CATCH-22

Rethink Communications created these ads for YWCA Toronto. A brilliant and memorable representation of a typical Catch-22 situation.





In Joseph Heller's 1961 novel Catch 22 an Air Force pilot "wishes to be excused from combat flight duty. In order to be excused from such duty, he must submit an official medical diagnosis from his squadron's flight surgeon demonstrating that he is unfit because he is insane. However, according to Army regulations, any sane person would naturally not want to fly combat missions because they are so dangerous. By requesting permission not to fly combat missions, on the grounds of insanity, the bombardier demonstrates that he is in fact sane and therefore is fit to fly" (Wikipedia)
The Oxford Dictionary describes a "Catch-22 situation" as "a dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions".
Wikipedia suggests that the phrase is similar to "damned if you do, damned if you don't", "in which one is placed into an unfavorable situation no matter what choice one makes".

Client: YWCA Vancouver
Agency: Rethink Communications, Toronto