Stage I
Sometimes the answer to a creative problem is so obvious that development flies by. As we approach the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, President Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech from 2003 seems increasingly absurd. Originally hailed as a triumph of positive marketing/ propaganda, the president's swashbuckling antics (landing a fighter plane on the aircraft carrier) and high-blown rhetoric have taken on a different hue in hindsight.

Stage II
Fortunately, we have Douglas Adams' quote to sum up the vast gulf between a political photo op and lasting reality. All we had to do was pair the quote with the photo and choose an easy-to-read typeface. But wait! Let's take it one step further….

Final
Rather than clutter the design with American flags or other symbols that detract from the message, we simply changed the type colors to red and blue. To contain and enhance the message, we added a blue border. The resulting design, regardless of your political point of view, effectively communicates the reality of counting one's chicks before they've hatched.