it is what

it is. nothing special—terrible design, part of the “straight talk” group.
Probably helps, but I feel it might turn people away for fear of being paranoid, as well.

Posted by: letumubique99 on October 24th, 2008.

we get it.

alright, we all know we're supposed to be scared, terrified, whatever. aside from the social/political stuff, it's bad design and preachy. no no no.

Posted by: aylacatherine on November 17th, 2006.

Booo

after 9/11 everyone know that the gov. and been trying to controll the populis with feer. here we go again

Posted by: heusinkveld on November 11th, 2006.

50/50

It's a bit on the fear for fear's sake side, and does contribute to an environment of fear, but as there is some kind of risk, it's not all that bad.

Posted by: imisslincoln on October 20th, 2006.

hmmmmm

i think that it is a little on the fearmonger side. maybe the intention to remind us that we play a part in public safety in this day and age is important, but i htink a more positive approche is at hand.

Posted by: monoalex81 on October 19th, 2006.

hate it

i have to take the ferry and subway every day and i see them everywhere! they are all over the place. its stupid too because ive seen something and never ever said anything and no one else said anything either. they are useless.

Posted by: wills425 on October 18th, 2006.

its not beautiful....

but it puts it in peoples heads not to be so selfinvovled especially living in NY speaking to the conductor or a cop about something like a bag left somewhere or a shady person will help you sleep at night if god forbid anything happened and you didnt tell someone...

Posted by: shanagirl3 on October 10th, 2006.

i take the subway

everyday, and these signs have never compelled me to report the bags I sporadically see lying around. In fact, they make me not want to, because I'd feel like a jittery end-is-coming paranoid.

I also think it's funny that they ask you to call in your tip...when cellphones don't work underground.

Posted by: Ali on October 10th, 2006.

Clean, dry, but to the point

Some people were talking about false alarms and resemblance to WWII posters. You know what, it works. People do report, and I for one rather “waste” some time going some where, than lose my life going nowhere.

Posted by: ArtGirl on October 10th, 2006.

ineffective

IMHO the huge condensed bold and ominous command aren't the right tone for what they're trying to communicate. It's alienating. As backseat creative, I would go with a "better safe than sorry" and a "why don't you just take an extra 30 secs to tell that token booth about the package?" appeal. More relatable, less fear-inspiring.

Posted by: Ali on October 9th, 2006.

effectiveness: 0

all we've had are false alarms, subway shutdowns for someone's lunchbag, and people killed by bad information (I'd ask one particular tube rider if he feels paranoid but he was shot and killed by the London police). Art students taunt the system by leaving empty boxes in Union Square station and immigrants get deported because they "looked funny." sure, according to Bush 1-1/2, yes, we are a nation at war and if our contribution to the "war effort" is to rat out people that we've been taught to be afraid of, then let's do it! Meanwhile, powdered sugar will continue to be miscast as anthrax and people will volunteer their bags to be searched at subway stations. backwards tactics, if you ask me.

Posted by: forsoreeyesonly on October 9th, 2006.

straphanger, soldier

So what if the design is sucky? That's not the point. (The line is memorable, got to give them that.) This is a war poster. It's the equivalent of the WWII "Loose lips sink ships" message, though, ironically, sending the exact opposite message. This is something the city government is asking us to do to contribute to fighting the war on terror--at least it's not telling us to go shopping or see a fucking Broadway show.
Must disagree with you, avisualperson. These posters do NOT contribute to the atmosphere of fear in NYC. They're not the Department of Homeland Security dialing us up to Code Orange because the president's poll numbers are down. They are a simple, matter-of-fact, non-alarmist acknowledgement that NYC is a terror target, and mass transit has obvious vulnerabilities. Paranoid? Ask tube riders in London if it's paranoid.

Posted by: camper on October 6th, 2006.

MTA inhouse called . . .

I always wondered if it was an inhouse department but apparently, they ask for outside help for "special" campaigns like these; and to think the great house of Vignelli did all the original identity and system, only to have the horrible branding of subtalk take over.

Posted by: avisualperson on October 5th, 2006.

Effective but hurtful

We all know the slogan so that worked wonders but the whole idea behind it is negative. It feeds on the distrust of others. It also conveys the feeling that your security is in the hands of the general public instead of assuring you that you are being protected by professionals.

Also, in general, the SubTalk ads always come across as amateur.

Posted by: CoolBreeze on October 4th, 2006.

pretty damn boring

i guess there's not much you can do with MTA ads.

Posted by: euroskip on October 3rd, 2006.

makes the point

Ugly but if I say to you.... if you see something, you say?
Ok, it works. That reminds me to supermarket promotional posters, that esthetics is apparently that one that works well for those types of communications.

Posted by: cubes on September 29th, 2006.

i saw something

and so i'm saying something. good thought, bad art direction/design.

i'm shy, and no matter how much this sign reminds me of the importane of speaking up, i'm still not sure if i can be the one to yell bomb! (knock on wood...)

Posted by: addinnyc on September 29th, 2006.

Too cluttered

Fugly too.

Posted by: cheekymonkey on September 29th, 2006.

abject fear and paranoia

I see shit every day, who am I supposed to talk to, the station manager who is NOT at the token booth but a "floater" in the station? I think not. they are being too coy here, they should just put up pictures of shifty-eyed dark-skinned people or people "wearing overcoats in the summer because they must be carrying bombs" and say, "if you see something, then jump to unfounded conclusions." Applause, MTA, for contributing to the atmosphere of fear that continues to envelope NYC.

Posted by: avisualperson on September 29th, 2006.