I know, I know, but I just came across a terrific example surfing today. The most severe case of bad advertising I’ve seen in 2005. It’s an ad posted in Gazeta Wyborcza, probably the most respectable Polish daily, ordered by some Christian interest group (hell, religion is so hip these days).

Since the font is so tiny, I’ll help you read it. It says "Is the load hard to bear [ed. as in do you have a heavy conscience?]? Go to confession before Easter".

Whenever I see something like this I tend to stare in awe and wonder who would actually pay for this to be made? Do people just order ads without knowing anything about how they will turn out, and then they’re forced to pay what it cost to make them? Is there no iterative process of development (yes I know I’m rehashing software development theory, feck off)? Or do people actually want ads like this one? Could it be? Does anyone actually think this is a good one?! Did someone get a pat on the back for this one?