History Main / ExpoLabel

** Another issue has a Projector for Dematerializing Any Matter for One Minute. Perry White uses it and an {{Invisibility}} belt, both from Superman's SuperheroTrophyShelf.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Birdman}}'' episode "The Constrictor". The titular villain's submarine has an escape hatch helpfully labelled "Escape Hatch" to make sure the audience knows what it is.

* In ''Literature/TheHost'', after the souls take over human civilization, just about everything has a large, obvious label on it, made even more helpful by the fact that all of their products have ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin kind of names (for example, there are two medical salves called simply "Heal" and "No Pain").

[[quoteright:320:[[Franchise/{{Superman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/expo_label.jpg]]]]

* In ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'', somebody had to go around putting labels on things like coffee pots to comply with the ISO 9000 labeling standards. He also had "Stupid Label Guy" printed on his back. This may have been inspired by a RealLife incident in which everything in a lab was labelled for the benefit of a visiting executive. One of the labels covered a product logo which provided the same information (plus a brand name).

* These used to be painfully present in ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' comics. From Superdickery.com:
** One particularly strong example is the Floating [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Anti-gravity]] [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/sceince/1406floatingbed8lz.jpg Bed of Krypton]]. Lois Lane sleeps on it while in Franchise/{{Superman}}'s Fortress of Solitude. Despite its label, she was ''still'' confused when she found it floating.

** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/convience1ya.jpg Projector for Dematerializing Any Matter for One Minute]]. Perry White uses it and an {{Invisibility}} belt, both from Franchise/{{Superman}}'s SuperheroTrophyShelf.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/142_4_052.jpg The Mechanical Brain]]. The cover of Franchise/TheFlash Comics #52 show the title device with the Flash and other characters running around it.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/fullofhate.jpg Luthor Android Hate Tapes]]. After ComicBook/{{Superboy}} defeats the Luthor Android he finds the labeled computer tapes inside it.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/704_4_136.jpg Spare Robot-Parts]]. ''Strange Adventures'' #136, story "The Robot Who Lost Its Head". The cover shows a robot looking for its head on the labeled shelf.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/sceince/weirdinvention2yq.jpg Super Powers Tester]]. In a ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} story she's shown working out on the title machine to check on her invulnerability, SuperStrength and heat vision abilities.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/other/1296_4_070.jpg Superpussycat (formerly Superman) Habitat: Kryptonite Cage]]. Cover of "Lois Lane, Superman's Girlfriend" #70. As Lois Lane and Catwoman fight, the cage containing Superman is shown nearby.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/other/1027_4_087.jpg Convention of Anti-Superman Gang]]. Cover of ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen" #87. The title villains are shown voting whether Superman should be killed or not.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/oneshot/hardcore15dk.jpg Luthor Trap to Capture Superboy]]. Superboy, the narrator, and Luthor all [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] how stupid the whole situation is.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/oneshot/surelythismustviolatesomep.jpg Tip of Mount Everest]]. A plane is shown approaching Mount Everest, with the pilot saying that they might have crashed into it if Superman hadn't put up the sign.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/moisture.jpg News Machine]]. The title device is built into the side of a mountain. It shows an image of Jimmy Olsen crying, with two HumanoidAliens commenting on it.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/1428_4_210.jpg See The News As It Happens]]. Cover of ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' #210. A giant robotic robotic machine shows Abraham Lincoln being shot by John Wilkes Booth...in the year 2971.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/propaganda/2005-02-06_fighting_yank_n.jpg Soundproof Gestapo Headquarters]]. Cover of an issue of ''The Fighting Yank''. For some reason the title headquarters has a sign that says it's soundproofed.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/propaganda/241_4_05.jpg Death-Ray Camera]]. The cover of ''Young Allies'' #5 shows a motion picture camera with with this label to tell the audience how dangerous it is.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/propaganda/290_4_12.jpg Giant Television]]. ''The Black Terror'' #12. The cover shows the title hero fighting Japanese soldiers on the television with some children looking on.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/other/2033_4_06.jpg Gang Lords' Clubhouse]]. ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' #6. The cover shows the interior of a gang headquarters with one of the gang members kissing the Maid of Steel.
** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/propaganda/240_4_02.jpg New York Tunnel]]. ''USA Comics'' #2. A horde of Nazi solders led by UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler driving an underground boring machine crash into a tunnel helpfully labeled so the audience knows where it is.

* In ''Series/KnightRider'', every button on KITT's control panel had a label. The ones that did useful things had plain English labels like "Turbo Boost" or "Oil Slick", while the buttons that were never used had obscure labels like "7DLA", "6RM" or "PENG". After the remodel of the control panel in Season 3, the useless buttons had [[WordSaladTitle word salad labels]] like "Fire Assign" instead. Subverted in season 4 when an important-looking button just labeled "C" was added to the control panel, and neither Michael nor KITT knew what it did. [[spoiler:It turned KITT into a '''c'''onvertible.]]

** The Batmobile even had a ''fake'' label: Whenever Batman and Robin got off the car, they covered the label of the "Anti-Theft Activator" with one reading "Start Button". It was shown working at least once, against the Riddler.

Accordingly, the BigRedButton often has an Expo Label. Bonus points if it's handwritten on a piece of masking tape because the creator hasn't had the time or inclination to mount anything permanent.

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'': The NYPD wears bulletproof vests labeled "Police". In the second ep, Castle gets one custom-made... that's labeled "Writer".

* In PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor, after Flurrie blows the cover off the secret entrance at The Great Tree, we see that the entrance is marked "Secret Entrance", complete with lights and a light up sign.

* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt''
** It mixes the Expo Label with [[MostDefinitelyNotAVillain blatant untruths]] to give us the "[[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=7 NO Spare Robot Parts]]" sign.
** Also the label "Secret Train to Large Animal Holding Cells (Very Hush Hush, You Know.)"

** [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/science/142_4_052.jpg The Mechanical Brain]]. The cover of [[ComicBook/{{Flash}} Flash Comics]] #52 show the title device with the Flash and other characters running around it.

* During the chase scene in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', Bennie the Cab yells for his passengers to "pull the lever!" Asked "which one?", a sign pops out of the dashboard, marked with a pointing arrow and "This Lever, Stupid!"

* [[http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2011/01/cheat-sheet-cakes.html Some of]] the cakes featured on Blog/CakeWrecks. Sometimes for good reason.

** Also parodied in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/MakingMoney'', where a cartoon in the ''Ankh-Morpork Times'' shows a group of literal fat cats in top hats, with a sign above them reading "The Banks". Vetinari comments "[[SarcasmMode Subtle indeed]]."

* The old ''Series/{{Batman}}'' TV show:

!!Examples

* In an episode of ''Series/TheGates'', the producers wanted to remind viewers that Sarah was still drinking Devon's magic-poisoned tea without forcing that plot thread into an otherwise already busy episode... so they showed her drinking out of a giant ceramic mug labeled [[http://markbwilson.com/images/external/TheGates.png MUG OF TEA]].

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* In ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'', somebody had to go around putting labels on things like coffee pots to comply with the ISO 9000 labeling standards. He also had "Stupid Label Guy" printed on his back. This may have been inspired by a RealLife incident in which everything in a lab was labelled for the benefit of a visiting executive. One of the labels covered a product logo which provided the same information (plus a brand name).
* In just about every PoliticalCartoon ever ([[http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/Iraq4Years/main.asp I wonder what that giant monster represents?]])
** Parodied on ''Website/TheOnion''-- in which political cartoons often feature children labeled "Innocent Kids", villains with labels like "Insensitive Citizens ([[HollywoodAtheist Probably Seculars]])" and "Today's Lazy Moms", and TheGrimReaper labeled with something random RippedFromTheHeadlines.
** [[http://www.cracked.com/article_18680_political-cartoons-lowest-form-communication.html Cracked]] and [[http://chainsawsuit.com/2010/08/24/good-idea/ Chainsawsuit]] also made fun of it as well.
** Also parodied in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/MakingMoney'', where a cartoon in the ''Ankh-Morpork Times'' shows a group of literal fat cats in top hats, with a sign above them reading "The Banks". Vetinari comments "[[SarcasmMode Subtle indeed]]."
* A ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' cartoon had a man standing in his yard after painting labels such as THE HOUSE, MY SHIRT, THE DOG, THE CAT on everything with a caption of "There! That should clear things up around here!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* The old ''Series/{{Batman}}'' TV show

* In ''Series/KnightRider'', every button on KITT's control panel had a label. The ones that did useful things had plain English labels like "Turbo Boost" or "Oil Slick", while the buttons that were never used had obscure labels like "7DLA", "6RM" or "PENG". After the remodel of the control panel in Season 3, the useless buttons had [[WordSaladTitle word salad labels]] like "Fire Assign" instead. Subverted in season 4 when an important-looking button just labeled "C" was added to the control panel, and neither Michael nor KITT knew what it did. [[spoiler:It turned KITT into a '''c'''onvertible.]]

** The box of Rat Poison with "Rat Poison" on it.

[[quoteright:281:[[Franchise/{{Superman}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/camera_smashing_robot.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:281:Two Examples of an Expo Label, Including This Caption [[note]] Also, trained? Not programmed? [[/note]] ]]

[[caption-width-right:281:Two Examples of an ExpoLabel, Including This Caption [[note]] Also, trained? Not programmed? [[/note]] ]]

Most ordinary things are not labeled like that in RealLife. While an ExpoLabel or two can help with the pacing, they can easily come across as silly and awkward.

Accordingly, the BigRedButton often has an ExpoLabel. Bonus points if it's handwritten on a piece of masking tape because the creator hasn't had the time or inclination to mount anything permanent.

* In ''Series/KnightRider'', every button on KITT's control panel had a label. The ones that did useful things had plain English labels like "Turbo Boost" or "Oil Slick", while the buttons that were never used had obscure
labels like "7DLA", "6RM" or "PENG". After the remodel of the control panel in Season 3, the useless buttons had [[WordSaladTitle word salad labels]] like "Fire Assign" instead. Subverted in season 4 when an important-looking button just labeled "C" was added to the control panel, and neither Michael nor KITT knew what it did. [[spoiler:It turned KITT into a '''c'''onvertible.]]