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Making a sign is a great way to share your thoughts with the world. Well, at least most of the time. Anyone who engages in creative writing knows that there are many ways to mess up your text. Whether it's grammar mistakes, overly complicated words or nonsensical sentences, getting the message across might be harder than you think.

There's an online community dedicated to specific phrases that just don't make any sense. The subreddit is called Don't Dead Open Inside and according to the moderators, it's a place for "signs/media that read as nonsense if read normally: from left to right".

Bored Panda has collected the most ridiculous examples on this subreddit that will make you scratch your head. Scroll below and check them out yourself! And if you still feel the unexplainable desire for more, you can read our previous posts here and here.

In order to find out a bit more about the subreddit, we decided to take a look at the origin of its name. The internet database Know Your Meme describes "Don't Dead Open Inside" as a trope that involves incorrectly reading different signs and labels "which include two or more lines of text and have no clear way to tell the order in which the words should be read".

Sounds confusing, right? In short, it's about signs being misread due to the words being misplaced. People in the West are used to words going from left to right, so doing it any other way leads to confusion.

The meme originates from a promotional poster for The Walking Dead TV series. Since its reveal in 2010, it stands as one of the best-recognized examples of this trope in popular culture. The poster featured a photo of a double door with the words "Don't Open" written on the left side and "Dead Inside" on the right. The idea was to read it as "Don't open, dead inside". However, if read line by line, the phrase ends up as "Don't dead open inside."

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    It's no secret that ridiculous things spread on the internet like a virus, so in a few days following the reveal of the poster, people started discussing the design flaws. Many were pointing out that they read it the wrong way before realizing what it actually meant to say. A few users shared their interpretations on Twitter and more similar posts followed.

    A few years later, the subreddit /r/dontdeadopeninside was created with the purpose of collecting examples of the trope in advertising, design, and popular culture. As of today, the community has over 630K members who follow a strict set of rules in order to share their posts.

    First, all pictures need to follow the format of DDOI. The moderators explain this rule further, saying that "signs must be read correctly top to bottom, and incorrectly left to right, like any text usually." And even though it does not matter how easily you can read the signs or posters, it is highly encouraged to post images with little separation or spacing between the words.

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    #3

    I’ll Take One Of Each

    I’ll Take One Of Each

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    Tobias Rieper
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    sounds like something a grizzled 1860s prospector would say to someone who was being annoying

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    #4

    Screw The Other 7 Coralines...

    Screw The Other 7 Coralines...

    CommieG Report

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    Something
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It doesn't have to be an insult to the other Coralines. Maybe it's not their birthday.

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    Another highly encouraged rule would be to caption posts with the "correctly read" way in the title. For example, "You Don't Matter Give Up”. Also, posts should not be forced or easily staged. Pages of magazines, spines of books, or pillows with text that are put next to each other do not belong in the sub.

    If you look closely enough, you will find many such examples around you. Design as a whole might seem like a simple thing at first, but actually, a lot of work and knowledge goes into creating something clever. No wonder that when people think something like "Oh, it's just a logo" and don't put much thought into its creation, the results can be quite disappointing.

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    #5

    When “Don’t Dead Open Inside” Actually Makes Sense No Matter Which Way You Read It

    When “Don’t Dead Open Inside” Actually Makes Sense No Matter Which Way You Read It

    KarateKid84Fan Report

    #6

    I Hate To Do This To A Fellow Climate Activist But...

    I Hate To Do This To A Fellow Climate Activist But...

    _temporarilystairs_ Report

    Bad text design usually comes in all shapes and sizes. So first of all, we should define what "bad" signage means. If an ad, a billboard or anything else related to advertising your business lacks clarity, it may leave your customers feeling puzzled. A simple easily understood and logical message creates trust which can have a big impact on your brand in the future.

    Then, there's the issue of a poorly designed or placed board. If it is hard to read, most of your clients will not bother to stay long enough to understand what you are trying to say. It might be a wrong choice of location, an unreadable font, poor contrast or maybe lack of light; there are so many ways where this can go wrong.

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    #7

    We Buy Men Used 29 And Up

    We Buy Men Used 29 And Up

    nowakhm Report

    #8

    Don't Never Drink And Drive. Drive High

    Don't Never Drink And Drive. Drive High

    MrShiftyJack Report

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    achilles get down from there
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Perhaps in a way this illustrates the point - if you cant read this you're probably not sober enough to get behind the wheel!

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    Bad signage sends the wrong message to your future customers and all that work put into thinking of ideas and designing will be for nothing. If you want your business to succeed and your customers to trust the quality of your products, clever and clear communication is the way. And to help you with that, here are a few things you should know.

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    #12

    Idiot Anti-Vaxxers Who Got Fired From Hospital Job

    Idiot Anti-Vaxxers Who Got Fired From Hospital Job

    fight_milk38 Report

    According to Lektron Branding Solutions, signage is one of the most important marketing investments any business can make because of its "ability to immediately communicate with customers, demonstrate your brand’s style and tone, and win both attention and foot traffic." So if you miss important details in the design, placement, or the message itself, you end up wasting effort and money and still fail to reach the desired result.

    There are four main effects that bad signage has on your business. First, it affects how your target audience sees your presence. Sometimes your brand might even lose presence-of-mind among customers if you don't consider their needs. Second, overly complicated signs can even frustrate your customers. "Even if the placement and positioning of your sign is spot on, signage that’s hard to read isn’t going to help further your reach into target markets," Lektron Branding Solutions suggested.

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    #16

    If A Sub-Reddit Could Have An Arch-Rival

    If A Sub-Reddit Could Have An Arch-Rival

    catwok Report

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    Lord Mysticlaw
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't think this belongs here. This is brilliant. You can read the white side and it makes sense, you can read the black side and it makes sense, you can read both together and it makes sense. Sure it's not 100%, but the concept is genius and the execution is not terrible at all.

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    #17

    Live Work Ride Long Hard Fast

    Live Work Ride Long Hard Fast

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    And imagine if there's an embarrassing grammatical error in your poster or ad. A typo can suggest to the customer that your business is unprofessional or that the employees are careless, even if everything else written and designed is spotless. Your clients' first impression counts and if your sign leaves them annoyed, it will make winning them over even harder later on.

    #19

    Have You Guys Heard Of The New Samsung Aix Gay?

    Have You Guys Heard Of The New Samsung Aix Gay?

    nWo_Spike Report

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    #20

    Black Matter Lives!

    Black Matter Lives!

    daveberzack Report

    #21

    Bathroom Be Right Break Back :)

    Bathroom Be Right Break Back :)

    PM_Me_PolydactylCats Report

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    Julia Atkinson
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The bathroom is on the right, but be careful because the floor is slippery

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    Then there's the known fact that your advertising choices reflect your business and its ideas. Billboards and signs should communicate the way you think, so if it's dirty or even broken, your clients will think that your services are also poorly handled. This results in your business being seen as of lower quality than it actually is.

    #22

    This Great Hot Way To Coffee Choc

    This Great Hot Way To Coffee Choc

    Legitimate_Regret168 Report

    #23

    Say Racism No To Respect!

    Say Racism No To Respect!

    Bellgrim Report

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    Kiryn Silverwing
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Is it supposed to be Say no to racism respect? It made sense up until they tacked the last word on there.

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    #24

    Double Double Cheese Cheese Burger Burger Please Please

    Double Double Cheese Cheese Burger Burger Please Please

    orsiborsi88 Report

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    Mike Loux
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think McDonalds actually used this in an ad back in the 80's when they introduced the Double Cheeseburger (although IIRC they only said please once, the impolite bastards). Yes, I am old.

    Paul Simpson
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    . You were supposed to say double double cheese cheeseburger burger please at the drive-thru. I'd forgotten all about that

    Chloe *Leah* Pheonix
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And a one, and a two and 🎼🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶 double double cheese cheese burger burger please please🎧📻🎤🎧📻🎤

    Erin McDonald
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mmm Peter's drive in. Good burgers and shakes in Alberta, Canada.

    Morgan Meis
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's it's like like the the sign sign has has an an echo echo echo

    Marco Conti
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel like they could have save themselves time and effort up on that ladder.

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    Lastly, there's a big chance that you will lose foot traffic and sales. The FedEx Office "What’s Your Sign?" survey asked American consumers how signage can impact their intent to visit a store, make a purchase and more. The study found out that "poor signage can deter consumers from entering a store, with over half (52 percent) saying they are less willing to enter a store with misspelled or poorly-made signs."

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    #26

    Thank Key, You Workers!

    Thank Key, You Workers!

    aaronmcc122 Report

    With such massive consequences, you simply cannot ignore the readability of your posters, boards and ads. Ryan Brady, president at Brady Signs, said that you should consider your target audience before choosing the colors and style of your sign. What appeals to the people you want to market? How can you get their attention? "It might not be the best idea to put a giant, flashing sign out in front of your business, but you still want to make sure that people are seeing your sign and your storefront," he wrote.

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    #28

    Gives Up Who Never A Winner Is A Dreamer

    Gives Up Who Never A Winner Is A Dreamer

    Persoons Report

    Another thing to have in mind, less is more. Overcomplicating your brand will result in people losing attention. "Make sure that your sign is conveying the right information too, customers will turn right back around if they come in with incorrect knowledge about your business," Brady explained.

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    #32

    Getting Mixed Signals From This Dumpster!

    Getting Mixed Signals From This Dumpster!

    GodsActualButthole Report

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    Rei
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Getting wasted today, no energy tomorrrow" would be my interpretation of it.

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    "Your sign is a direct reflection of your business. People will judge your business based on your sign without even coming in, so it’s key that you don’t skimp out when you make a signage purchase. Cheap signs often cause more problems than they solve, whether it’s because they can’t withstand the test of time or they just don’t look like you planned. All things considered, your sign is worth the investment."

    #33

    Tell Him He Is A Pretty Good Cat And A Cat

    Tell Him He Is A Pretty Good Cat And A Cat

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    M O'Connell
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is entirely fine. Go watch the scene this comes from. Data went a little overboard.

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    #34

    Texcock Mextail Anyone?

    Texcock Mextail Anyone?

    pinkyepsilon Report

    #35

    Control Alter Delete Yourself Your Negativity Thinking

    Control Alter Delete Yourself Your Negativity Thinking

    Eightyprawn Report

    As one of the moderators of /r/dontdeadopeninside told Bored Panda earlier on, people make such text design mistakes because "they're either not thinking or they want to be original. Our main mission statement is to show them that they are wrong." It's important to remember that people in the West read left-to-right: "Do not "liven up" your text by making it "quirky". Hard to read means lost attention which translates to lost revenue."

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    #36

    Men Because Women To The Are Left Always Right

    Men Because Women To The Are Left Always Right

    michaelthott Report

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    Tim S
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Terrible. I also can't stand these incredibly sexist signs, especially because the person who put it up would surely be furious--rightly so--about one that stated the opposite.

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    #37

    Eat Don't Drink Smoke

    Eat Don't Drink Smoke

    ivets86 Report

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    Sawdust
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Clearly eating and smoking are OK, just don't drink (the spills are a pain to clean up).

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    Bad design comes in all shapes and sizes. Some products are irrelevant, apps—overly complicated, and posters or signs can be just simply... unreadable. But even though this results badly for the business, it's definitely hilarious for us.

    #39

    I Want To Learn About Farming Chan.

    I Want To Learn About Farming Chan.

    KhunPhaen Report

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    #43

    Soup Soup Break Soup Relax… Soup Taste

    Soup Soup Break Soup Relax… Soup Taste

    ftse Report

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    Stephanie Cunningham
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is just an instruction manual for torturing someone with unwanted soup.

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    #44

    1 2 3 4 5 7 8 It's 6 9 Ten The Co Duel Mm Me And Nts (Source: @hamiltonmusical On Instagram)

    1 2 3 4 5 7 8 It's 6 9 Ten The Co Duel Mm Me And Nts (Source: @hamiltonmusical On Instagram)

    Racek29 Report

    #45

    Lay Wicked Deviled Chickens Eggs

    Lay Wicked Deviled Chickens Eggs

    robodragoman Report

    #46

    Derotic Demergency Dequipment

    Derotic Demergency Dequipment

    dbrowe7 Report

    #47

    Vac Cer Cination Tificate

    Vac Cer Cination Tificate

    RevWaldo Report

    #48

    Nice Tattoo!

    Nice Tattoo!

    James_one_Tattoo Report

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    #50

    Jesus Kiss Is Me Daddy

    Jesus Kiss Is Me Daddy

    ComprehensiveDucc Report

    #52

    Por A Gr To Le E (Porto Alegre, City Name)

    Por A Gr To Le E (Porto Alegre, City Name)

    msstark Report

    #53

    How To Swig Water Get Your Free Life Bottle

    How To Swig Water Get Your Free Life Bottle

    Karnnette Report

    #54

    Team Makes Dream ☀️ Work The Work

    Team Makes Dream ☀️ Work The Work

    vashingstampede Report

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    #57

    Stop Together Asian We Stand Hate United We Rise

    Stop Together Asian We Stand Hate United We Rise

    loquaciousofborg Report

    #58

    Sh Sh Ap Ap In E G

    Sh Sh Ap Ap In E G

    Recidive Report

    #60

    Peimpe Rferfe Ctlyct

    Peimpe Rferfe Ctlyct

    MattZoldyck Report

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    ZAPanda
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i see. I too, can speak Old Ones' tongue. ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

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    #62

    Pack Pack It In It Out

    Pack Pack It In It Out

    soybeanolive Report

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    Bacony Cakes
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Check it in, check it out, Or the sun will never shine. They're a long way away, In the subways of your mind.

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    #63

    My School's Homecoming Week Sign

    My School's Homecoming Week Sign

    Phecda04 Report

    #64

    If U Do Not Unlock Leave. U Must Unlocked Lock

    If U Do Not Unlock Leave. U Must Unlocked Lock

    i-glados Report

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    Julia Atkinson
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm going to ignore the writing and avoid this thing because it's hot and dangerous

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    #65

    Talk Don't The Talk Just

    Talk Don't The Talk Just

    gostybever Report

    #66

    Can End On A Hopeful Horror Note?

    Can End On A Hopeful Horror Note?

    kinathearrow Report

    #67

    I Love I Want My Wife Her + Mel Inda Thewholeworld To With All I Am Know It

    I Love I Want My Wife Her + Mel Inda Thewholeworld To With All I Am Know It

    MeanHuckleberry Report

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    #70

    I Don't Even Know How To Class This..

    I Don't Even Know How To Class This..

    JMag92 Report

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    Jo Davies
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If he can't join letters together, I am not trusting him with woodwork

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    #72

    The Sea Is On Cosby Is Fire. Happy 4th, Free, America Is I Guess. Racist.

    The Sea Is On Cosby Is Fire. Happy 4th, Free, America Is I Guess. Racist.

    DarkFilipino Report

    #75

    Work Nice Hard To And Be People.

    Work Nice Hard To And Be People.

    Rougefarie Report

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    POST
    S.
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    God dammit, I forgot to write “be people” on my to-do list today!

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    #76

    Grandpas Dads Are Rules Without What?

    Grandpas Dads Are Rules Without What?

    Matthew50_50 Report

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    PenitentEyeball
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thanks to everyone for answering my question, apparently it says “Grandpa’s are dads without rules” (Probably)

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    #78

    My Friend's New Merch For His Ska Band, Ska Net Tune Work

    My Friend's New Merch For His Ska Band, Ska Net Tune Work

    dci_mos3 Report

    #82

    Pgod Rgun Olife

    Pgod Rgun Olife

    rinseanddelete Report

    #83

    Do No Take, Harm No Shit

    Do No Take, Harm No Shit

    SaintGumbo98 Report

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    #84

    Eat Always Open Drink

    Eat Always Open Drink

    kgofcourse Report