Bumper stickers are known for being a source to voice your opinion yet not necessarily having to face the consequences or judgement of saying your opinion out loud. Many of them tactfully use humor to get their point across, while some may be blunt and get straight to the point. This bumper sticker, while it uses religion and humor as a selling point, brings light to the attention of texting and driving.Texting and driving is a serious societal issue that seems to get blown off, especially by the younger generations who swear they can multitask. In reality, nobody is that crafty, and crashes and deaths because of distracted drivers haven’t been going down.
At first, I thought that this sticker would be a perfect fit for one who was just a major follower of Jesus and also wanted the roads to be safe. But after thinking about this sticker over a few days, I realized that you don’t even have to believe in Jesus to want to have this sticker on your car. That part is only to catch your attention. The whole “honk if ____” idea is to get people’s attention and get them involved. That part of the bumper sticker, even if the reader does not believe in Jesus, gets them to at least read the sticker. It’s like the thesis statement of bumper sticker humor.
After getting your attention, the bumper sticker takes a more serious turn, as the second part states “text if you want to see him.” Texting while driving is an epidemic that has swept across the nation with the growth of smart phones in the past 10 years. As we all know, it became such a big issue that laws have been passed regarding the use of cell phones in motor vehicles. There are a lot of bumper stickers out there that bring attention to larger issues such as political views, abortion, war and violence… the list goes on. But what can you do about those things while you are driving? At least not texting and driving is something you can do right after you read this bumper sticker, which not only makes it a true statement but also it is aiding in the issue it is bringing up. Once you read the sticker, you should feel obligated to put down your phone, or keep it down. Even if the person put the bumper sticker on for their personal gain, it is also helping out anyone who reads it. If such a simple thing can make an impact, whether it be on one person’s day or every car that gets behind it, then I will support a Jesus against texting bumper sticker movement any day.
I think this is an excellent example of capitalizing on a given situation. As you said in your analysis, there are so many bumper stickers that call attention to issues outside of the world of driving- but in reality, you probably will read the stickers once and move away from it. This bumper sticker offers something you can immediately change, and because of that I think it is so much more effective. Moreover, people are unlikely to engage in the behavior again because of the impact the sticker will have while they are driving. The sticker starts with a typical phrase, but the end of it almost catches you by surprise and is therefore much more powerful. I also thought the color contrast was interesting- the author puts the actions of the phrase in red, almost to emphasize them. Great job and great choice in bumper sticker!
Bentley, you did an excellent job in explaining why the bumper sticker you chose displays logos effectively! I have never seen this bumper sticker before, and I agree with you that it grabs people’s attention, and it really makes people think about the dangers of texting and driving. Your post is very well written, and it is easy for the reader to understand why this bumper sticker is so effective, and the logos appeal behind it. Great job!!