READ!

January 5 2012, 9:00am

I love the commentary on literacy that aspects of graphic design seem to communicate in opposition to the message. 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, and Britney Spears (as opposed to a famous author) is not exactly the best spokesperson choice. And I wouldn’t have pointed out the US states reading stats but it’s sort of irresistible given the patriotism stretched across her chest. And I suppose that Harry Potter is the pop fiction of the age, but aren’t there more literate choices?[^1] “Hey!” (comes 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 overly used trajan-like font that looks like daggers, cuz reading will cut you, man! And Britney Spears is more than an awesome spokesperson—–she is so radical that she should have an angelic light spilling down on her! And don’t tell kids to go to the library tell them it’s “@ your library,” because @ is cool or something. I am certain—certain, I tell you—that kids read because of this thing.

[^1] Yeah. I’m a nerd.