Don't Follow Me I'm Lost

Confused face with lenticular eyes over black text on green background. 

The phrase “DON’T FOLLOW ME… I’M LOST!” pairs a worried cartoon face with movable googly eyes to create a humorous, self-deprecating message. Similar jokes appeared on bumper stickers and novelty items in the mid-20th century, letting wearers share a playful sense of confusion or individuality. Googly eyes have roots in early 20th-century comic art and later became a staple of crafts and novelties.

The button was made by the Green Duck Company, a Chicago-based manufacturer founded in 1906 by George G. Greenburg and Henry J. Duckgeischel. Green Duck produced campaign buttons, tokens, and novelties for much of the 20th century. They were known for making items for both political parties and for mass-market humor and advertising buttons.