Friday, January 06, 2006

The universal language of "WTH?!?"



These illustrations were found inside an Ikea furniture manual. For the uninformed, Ikea is the "cool but cheap" Swedish decor/furniture GIGANT.

Nevertheless, this little graphic greets customers - and, as incomprehensible as Swedish is as a language, they sure know how to communicate beyond the language barrier.

Check the lower left hand graphic of the little mutant guy - who hasn't had THAT expression before?!? The illustrator nailed it! However, it's rather improbable that someone who's confused by Ikea's ultra-simple assembly would be able to operate a more complicated machine like a telephone. In fact, notice how the telephone cord is wrapped around the mutant-guy's body - in the words of my bucktoothed sister from Arkansas, "He'a dumb, dumb feller!"

Also, check the middle left guy - he foolishly attempted to build his Ikea "thing" without a rug and bunged the corner up. In case you've ever done the same and wondered how it looked to an observer, now you know. You look like that - the same look that you had when you were 3 years old and peed your pants on the playground.

The top left/right illustrations are rather puzzling, however - I take it you're not supposed to use your trapezoid as an air-guitar?

Anyway, a salute to Ikea for managing to retain the simplistic charm of their products throughout their brand material.