Is this j;aklfwe;i easy to read?

This is a browser ad that I just saw for the women’s clothing retailer Ann Taylor.

It sucks. Why? Because the message is not immediately legible. 

The color contrast between the text and background isn’t enough, especially near the thin parts of certain letters.

The stripes on Heidi Klum’s sleeves also obstruct the text. 

Does it say “New :KLEJ Arrivals”? 

I don’t know because I couldn’t tell within two seconds. As a potential customer, I’ve already moved on and this ad fails. 

Take-away: Make messages legible.