When the intended phrase "Don't worry, be happy" takes an unexpected turn.
When the sign layout makes "SALE SALE" completely unreadable.
This photo choice for the spa sign features some very awkward cropping or blocking.
This sign's unfortunate phrasing makes it sound like you can purchase the disorder for $45.00.
Is it a capital 'I' or a lowercase 'L'? With Arial, good luck telling them apart.
This wall quote's clever layout accidentally creates two very different messages.
Unfortunate line breaks strike again, creating a rather confusing birthday message.
All jokes aside, these quirky examples are more than just laugh-worthy—they're cautionary tales. Good design isn’t just about making things look nice. It's about communication. It's about clarity. It's about making sure your message comes through loud and clear (and doesn't accidentally suggest you're selling anxiety for $45).
When design goes wrong, it doesn’t just hurt your brand—it confuses customers, kills trust, and sometimes goes viral for all the wrong reasons. On the flip side, good design builds credibility. It guides users effortlessly. It makes your message feel intentional, professional, and worth paying attention to.
That’s why investing in thoughtful, clear, and purposeful design isn’t optional. It’s essential. And having a solid review process in place? That’s how you avoid becoming the next SASA LELE meme.
So, how do these design disasters happen? It's rarely a lack of effort—most likely, it's a breakdown in the review process. Maybe someone was rushing to meet a deadline. Maybe too many cooks were in the kitchen. Or maybe... no one took a final look with fresh eyes. That's where design review software becomes a creative team's best friend.
Design proofing isn't just an administrative checkbox. It's your last, best line of defense—the safety net between a clever idea and a public-facing flop. Whether you're creating ads, signage, packaging, or social posts, your design has only seconds to land the right impression. One weird line break or awkward crop, and suddenly you're going viral for all the wrong reasons.
A proper proofing system helps teams avoid these costly (and sometimes hilarious) mistakes by streamlining the review process, centralizing feedback, and making sure nothing slips through the cracks. No more endless email chains, version confusion, or overlooked typos. Just clear communication, better collaboration, and a smoother path from concept to confident approval.
Careful proofing allows reviewers to scrutinize layouts, image cropping, typography spacing (like line breaks or kerning), and element placement to catch awkward or unreadable mistakes—like confusing signage or oddly cut-off images—before they're finalized.
It provides a crucial check for typos, grammatical errors, or unfortunate phrasing that can completely change the intended meaning, ensuring messages are clear, correct, and professional, unlike slogans that accidentally advertise the wrong thing.
Reviewing designs within their intended context—how a sign works in its location or how logo elements interact—is vital. A good proofing tool can help simulate or demonstrate this, preventing fails like directional arrows pointing into walls or logos creating unintended interpretations.
An effective proofing process involves different stakeholders (design, copy, marketing, legal, client) who bring unique viewpoints. Using a collaborative proofing tool centralizes their diverse feedback, making it much more likely that someone will spot a potential fail—whether visual, textual, or contextual—that others might have missed.
See how a dedicated proofing tool like GoProof can help your team catch errors before they happen – start your free 14-day GoProof trial.
Smart Proofing. Faster Approvals. GoProof.
