Utah Speak

I think one of my favorite parts of coming to Utah is reading all the billboards between Salt Lake and Orem. You can learn a lot about Utah culture simply by analyzing the advertising strategies people use. First of all, about half of the billboards are urging you to buy your own home. Since buying a home is an important investment and the first step to that all-important self-reliance. You can't have a year's supply of food storage in an apartment. Also, you need a home for your large family. There's one company that specifically targets the stereotypical Utah family. Their billboards read "Two kids under five and twins on the way. Two tons of laundry. Our homes have extra-large laundry rooms." and "Eight kids. All girls. 164 pairs of shoes. All our homes have oversized closets."

Then there are the ads for modest clothing, BYU football tickets, wedding dresses, and even the ad for a traffic website that pictures a girl in a wedding dress and says "accurate information to get you to the church on time" (I surprised they didn't say "get you to the temple on time"). I also love the one for the home improvement company that says "A happy wife is a happy life". Underneath that line, it advertises their low rates on granite counter tops. Since the best way to improve your marriage is to spend large amounts of money on remodeling your home.

The one you would never see in Seattle is the guy who calls himself the "free capitalist" and vows that his mission is to "annoy the socialists". He probably wouldn't like any of the bumper stickers I see in Seattle on a daily basis. They tend to say things like "More trees, less Bush". "Wal Mart: American Values Made in China", or my personal favorite, "Who would Jesus Bomb?". I don't think you're going to see that on a billboard in Utah any time soon.

Comments

Vanessa Swenson said…
I might actually consider one of those bumper stickers. I love Utah billboards. We think we're so normal...oh, and how wrong we are!!!
6/08/2007 12:01 AM
Kengo Biddles said…
I pass the Free Capitalist about 7 times on my trip to and from the Zoo and my Job. Each time I wave and say "Hail Satan." He looks truly, truly evil.
6/08/2007 3:09 PM
Natalie Gordon said…
The Free Capitalist gives me the Heebie Jeebies.

I hope you're having a great time! It seems like the weather is finally acting agreeable. Enjoy!
6/08/2007 8:39 PM
skyeJ said…
Hahaha!!! Who WOULD Jesus bomb? Gosh, I don't miss Utah at all. Except for the way the air smelled in the summer. There was some kind of tree that bloomed and it was amazing.
6/09/2007 4:27 AM
Melyngoch said…
"Republicans for Voldemort" is my favorite of the bumper stickers I've encountered since relocating to Bloomington.
6/09/2007 12:39 PM
Celia Marie (W.) B. said…
That tree is called a Russian Olive tree. It's what I miss most about June in Utah. It's my favorite smell ever.
6/09/2007 4:24 PM
Lady Steed said…
I would do the same thing when we were living in Utah. Those billboards are so entertaining. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that saw the billboards and then used them as a way to analyze Utah culture.
6/10/2007 7:55 PM
Anonymous said…
Aaaaah! No! It's not Utah culture--it's what marketing departments (and BYU students--they may be the same thing) perceive Utah culture to be. Sorry to intrude (I'm a semi-regular lurker--a friend of the Weeds--and I actually had a class with you back in the day, so it's not as creepy as it seems), but as a nearly lifetime resident of Utah, I have to say that little of what gets called Utah culture actually is.

There. I've said my piece.
6/10/2007 8:57 PM
FoxyJ said…
Hey MHuff--I remember you :) And I agree that it's not really what many people in Utah would consider their culture. Just like not everyone in Seattle drinks coffee or wears fleece (or hates WalMart). Advertisers just like to categorize people because it makes their jobs easier. Just as long as we don't assume that we have to neatly fit into their categories.
6/10/2007 10:41 PM
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