IT IS no accident that the colour green was chosen as the international colour to identify a pharmacy, a green cross.

In the 1970s the Green Cross Code man taught children how to cross the road safely, he later became Darth Vader in body, if not in voice. We drive when the traffic light is green, walk when the green man flashes. Green means safety and “go”. So why on Earth has the Government chosen green as the surrounding stripe to its new, yet meaningless slogans of “stay alert, control the virus and save lives”?

It took a 137-word explanation, nearly 20 words for each one in the actual message, to let people know what the slogans were all about. If you have to take that long to explain your message, it’s clear the message has failed.

There’s a science to creating meaningful, long-lasting and effective messages. Over the years there have been many great messages from “careless talk costs lives” during the Second World War as well as one that, while never deployed during the war, was created just in case we were invaded.

“Keep Calm And Carry On” was devised to try to prevent the nation from panicking if we were occupied.

When it comes to signs, road signs are perfect examples of good communication.

Simple shapes and diagrams, primary or clear, basic colours. They all help convey a strong message. We know that red means danger. Any sign with red in it means it’s some sort of warning. We have blue backgrounds for motorways, green for A roads. Yellow means caution. Circular signs give you an order... a speed limit... and triangular ones are a warning.

The study of signs, symbols and how they convey meaning is called semiotics. Various theories have been proposed to explain how humans interact and react to signs and symbols. One theory states that human action involves signs and meanings in three different ways. First there is the perception stage, the person becomes aware of a sign. Next comes the manipulation stage, the person interprets the sign and decides how to respond to it. Finally, there’s the consummation stage, the person responds to the sign.

The problem we have (and which the Government has currently) is that every sign has the potential for multiple meanings, not just the meaning intended by the creator. These meanings are often socially and culturally influenced.

Designing a sign and communicating a message requires a high degree of skill if you want the meaning to be restricted to the one you wish to convey.

The Government’s first sign and messages were good ones. Stay Home, Protect The NHS, Save Lives, using the colours red and yellow. It was clear and unambiguous. It conveyed not just what to do, but why we are doing it and the consequence of doing it.

People understand that, ultimately, they will be saving lives by following the advice. Even the fact it was bordered by a red diagonal stripe meaning “danger” and then written on a yellow background (a warning) reinforced the core messages.

This new message has no such clarity. It’s only saving grace is a yellow background denoting a warning, but the combination of yellow and green could have a very different association in people’s minds from danger and warning. It could remind us of summer, of green fields and yellow flowers.

The words of the new slogan are also inadequate. “Stay Alert” – what, by drinking coffee? Consuming caffeine-laced energy drinks? Take shifts at sleeping? No, apparently, it means stay at home or, now, go to work if you cannot work at home. So already we have a mixed message and confusion. And what of “Control The Virus”? Should I be watching old Barbara Woodhouse videos to learn how to get the virus to stay or sit or go for walkies? What treats do I use to train my viruses and where do I buy a choke lead for a virus? It’s a nonsense phrase. The only phrase that still makes sense is Save Lives but how doing the first two things achieves that is not easy to understand.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have rejected the Government’s new slogans and sign. They prefer to keep on message and keep the old message going. Stay Home, Protect The NHS, Save Lives. As this crisis carries on, we’re drifting apart and becoming more dis-united. Boris Johnson is no longer looking like the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he’s downgraded himself to First Minister of England. The Government have messed up this next phase of the crisis with a badly chosen sign and poor slogans. I hope it doesn’t result in too many extra deaths.