For a Good Look
On my walk to work, depending on the route I take I sometimes pass by a photo lab. The lab has a sign attached to their outer wall, an old-fashioned looking sign, that reads, “We use Kodak paper—for a good look.”
“For a good look”? Really? This appears to be an official Kodak sign; it has their logo on it and everything, but the sentiment is just so 1970’s. “For a good look.”
Can you imagine any modern ad executive approving a slogan like this? “What, it only looks good? No, it looks FUCKING AMAZING! Put that on your sign, pussy! Our paper FUCKS your paper IN THE ASS!”
I don’t know what Kodak’s current slogan is, but it’s probably something shitty like, “Kodak—Your memories never looked so real,” because that’s the way that advertising works nowadays.
Not just, “For a good look.”
Imagine applying that advertising philosophy to everything:
“Goodyear Tires—For a decent ride.”
“General Foods—So your food has okay flavor.”
“Sony TV’s—You turn ‘em on, and there’s a picture there!”
Every time I see this sign, I’m just sort of charmed, because something about it speaks to a simpler and more innocent time, back when it was enough to assure your customers that your Kodak paper would give their photographs “a good look”. Because what more do you honestly need from photographic paper?
