was the Principle of a school. I also learned that Don Oscar’s restaurant was Formally Little Mexico. I guess it’s informally Don Oscar’s.
The local signmakers are no better. There’s a billboard that has been up around town for a month or two now, in several places. It says that “Being a First Lady has it’s privileges.” No wonder our kids can’t spell – the adults aren’t even trying!
When I volunteered for the Humane Society, I used to place adoption ads in the Thrifty Nickel. The clerk swore up and down that the paper never modified customer copy, even if it was wrong. So why was I advertising miracle dogs (blue healers)? And I do know the “i before e, except after c” rule (retreivers). Ugh.
My favorite: The SA Times has been guilty of advertising “noble furs” (nursery ad) at Christmas. Matt and I wanted to walk around the nursery with sandwich boards saying “FIR IS MURDER!!!!” Tommy (Olive) would have been upset, though, and he’s a friend of ours.
Runner-up: Large sign on a table outside Hastings – “Adult Literarcy Council”
😀
On a recent flyer sent out by my own company:
“The Pelican say’s”