You are beautiful.
July 23, 2008 11:46 PM   Subscribe

 
Is that why everyone hates me?
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 11:50 PM on July 23, 2008 [1 favorite]


Thanks, loquacious, you're not so bad lookin' yourself.

Cool site. Annoying navigation, though.
posted by amyms at 11:56 PM on July 23, 2008




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

posted by no1hatchling at 12:01 AM on July 24, 2008 [2 favorites]


(previously, 2004)
posted by unmake at 12:09 AM on July 24, 2008


I own one of those stickers, actually. It was from a secret santa. I should find a cool place to put it.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 12:12 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by not_on_display at 12:15 AM on July 24, 2008


No matter what they say?
posted by miss lynnster at 12:18 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by CitizenD at 12:22 AM on July 24, 2008


What about "You have the power to change your underwear"?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 12:23 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


miss lynnster: in every single way, baby! don't let the words bring you down!
posted by CitizenD at 12:24 AM on July 24, 2008


Note: Everyone needs a sammich.
posted by WalterMitty at 12:30 AM on July 24, 2008


Blunt message.
posted by tellurian at 12:47 AM on July 24, 2008


Sing it! Just in case you forget the lyrics
posted by longsleeves at 12:53 AM on July 24, 2008


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?
posted by loquacious at 1:02 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by amyms at 1:40 AM on July 24, 2008


Ahh..perfect karmic balance for my "You are a douche" sticker campaign.

This makes me happy
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 2:38 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by ZachsMind at 3:00 AM on July 24, 2008 [4 favorites]


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
posted by paulsc at 3:21 AM on July 24, 2008 [2 favorites]


I prefer SEE ROCK CITY.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:24 AM on July 24, 2008 [3 favorites]


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.
posted by jbickers at 3:33 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


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").
posted by Faze at 3:47 AM on July 24, 2008 [3 favorites]


Faze, you're so beautiful.

Coca-Cola rots your teeth, though, and provides no nutrition whatsoever.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:30 AM on July 24, 2008


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).
posted by avoision at 4:33 AM on July 24, 2008 [2 favorites]


"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.
posted by Mike D at 4:55 AM on July 24, 2008


I hate stickers.
posted by Hello Dad, I'm in Jail at 5:27 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:53 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


Wow, how did I miss the enormous (8') one in Philly last year? Anyway, you're OK...
posted by fixedgear at 6:00 AM on July 24, 2008


They don't know me.
posted by box at 6:00 AM on July 24, 2008


Big girl, you are beautiful!
posted by phooky at 6:21 AM on July 24, 2008


OMG, I lurked for 3 years, now loquacious is responding directly to me!
^^ is drunk.
posted by no1hatchling at 6:25 AM on July 24, 2008


Seriously though...look at this picture....how can that now make you feel good about yourself? False advertising be damned!
posted by no1hatchling at 6:35 AM on July 24, 2008


why is advertising that gives people jobs in coca-cola factories good, but advertising that gives people jobs cleaning walls bad?
posted by not sure this is a good idea at 7:16 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by desjardins at 7:22 AM on July 24, 2008


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...
posted by wfrgms at 7:30 AM on July 24, 2008


"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."
posted by drjimmy11 at 7:41 AM on July 24, 2008 [12 favorites]


Seriously though...look at this picture....how can that now make you feel good about yourself?

Actually, U R So Ugly
posted by cortex at 7:53 AM on July 24, 2008


You are saccharine.
posted by KokuRyu at 8:02 AM on July 24, 2008


...as beautiful as the sun?
posted by owtytrof at 8:16 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:20 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by rusty at 8:40 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


Betcher ass I am. Now slide on over here and gimme some sugar.
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:41 AM on July 24, 2008


You are beautiful.

You've obviously never met me face to face.
posted by quin at 8:44 AM on July 24, 2008


"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!
posted by zabuni at 8:49 AM on July 24, 2008


"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".)
posted by Mike D at 8:52 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


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.
posted by Nquire at 9:12 AM on July 24, 2008


"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.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 9:17 AM on July 24, 2008


In other words: mistake copulation for passivity at your own peril.
posted by cortex at 9:24 AM on July 24, 2008


This all must go.

The Mgt.
posted by jkaczor at 9:38 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


An aquaintance of mine once printed up his own bumper sticker:

Your twelve year-old daughter (hearts) my enormous cock.

So. Many. Key scratches.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:42 AM on July 24, 2008 [6 favorites]


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.
posted by Caduceus at 9:45 AM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:56 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


When are they starting their follow-up project entitled "...for radio."?
posted by inigo2 at 9:58 AM on July 24, 2008


wow. quite a few folks in here need a cookie.

or a blowjob.

or something.

cranky much?
posted by CitizenD at 10:06 AM on July 24, 2008


You look nice today.
posted by Nelson at 10:15 AM on July 24, 2008


Coca-Cola rots your teeth

Thanks, mom.

Some of us actually brush our teeth after meals.
posted by Zambrano at 10:17 AM on July 24, 2008


The world is a shit hole and you're just adding your own stink.
posted by gorgor_balabala at 10:20 AM on July 24, 2008


1,847,320
M I L E S
T O
W A L L
D R U G !
posted by Mental Wimp at 10:46 AM on July 24, 2008


I am not cranky about this, the stickers are pretty ok.

I would still like a blow job and cookie, though.
posted by everichon at 11:05 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


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.
posted by Weebot at 11:25 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]


Cookie first? Blowjob first? Decisions... decisions...

I'll have both at once, I think.
posted by rusty at 12:40 PM on July 24, 2008


I knew I'd seen this on MeFi before, thanks unmake for proving I'm not insane.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:42 PM on July 24, 2008


grapefruitmoon: "thanks unmake for proving I'm not insane."

You are sane.*

*but, more documentation is needed.
posted by not_on_display at 12:57 PM on July 24, 2008


PaulSC, I always heard that as: Jesus saves souls and redeems them for valuable prizes!
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:08 PM on July 24, 2008


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"

posted by thatbrunette at 2:21 PM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by humannaire at 3:38 PM on July 24, 2008


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.
posted by jonmc at 5:45 PM on July 24, 2008


I dunno, most of the stickers have looked surprisingly clean.
posted by cortex at 6:03 PM on July 24, 2008


First on I see in NYC is gonna get filthy real quick, man.
posted by jonmc at 6:14 PM on July 24, 2008


Ew. It's not supposed to be a come-on, man.
posted by cortex at 7:14 PM on July 24, 2008


You are beautiful.

No, not you. The one standing next to you.
posted by swift at 9:10 PM on July 24, 2008


meh. this doesn't inspire me to do anything or feel anything. just one more piece of grafitti in a city filled with it.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 8:57 AM on July 25, 2008


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