FPO

We have all had to use one or more FPO – For Placement Only – elements in a design. Sometimes due to timing, as in "we haven't gotten the information, but the design is still due Friday." Sometimes because the photoshoot hasn't happened yet, and it's often helpful to have a layout to take to the photoshoot. Sometimes there are key elements of a design that cannot be FPO'ed. Certainly, if everything is FPO then there is nothing to design.

1 Copy

Probably the most common FPO is using greek/place holder/lorem ipsum copy. Although it is not Greek, but Latin.

"...one of the great things about Lorem Ipsum is that it really looks like real language. The words are a reasonable length, individual characters are used with about the right frequency." –Source

As much as it looks like real copy, no one will forget that it isn't the final copy. Here is a nice history of lorem ipsum, and you can see where it came from (Cicero) and what it all means (mostly jibberish) and why a Middle Ages typesetter would use it (same reason we do). Also, consult with your friendly copywriter to make sure you both agree on the general amount of copy needed.

I did some templates the other day to be filled in with quotes. And I typed, "This is a quote about a business-y thing right here." Which sounds slightly stupid, but there is (hopefully) zero chance of someone else picking that up and thinking it's a real quote they can use. Sometimes I use the placeholder copy to direct what kind of copy should be inserted. For a time, Quark gave you options beyond lorem ipsum, one of which was Klingon.

2 Names & Numbers

I tend to use 555-1212 as my go-to placeholder phone number. And this is not just my standard, but a standard for TV and movies. Naturally, you don't want to give out someone's real phone number on a large scale. Just ask 867-5309. And, as in copy, you want to remember easily that it's not the final information.

"They use 555 because, until a few years back, that was a restricted exchange. Now, by orders of something called the North American Numbering Plan Administration, phone companies are allowed to give out 555 numbers, just not anything between 555-0100 and 555-1999." –Source 

Likewise, although without as much logic, my FPO address is 555 Mockingbird Lane. Mockingbird Lane is the address* of The Munsters and, I dunno, it stuck.

I used to make up names all the time, but one day I was tired and just couldn't come up with anything so I started using names of people I know. But it really depends on my mood. I used Tom Collins recently, and then I was disappointed I couldn't come up with another drink with a first and last name to keep that rolling. Again, the point is you remember it's not the final thing, and have a bit of fun.

3 Imagery

Using placeholder photography or illustration is typically using some kind of low res or comp-ed up version of the real thing. The only trick here is that if the comp is too good, they might get a little too used to it. I've had this happen a couple times where a client has seen an FPO comp enough times, possibly due to copy revisions or the final image is placed at the very last minute, that having the real thing in there is jarring somehow. Like they got comfortable with the thing they had been seeing. It's easy today to make a comp too good – beware.

*The Munsters' house address on Mockingbird Lane is, of course, 1313.