To think that this is possibly the worst slogan ever devised by a public body?

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

A new road safety campaign has been started by my local council so the back of each bus is festooned with a photo of a very boring car and the slogan "Make sure your speed is SAFE:

Suitable
Appropriate
Fitting
Economical"

Did someone swallow a thesaurus?! I dread to think how much the council paid someone to come up with that. AIBU to think it's dreadful and have a face every time I see it?

[WorraLiberty]

I can't see anything wrong with it?

[StellaNova]

Isn't appropriate and fitting the same thing? And suitable in fact? So really the slogan should be SE, AE or FE

[mummybare]

YANBU.

That is:

Awful
Ridiculous
Silly
Eccentric

[jkklpu]

Make an FOI request to see how much it cost, what they paid for it and how much was charged.

[becstargazeypie]

Nah, I think the worst slogan ever devised by a public body was Colombia's recent tourism campaign here

Because when you read the slogan 'the only risk is wanting to stay' the first thing you think is 'No it's not. There are other risks in Colombia'. So the slogan actually REMINDS you that Colombia has risks. I mean, everywhere has risks. Saying that somewhere is risk free is always going to be untrue - but by emphasising that point, they have reminded everyone why they were a bit iffy about booking their family holiday to Colombia. Poor work by their agency there.

That slogan is dreadful too though! (Although I like mummybares version!)

[LeucanTheMopsis]

I don't see how 'economical' backs up 'safe' as the overarching message .

Would prefer 'Stop staring at this advert and watch the road'.

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

Worra to me the S, A and F are different words for the same thing. I'm not in PR but as a member of joe public I think the whole poster is boring and slightly odd.

I might do a FOI just for fun :o On maternity leave with no sign of baby yet so I have to amuse myself somehow!

[shakeyjake]

lol my oh works for a certain water/wastewater company and on the side of his van is written 'use the bin not the toilet' - i know it means dont flush what you shouldn't ie baby wipes/ nappies etc but i have awful images of people using bins for toilets

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

:o shakey that is really bad. The Colombian one is awful too, not that I have any desire to visit it anyway.

[DeWe]

I think it would be better for child car seats:
Suitable (for the car)
Appropriate (for the age of the child)
Fitting (properly fitted in the car,)
Economical (well price of car seats gets ridiculous...)

[kernowmissvyghen]

It's unlikely that any public money was spent other than on existing staff salaries, so I wouldn't worry on that score. I work in local government and years ago as a trainee did a stint in highways- I was responsible for some really dreadful cheesy slogans ( "It's less fuss to take the bus", that sort of thing) - that SAFE one is so rubbish it can only have been devised by some poor bored council junior who is probably feeling embarrassed ever time they see a bus now...

MummyBare, loving your work!

[FlibberdeGibbet]

Totally
Wasteful
Abuse (of)
Town
Spending!

[JonnyTruant]

I think slogans have been done to death, lets have public service haikus instead.

I tried to write an example but it was worse than the original slogan
I am off to apply for a job at the council.

[drjohnsonscat]

Slightly off topic but the new exam eBacc makes me think of VBAC. They obviously didn't have any women in the room when they chose that name.

[Scheherezade]

Aren't the first 3 the same thing?!

[CanIOfferYouAPombear]

Yanbu, worst slogan ever! Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue does it.

Please do a FOI and let us know what they say!

[Psammead]

Our local supermarket had the slogan 'every day, a little better'. It made me want to bugger off and come back tomorrow. I am sure another one has the slogan 'better than you'd think'. It really doesn't inspire confidence!

[SlightlySuperiorPeasant]

:o some good ones here!

Anyone remember The War Against Terror? Most appropriate.

[mrsrosieb]

My dad used to work for Oldham city council. For their race relations promotion they decided on banners with the slogan "Oldham Together"

[HaggisMcNeeps]

YANBU the F should be for FAST

[Flimflammery]

YABU. That is a very bad slogan, but not the worst ever devised. The ad campaign for tourism in Korea at the moment has the slogan 'Infinitely yours'. Which is complete nonsense. Something is either yours or not yours, it can't be 'infinitely' yours.
here

[upsylazy]

This isn't exactly about slogans but does anyone remember when the Post Office changed its name to Consignia about 5 years ago? Apparently, some "branding consultants" got paid about £10 million for that (no exaggeration) and then it got changed back about 3 days later because everyone went and . Also some other bunch of people got about £50 million for slightly changing the font of the BBC logo. Am definitely in the wrong job. Also (am bit of trivia geek) John Player cigarettes used to be advertised with the slogan "Just what the Doctor ordered".

[StellaNova]

"Anytime, anyplace, anywhere" for Martini suffered from similar issues

[upsylazy]

Stella Exactly. Even as a child I remember thinking "Don't anyplace and anywhere mean the same thing?"

[Nymia]

I used to snigger at the Transport for London posters they had to promote cycling a few years ago:

"TfL - You're Better Off by Bike"

Thought it was a pretty poor indictment of London public transport.....