Have you seen the new ”Live passionately” adds in Virginia? The new slogan created by The Virginia Tourism Corp is to be used in tandem with the 1969 slogan ”Virginia is for lovers”. Virginia Beach tourism officials started pushing its new slogan Wednesday. At Neptune’s Park in Virginia Beach the Virginia Tourism Corp. gave tourists free T-shirts just for making the ”Live Passionately” sign. The slogan and imagery can be seen on the web and on television. The virginia.org website has a new look for the campaign as well.
So what’s this about gang signs you ask… As you can see in the images I have provided, clearly there is a similarity to the well known gang sign for the gang known as the ”Gangster Disciples”. So what”s the big deal? Well, I find it somewhat hilarious that $400,000 was spent on the new campaign and no one noticed this small detail.
Those of us involved in marketing, web design, image creation etc. have to think about everything we create. In this world of political correctness we are all under the scrutiny of the public eye. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who will make the gang connection and undoubtedly all the imagery will have to be removed and/or changed adding to the $400,000 spent on this project.
Think before you make cute symbols with your hands. In some places that could get you shot; thank goodness ”Virginia is for lovers”.