Comments on: You are beautiful.

You are beautiful.

loquacious — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:46:18 -0800

You are beautiful.

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:50:46 -0800

Is that why everyone hates me?

By: amyms

amyms — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:56:51 -0800

Thanks, loquacious, you're not so bad lookin' yourself. Cool site. Annoying navigation, though.

By: no1hatchling

no1hatchling — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:58:37 -0800

Advertising elicits a response to buy, where this project elicits a response to do something. The attempt with You Are Beautiful is to create activism instead of consumerism. You Are Beautiful uses the medium of advertising and commercialization to spread a positive message. Projects like these make a difference in the world by catching us in the midst of daily life and creating moments of positive self realization. How does "You are beautiful" evoke anything but warm fuzzy feelings? Not to be a hater, but surely there is a better catchphrase to achieve this goal. What about "You have the power to change"?

By: no1hatchling

no1hatchling — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:01:35 -0800

Btw, I think this one is geniunely cool... Cups In Fence

By: unmake

unmake — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:09:52 -0800

(previously, 2004)

By: Solon and Thanks

Solon and Thanks — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:12:05 -0800

I own one of those stickers, actually. It was from a secret santa. I should find a cool place to put it.

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:15:11 -0800

no1hatchling: "How does "You are beautiful" evoke anything but warm fuzzy feelings? Not to be a hater, but surely there is a better catchphrase to achieve this goal. What about "You have the power to change"?" MetaFilter: You are beautiful.

By: miss lynnster

miss lynnster — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:18:16 -0800

No matter what they say?

By: CitizenD

CitizenD — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:22:28 -0800

not quite as fun as bush dog poo flags, but still a neat little viral thingy. i wish there was a way to invert the object clearly, and then link this campaign to advertising that includes 'supermodels.' so that "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL" is scrawled across the face or emaciated body of every christie turlington/gisele bunchen/whoever bus ad out there...and that the observer sees that the understood message is that *YOU* (the viewer) ARE BEAUTIFUL (not this pasty, thin exemplar in need of a sammich). thanks, loquacious.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:23:04 -0800

What about "You have the power to change your underwear"?

By: CitizenD

CitizenD — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:24:02 -0800

miss lynnster: in every single way, baby! don't let the words bring you down!

By: WalterMitty

WalterMitty — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:30:09 -0800

Note: Everyone needs a sammich.

By: tellurian

tellurian — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:47:36 -0800

Blunt message.

By: longsleeves

longsleeves — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:53:02 -0800

Sing it! Just in case you forget the lyrics

By: loquacious

loquacious — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:02:57 -0800

The cups in fence one was one of my favorites, too, but I figured I'd just keep it simple as there's a bit worth exploring for. disclaimer: I posted this knowing it was a repeat. After nearly four years it bears repeating. You really wanna wrassle with me in meta over that? Huh? Do yah?

By: amyms

amyms — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:40:22 -0800

Re your disclaimer, loquacious, you're okay as far as the FAQ is concerned: There is no hard and fast rule on when a post is not a double anymore. For an identical URL and a site that hasn't changed in content "a few years" is a good guideline.

By: Cat Pie Hurts

Cat Pie Hurts — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:38:49 -0800

Ahh..perfect karmic balance for my "You are a douche" sticker campaign. This makes me happy

By: ZachsMind

ZachsMind — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:00:25 -0800

I don't frankly care what people cover up normal advertising with, just so long as they cover it up. If I need the services of a lawyer or an accountant or dentist or whatever, I'll look in the phone book or I'll ask friends for references. The fact I see a law firm's name on a billboard does not encourage me to think they're any better at what they do than law firms that don't berate me with advertising during rush hour. In fact I'd be obliged to not spend money on anything I see on a billboard or hear in a really bad radio jingle if I can at all help it. I don't like encouraging the behavior. And talk about false advertising! I KNOW I ain't beautiful, so this attempt at a campaign to fight lies in marketing with yet another lie? Don't set well with me. How about trying a few of these on billboards in major cities across the nation? You are inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide. You are self-righteous. You are probably late for work. You are reading this advertisement when you should have your eyes on the road oh look you just crashed see now don't you feel silly? You are obtuse and have ceased evolving. You are a shithead. You are going to die someday. You should have bought the other car. You are driving fifty in the far left lane and people are passing you on the right - don't you think you should punch yourself in the head repeatedly? You are indignant. You are ugly and your momma dresses you funny. You smell. You are talking on a cellphone while driving and there's a special place in hell for people like you.

By: paulsc

paulsc — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:21:46 -0800

Like the world doesn't have enough simple messages on crappy stickers, "viral" mainly to tiny minds. Personally, I always liked: J E S U S S A V E S S T R I N G

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:24:01 -0800

I prefer SEE ROCK CITY.

By: jbickers

jbickers — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:33:13 -0800

Nothing says self-worth and self-empowerment better than vandalism! I wonder if the minimum wage folks who will spend their time and effort scraping these stickers off of things will feel beautiful while doing so.

By: Faze

Faze — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:47:52 -0800

I wonder if the minimum wage folks who will spend their time and effort scraping these stickers off of things will feel beautiful while doing so. Ha! Actually, a sign that says "Things go better with Coke" does more for humanity than "You are beautiful." The Coke sign sells soft drinks, which gives people jobs (including in health care), which feed families, which bring children into the world, who are raised with a certain level of prosperity, who consume cultural product, love nature, love each other, maybe help the poor, live, enjoy life... maybe are beautiful. Advertising is life. Sloganeering that is does not support commerce is only advertising to bad effect: propaganda for religion, totalitarian politics, or mental illness ("you are beautiful").

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:30:12 -0800

Faze, you're so beautiful. Coca-Cola rots your teeth, though, and provides no nutrition whatsoever.

By: avoision

avoision — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:33:40 -0800

I stumbled across the stickers in Chicago, and at first worried that they were part of some advertising campaign. But I still got the warm fuzzies, through that discovery process - which is what I love about this project. As an aside, I ended up tracking down the folks behind the project a few years back... and ended up collaborating with them for their You Are / I Am project (self-link).

By: Mike D

Mike D — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:55:33 -0800

"J E S U S S A V E S S T R I N G" Up here north of the 49th, that's always been, "Jesus saves, BUT ESPOSITO SCORES ON THE REBOUND!" It's especially special when you shout it out like Danny Gallivan.

By: Hello Dad, I'm in Jail

Hello Dad, I'm in Jail — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:27:10 -0800

I hate stickers.

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:53:43 -0800

I went a little crazy with those P-touch labels and stuck up a bunch of stickers that read "I Just Don't Trust This Triceratops" next to a picture of a very, very shifty clipart dinosaur all over the place. Now they are synonymous with 'Drew Got Drunk Here' and many can still be found in fine drinking establishments all over Boston. I don't think I was making any sort of artistic statement beyond 'Label makers and alcohol do not mix' but if it will make me internet famous, then the triceratops reflects the rising dichotomy of consumer cultures, the Must Haves and the Needs Must, that we face in this post modern soulscape. Also, do not loan a triceratops money.

By: fixedgear

fixedgear — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:00:12 -0800

Wow, how did I miss the enormous (8') one in Philly last year? Anyway, you're OK...

By: box

box — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:00:58 -0800

They don't know me.

By: phooky

phooky — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:21:07 -0800

Big girl, you are beautiful!

By: no1hatchling

no1hatchling — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:25:34 -0800

OMG, I lurked for 3 years, now loquacious is responding directly to me! ^^ is drunk.

By: no1hatchling

no1hatchling — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:35:52 -0800

Seriously though...look at this picture....how can that now make you feel good about yourself? False advertising be damned!

By: not sure this is a good idea

not sure this is a good idea — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:16:10 -0800

why is advertising that gives people jobs in coca-cola factories good, but advertising that gives people jobs cleaning walls bad?

By: desjardins

desjardins — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:22:22 -0800

I found one of these in Chicago (or maybe it was Milwaukee) - it's somewhere on my flickr stream that I can't link to at work. It did honestly feel as if someone had put it there just for me.

By: wfrgms

wfrgms — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:30:41 -0800

I saw this one in Chicago quite a few times. I always figured it was part of an ad campaign for Old Navy or some shit...

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:41:28 -0800

"J E S U S S A V E S S T R I N G" The one I don't get is: "Jesus is God. Read the Bible." Why should I? You just blew the big surprise! That's like having a sticker that says: "Darth Vader is Luke's father. Watch The Empire Strikes Back."

By: cortex

cortex — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:53:30 -0800

Seriously though...look at this picture....how can that now make you feel good about yourself? Actually, U R So Ugly

By: KokuRyu

KokuRyu — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:02:14 -0800

You are saccharine.

By: owtytrof

owtytrof — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:16:12 -0800

...as beautiful as the sun?

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:20:03 -0800

why is advertising that gives people jobs in coca-cola factories good, but advertising that gives people jobs cleaning walls bad? I could go into a lengthy spiel about how the fine folks at Coca-Cola are actually producing something of value - and of refreshing deliciousness! - while the wall cleaning folks represent resources squandered to correct the mistakes made by people who don't respect their environment and, regardless of their message's positivity, are adding to the visual pollution. But mostly it boils down to those stupid damn stickers being a freaking bitch to remove, even with adhesive eater and a scraper. And I already know I'm beautiful, anyway.

By: rusty

rusty — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:40:35 -0800

If you want to subvert public advertising, get your ass off your computer chair, run for your municipality's elected leadership, and ban it. Don't go around adding to it. You can spell out any saccharine message you want with your litter. It's still litter.

By: Divine_Wino

Divine_Wino — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:41:06 -0800

Betcher ass I am. Now slide on over here and gimme some sugar.

By: quin

quin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:44:57 -0800

You are beautiful. You've obviously never met me face to face.

By: zabuni

zabuni — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:49:07 -0800

"You are Beautiful" is a vacuous statement. It's not even false. It's an attempt to make a subjective statement an objective one. Passive verbs are evil*, just like your English teacher said. They remove the person from the equation, "I think you look beautiful" becomes "You are beautiful". I'd almost prefer Zachsmind's stickers. I think they make more people think. *Hey looky, I did it too!

By: Mike D

Mike D — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:52:29 -0800

"You can spell out any saccharine message you want with your litter. It's still litter." I wonder if, by calling it an "installation", the "YAB" graffiti / sticker bombers become eligible for lavish Canada Council grants to further their explorations of the urban landscape as a medium of social observation and artistic refutation of man's inhumanity to man. ("Dear Canada Council... I am pleased to enclose a polaroid photograph of my most recent installation on the urine-stained brick wall in the alley behind the Lafayette Tavern in Ottawa. Please send me $425,000 for a new set of ten cans of CIL spray paint, a better digital camera with which I will be pleased to send you hi-res digital photos of future installations in more olfactorily satisfying locations and... oh yes, 'miscellaneous' related expenses. Thank you".)

By: Nquire

Nquire — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:12:18 -0800

When I was much younger, and started to appreciate the power of the random "warm fuzzy", I thought I had a cool idea. Get a stack of business cards with the following text... You are a beautiful person (give this card to the next beautiful person you see) ...and pass them out randomly to see what happens. Now I'm older, more cynical, and realize how creepy it would be to have some random dude passing you a note that says you're beautiful.

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:17:45 -0800

"You are beautiful" is not passive voice...it's state of being. This is not passive. "Your eyes are blue" is also not passive. "You" and "your eyes" are still the subjects. /pedantic pet peeve filter.

By: cortex

cortex — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:24:52 -0800

In other words: mistake copulation for passivity at your own peril.

By: jkaczor

jkaczor — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:38:57 -0800

This all must go. The Mgt.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:42:48 -0800

An aquaintance of mine once printed up his own bumper sticker: Your twelve year-old daughter (hearts) my enormous cock. So. Many. Key scratches.

By: Caduceus

Caduceus — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:45:04 -0800

Now I'm older, more cynical, and realize how creepy it would be to have some random dude passing you a note that says you're beautiful. At some point I'm going to buy a couple of decks of Tarot cards, write vaguely disturbing predictions or warnings on them, and leave them around randomly. Much more fun to be intentionally creepy.

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:56:54 -0800

I knew a guy (the guy, if he got to your town) who printed hundreds or thousands of small, black and white, bumper sticker style I LOVE YOU stickers and put them everywhere. Maybe the intent was the same, but damn did that make me hate him. Sophomoric, bad-faith, saccharine factfucker! You Are Beautiful is at least uncentered, and teneble.

By: inigo2

inigo2 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:58:55 -0800

When are they starting their follow-up project entitled "...for radio."?

By: CitizenD

CitizenD — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:06:07 -0800

wow. quite a few folks in here need a cookie. or a blowjob. or something. cranky much?

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:15:49 -0800

You look nice today.

By: Zambrano

Zambrano — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:17:38 -0800

Coca-Cola rots your teeth Thanks, mom. Some of us actually brush our teeth after meals.

By: gorgor_balabala

gorgor_balabala — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:20:30 -0800

The world is a shit hole and you're just adding your own stink.

By: Mental Wimp

Mental Wimp — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:46:15 -0800

1,847,320 M I L E S T O W A L L D R U G !

By: everichon

everichon — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:05:30 -0800

I am not cranky about this, the stickers are pretty ok. I would still like a blow job and cookie, though.

By: Weebot

Weebot — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:25:51 -0800

I liked what Jenny Holzer plastered around the New York City better. This gives me a flimsy pretext to link to her(?) Twitter account. We all win! The full set of Truisms, for those interested.

By: rusty

rusty — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:40:24 -0800

Cookie first? Blowjob first? Decisions... decisions... I'll have both at once, I think.

By: grapefruitmoon

grapefruitmoon — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:42:50 -0800

I knew I'd seen this on MeFi before, thanks unmake for proving I'm not insane.

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:57:08 -0800

grapefruitmoon: "thanks unmake for proving I'm not insane." You are sane.* *but, more documentation is needed.

By: Unicorn on the cob

Unicorn on the cob — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:08:53 -0800

PaulSC, I always heard that as: Jesus saves souls and redeems them for valuable prizes!

By: thatbrunette

thatbrunette — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:21:50 -0800

This made me smile, I like it. In line thematically; a bumpersticker noticed by a friend recently: "When Jesus said Love Thine Enemy, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean kill them"

By: humannaire

humannaire — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:38:27 -0800

I prefer SEE ROCK CITY. See, the whole thing is about branding. I learned this the hard way when Frank Fairey turned our Andre the Giant Has A Posse into OBEY. [The tip-off should have been the incorporating.] Anyhow, the moment tees and stuff-for-sale shows up, just remember, it's over.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:45:19 -0800

No. I'm not. Without ugliness there is no beauty, so that not everybody can be beautiful, so that makes this sign a filthy lie.

By: cortex

cortex — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:03:38 -0800

I dunno, most of the stickers have looked surprisingly clean.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:14:16 -0800

First on I see in NYC is gonna get filthy real quick, man.

By: cortex

cortex — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:14:38 -0800

Ew. It's not supposed to be a come-on, man.

By: swift

swift — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:10:13 -0800

You are beautiful. No, not you. The one standing next to you.

By: misanthropicsarah

misanthropicsarah — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:57:39 -0800

meh. this doesn't inspire me to do anything or feel anything. just one more piece of grafitti in a city filled with it.