RE: homeless signs

I think replacing current card-board box signs for the homeless with eye-catching signs will draw attention to the homeless person. If the goal is to increase the number of views, I think the project will be successful. I'm not sure if it will cause the onlooker to engage with the homeless person, but I believe it will spark curiosity. The downside into visually pleasing signs is that I can easily see the onlooker saying something like, "if the homeless person can afford to have a professional sign made, they aren't really that destitute" and carry on without making a donation. In order to solicit a contribution, I think a sign's message has to appeal to the masses; like most marketing pieces it has to go beyond the stereotypical "I'm homeless - help me". This can be done by eliciting a strong emotion from the audience- usually humor, heartache, and a practical appeal are the most effective. Check out the examples below: