Neon neurosis
According to reports, Times Square billboards have shifted from fast food and Broadway promos to nonstop therapy ads. Instead of being told to “Eat More Chicken,” tourists are now greeted with “Have You Tried Breathing Exercises, Chad?” flashing in 12-foot neon letters.
Advertising experts say the move was inevitable. “If theres anywhere you need mental health support, its standing between an Elmo with questionable hygiene and a man yelling about the end times while you try to find the M&M store,” said one consultant. Screens now feature rotating mantras like: “You Are Enough,” “Stop Texting Your Ex,” and “Its Okay That Youre Crying in Public.”
Locals have mixed feelings. “On one hand, I feel seen,” said a woman commuting from Queens. “On the other, I dont need my trauma validated in 4K while Im buying a $9 pretzel.” Meanwhile, tourists mistake therapy ads for Broadway previews. One man from Ohio said, “We tried to buy tickets for Couples Counseling: The Musical. The TKTS booth just told us to journal instead.”
TikTok exploded with #TimesSquareTherapy, where influencers film themselves sobbing under neon signs while holding iced lattes. One viral clip shows a group hug forming spontaneously after a giant billboard declared, “You Are Not Alone, Even in Midtown.”
Tabloids weighed in. “SQUARE SHRINKS” screamed the Post. The Daily News countered: “NEON PSYCH.”
Mayor Adams called it “mental wellness through capitalism.” Governor Hochul muttered, “If they put my therapy bills on a billboard, Im moving to Jersey.”
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/times-square-billboards-now-show-therapy-ads/
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/times-square-billboards-now-show-therapy-ads/.
By: Annika Steinmann.
