Part 1: Making Sense
When I spot a typo on a printed piece, a sign, or a billboard, all of my attention is drawn away from the intent of the message as I try to understand the people responsible for setting the type and proof reading. To me, the credibility of the message is always challenged when typos get past the checkers and get printed, either multiple times on a printed piece, or just once on a sign or billboard that will be read by thousands of people.
A typo that I see often in printed pieces and signs, and usually one of the prominent features of the message, is the misuse of the decimal point in the price of an item. I have seen Dry Cleaners that offer “Shirt Laundering for only .99¢” or a Self Service Yogurt Business that offers their product at “.39¢ per ounce”
I have been tempted to take my shirts to the Dry Cleaners and request that they be laundered for less than a penny each. Perhaps that is what it would take to bring their attention to the error.
The correct format for the pricing would be either 99¢ or $0.99. That zero to the left of the decimal is very important as it shows that the price is less than a whole dollar.
This is just my 2¢ worth… which is 10 times more valuable than my .2¢ worth!
August 2nd, 2010 at 10:34 am
“will be read my thousands of people”
August 2nd, 2010 at 12:06 pm
You had a typo yourself “…or just once on a sign or billboard that will be read my thousands of people.”
My 2¢ worth.
August 2nd, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Hahahahaha! No comments.
August 5th, 2010 at 9:02 am
…and proofreading is one compound word – not two words.
August 24th, 2010 at 9:49 am
jeez, give the guy a break..so he spelled my instead of by that is a very small error, and also he’s talking about signs and prints…It’s easier to make a mistake online especially one as small as that. Good advice, makes sense definitely.
August 24th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Marco and Enrique – “…or just once on a sign or billboard that will be read by thousands of people.” – this sentence is correct