license plates

Ohio recently released a new, incredibly ugly, license plate designed by... the governor's wife.

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I'm going to assume she has no prior graphic design experience based on how ugly it is. Fortunately, they have stopped production and the older, slightly less ugly plates will stay.

I started digging around for other plates and here are my faves. I think simple is best.

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Comments

[Betsy Gourley]

I think it's funny that it's mostly maize and blue. Is the Governor's wife from Michigan by chance? Last I checked, Ohio was a scarlet and gray state.

[D R E W]

yeah, i am not sure why we feel we have to make the plates all fancy. plain would be fine with me!

i'm not against the new ohio plates looking like a butter package since most of the state is rural farmland.

my problem with them is that...

1) they are trying to convey too many thoughts at once (it's beautiful, founded in 1803, birthplace of aviation, farmland and cities, ...)

and 2) there are plenty of talented graphic designers and illustrators in ohio... why can't the state government hire one of them instead of making it a PR stunt for the governors wife?

[Cheryl]

I started seeing those all over this past week and wondered who thought that one up. Ugh. Sometimes I want to move to Oregon just to get that nice little, simple tree.

[Mandi]

Oooooh my. Why, Ohio???? Why?!!!

[Alli]

Yikes, that is horrible! I'm quite partial to the Nebraska plate - love the color scheme and the sunset.

[J]

Maybe the Alabama governor's wife designed their hideous plates. That would explain a lot.

[Dustin]

You are correct sir. That plate is hideous. I would be very intersted to know what, if any, background she has in design.

I think license plates are funny and I understand the need to differentiate between the 50 states, but this to me is one of those 'it's just a license plate' things. I'm always for good design, but when did we decide we needed to express oursleves and our personal aesthetics through stamped metal on the bumpers of our cars?

[Pilgrim_lee]

haha oh wow, that is hideous! i love that the governors wife did it. i'm surprised its not 'scrap-booked'

australian number plates are VERY boring. they're all essentially the same with only the color and state slogan changed - "victoria: the state of EXCITEMENT" etc.

that california numberplate makes me think of david lee roth video clips of ladies in high cut neon bikinis :D its very brush scripty

[Amanda]

Ha! That's hilarious. For some reason i feel like it should be on a tub of butter.

I actually like the old california license plates from the 80s.
( http://www.dmvsolutions.org/images/californiaold2larger.jpg )