2) Billboard, More Like Bill “Bored” (I’m Hilarious)

Upon reading the second blog prompt for my English class, which instructs us to write about and rhetorically analyze a billboard that we have seen, I realized that I barely pay attention to billboards while I’m driving, as the only one that came to mind was the advertisement for Buc-ee’s (a magnificently delightful gas station/superstore full of novelties and snacks). The board wasn’t even a full advertisement, just the logo and “In however-many miles.” After spending the day wondering why I couldn’t think of any other billboards besides that one, I left my last class and went to pick up my sister from her rehearsal. With billboards on the mind, I drive for about ten minutes when something catches my eye…

An enormous colorful piece, seemingly straight from a comic book, caught my attention. An advertisement for an injury lawyer, Juan Lafonta. I recognize the name from a friend of mine’s online profile name, but I never knew who he was until seeing this absolute masterpiece. The billboard shows a very animated car crash with a cartoon explosion shown in bright and vibrant colors, immediately drawing the attention of many people who look in that general direction. A splash of reds and yellows with “JUAN LAFONTA” in great big red letters streak across the middle, while two caricatures decorate the two sides with their differing facial expressions. The man on the left, most likely Mr. Lafonta himself, holds a fighting stance and throws a right punch forward, maybe to punch the other lawyers? Or the competition? Fist-bumping? I have no idea why he’s punching, but it catches attention I suppose. What intrigued me the most was the woman on the right, with her hand up in an almost dismissive manner, yelling, “He FIGHT! He don’t play!” The impeccable grammar of her speech bubble really convinced me to take the entire billboard seriously. But maybe that was the point? Absurdity usually succeeds in captivating an audience, and I can’t imagine a billboard like this being ignored. That being said, I would personally never in a million years hire this man. He doesn’t exactly strike me as a hard worker, but rather a buffoon who relies solely on absurdity for attention and clients, which is not what I would want in a lawyer. This billboard’s attempted rhetoric, while attention-grabbing, just feels empty and flashy.