I’ve been running through the photos on my cameraphone this evening and as well as an exciting shot of a Virgin Media van, I found this classic. It’s a small ad – I spotted it in a newsagent’s window in West Drayton the other day:

‘No cigarettes before the Dentist! If this means anything to you, PLEASE call…’

(Full size version here.)

What on earth is that all about? I was half-tempted to call the number, but commonsense prevailed and I haven’t dared.

It doesn’t have much to do with copywriting I know, but did get me scratching my head…

Any suggestions?

I’ve spotted a few Virgin Media vans about with a slogan that’s tempting fate. ‘Forward, back, back a bit more, stop!’ just seems to be inviting a parking mishap.

And it’s surely only a matter of time before we see a van with ‘near miss’ on the side stuffed into a hedge or something. (See a picture of the whole van here.)

Still, I like the copy. It has a nice sense of playfulness and made me smile the first time I saw it. And I suppose if one of these vans did have a coming together with another vehicle, the inevitable photo in the Metro the next day would at least be exposure of sorts for the company.