Use the following examples of bumper stickers to teach your students about audience and purpose. For each sticker, challenge your students to guess some details about who the author might have been (male/female, rich/poor, young/old, sad/happy, optimist/pessimist, liberal/conservative etc.) and who he/she intended to be the target audience.  Using your background knowledge, provide support for your ideas.

Bumper Sticker Examples:

• Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.
• I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
• Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.
• Being “over the hill” is much better than being under it!
• Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up.
• Don’t make me mad. I’m running out of places to hide the bodies.
• On the journey of life, I choose the psychopath.
• Carpe Diem = Seize the day. Carp In Denim = Fish in pants.
• Veni, Vidi, Velcro. I came, I saw, I got stuck.
• Visualize Whirled Peas
• Frankly, Scallop, I don’t give a clam.
• A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.
• The trouble with life is there’s no background music.
• Well, this day was a total waste of makeup.
• I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a very bad mood for 30 years.
• Allow me to introduce my selves.
• Sarcasm is just one more service I offer.
• Chaos, panic, and disorder – my work here is done.
• Love may be blind, but marriage is a real eye opener.
• I can’t remember if I’m the good twin or the evil one.
• I’m not tense, just terribly, terribly alert.
• If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen.
• First things first, but not necessarily in that order.
• Reality is a crutch for people who can’t handle drugs.
• Out of my mind – back in five minutes.
• Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
• Veni, Vedi, Visa: I Came, I Saw, I did a little shopping.
• If you’re happy and you know it see a shrink.
• Keep the dream alive: Hit the snooze button.