Earlier today a friend sent me the following screenshot:
I have blacked out his company name from the screenshot to respect his privacy.
Can you see the problem? Let’s try zooming in a bit further…
I couldn’t see anything wrong with the ad either, until I read the information on the picture of the NJ Driver License.
THEY WERE USING A PHOTOSHOPPED PICTURE
OF MY LICENSE IN THE AD!
I immediately knew where the designer of the ad had obtained the picture — on an old blog post where I talked about replacing my NY state license with a NJ one: https://www.geekinheels.com/2009/11/06/my-new-drivers-license.html
And just in case you’re too lazy to click on over, here is the picture in question:
As you can see, I had blacked out my license number and my address, but kept all the other information since they are all readily available online (via this blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc).
Now, I know that whatever I upload and publish online are out there for anyone with an internet connection to obtain, and possibly tamper with.
But they couldn’t black out my other information, or photoshop it with some fictitious person’s name and birthday?
They couldn’t at least find an Asian person’s photo to use when the name on the license is OBVIOUSLY Asian?
Nice work to whoever designed this ad. Stellar job, really.
(And isn’t it ironic that this poorly photoshopped ad was displayed on the same page as a HuffPo article featuring Photoshop disasters?)
I have already contacted Huffington Post, AOL, and the company that placed the ad regarding this matter.
I’m really not that mad. Instead, I find this entire situation silly and amusing.
I do, however, hope that whoever “designed” this ad gets chastised for doing such a crappy job.
I like books, gadgets, spicy food, and art. I dislike shopping, hot weather, and the laws of entropy. Although I am a self-proclaimed computer nerd, I still have a love for handbags and makeup... and I am always teetering on high heels. To learn more about me, visit the 
Oh em gee. Not OK! I may be overly sensitive, since I was a victim of identity theft this year, but I’m freaking out on your behalf. They’d better get that down RIGHT QUICK!
HA! I’m glad you’re taking this well. You’re so right though… it’s seriously laughable! And someone got PAID for that? Shooot. Throw it my way. I think any of us could do better. Keep us posted on people’s response. I’m really curious what people say.
Seriously WTF.
I had my own runin with HuffPo last month. Suffice it to say my opinion of AOL/HuffPo has sunk even lower.
That is INSANE and not cool at all. I’m glad you’re so positive about it 🙂
HAHA…oh my gosh- what a weird way to find ….fame? So glad you’ve found humor in it and I hope they take it down or give you a nice check for royalties (ya right) but one can hope! You’re …famous!
this is so ironic next to that article! i’m glad they didn’t reveal anything private.
Exactly what you said: “They couldn’t at least find an Asian person’s photo to use when the name on the license is OBVIOUSLY Asian?”
That is the funniest part to me! What the heck?! Also, you’d think if someone is in a position to be designing ads to be displayed somewhere as prominent as huffpo, they’d be smart/experienced enough not to just do a google search for “new jersey license”… And yet, I can’t find a job…
Wow that’s such an obvious blunder (on the part of Huff Post). I wonder if there’s a way to post pix on your blog so they can’t be copied and pasted.
Oh my goodness, that’s crazy! How strange!
whaaaa??! I can’t believe someone you know actually found this. So crazy.
Wow, that is crazy!
Crazy and scary all at the same time!! BTW, I’m glad to see that you are blogging again. I hope all is well with you and your family.