Billboards (from the Archives)

I live in Springfield, Oregon about seven miles east of I-5, which is the main interstate that runs north and south through Oregon. On the way home from worship team rehearsal this evening, I made a note of every single billboard along that seven mile stretch between the freeway and my house. Here are the results:

1. Bank (advertising business loans)
2. Bank (advertising savings accounts)
3. Local coffee shop/restaurant
4. Chiropractic clinic (advertising chronic back pain relief)
5. “Lost” (advertising something about college loans, it wasn’t clear)
6. Blank yellow background with bold capital letters that said, “Advertise Here.”
7. Homes & Land (Real Estate)
8. Chiropractic clinic
9. Cell phone service provider
10. Homes & Land (Real Estate)
11. Casino
12. Local Home Improvement store
13. Another (different) Home Improvement store
14. Little Caesar’s Pizza (slogan: “Hot-n-Ready”, $5)
15. Clearwire (slogan: “Speed, but don’t pay the price!”)
16. Homes & Land (TV Channel)
17. DUII warning/info (slogan: “You don’t have to blow .08 to get a DUI”)
18. Budweiser (slogan: “This is beer.”)

Billboards. They are something that we see every day. We see them so often, we don’t notice how prevalent they really are. If someone had asked me to guess how many billboards were on that stretch of highway, I probably would have said about seven or eight. I certainly wouldn’t have guessed eighteen!

The main purpose of a billboard is to advertise something, but what is the message behind the message? While all billboards provide information, I think the message behind the message for most billboards (and advertising in general) is dissatisfaction. We want bigger homes, faster service, and more exciting lives. Are we happy with what God has provided for us, or do we want to borrow more and/or gamble with what we have?

What does the testimony of your life advertise to others?
Is your message clear or nebulous, like #5?
Are you a blank slate, willing to accept and reflect whatever is around you, like #6?
Does your message have mixed meaning and set a dual standard, like #15?
Do people see pervasive dissatisfaction in your life?
Do you offer them a consistent, positive message of Truth?

What does your billboard say?