Manc

Over the last couple of months I've noticed a lot of stores getting employees (mainly $5.15 per hour kids) to stand at the corner or on the sidewalk holding a sign advertising the wares of the store in question. I think it started with little ceasers pizza, now it just seems to be everywhere.


Is it just a Detroit / Michigan thing, or is it nationwide?

Angry White Pyjamas

Theres been people doing that self same thing down here since they day we arrived (probably before but obviously I didnt know about it then)...infact I remember seeing one for Cellphones as we drove from Miami airport and thinking I'd best get one. A phone that is not a person holding a sign.

Hilda Ogden

Here in Washington we have some poor twit dressed up as a sheep, waving at folk for the mattress company that has those counting sheep ads. Also, a very bored looking git walking up and down with a sandwich board on for the "can you here me know phone company".

Sarah

They do it outside Cici's pizza over here, and the poor sap who does it for Papa John's has to dress up like a slice of pizza and wave to people driving past.
Reminds of London where they'd get some poor stooodent to hold a sign saying "Golf Sale" in the same spot on Oxford Street for hours.

dbj1000

They do it for everything here in Dallas, and it seems to be at its peak in mid-Summer when the temperatures are over 110deg.

People dressed as Cows for Chick-Fil-A, cartoon characters for kid's hairdressers, dressed as any damned thing for cellphones and sports equipment stores.

I believe the reason for it here is that there are local byelaws prohibiting stores from advertising by the side of the road with temporary or permanent signs. The kids and Mexicans half-dead from heatstroke is a really clever loophole, allowing those stores to get their fucking usless adverts displayed to thousands of motorists who don't give a toss.

We've promised ourselves that we will never do business with a company that uses these poor buggers holding signs.

britvic

No not round ere, except for those silly buggers at Tax time.

gruffbrown

We get them all the time here, standing at the side of busy roads, breathing in the CO2 and looking very pissed off.

Dan725

LOL, It's hot round here too, but instead of people dressed as Cow's, we get the high school girls in bikinis holding signs for fund raising car washes! A bit easier on the eye, at least Heard on the radio a couple of months ago they were contemplating legal action against some of the schoolies over in St Petersburg who had signs that said "Your Cars Dirty....and so are we!"

gruffbrown

Just out of interest does anyone get the giant inflatable rats by the side of the road? I think it's a Union scab thing or is it just NJ?

And no I wasn't hallucinating.

mandpete

The rat's been to our township quite a couple of times, definitely something to do with the unions but not quite sure what.

The only time I have seen people holding signs is when a store is closing down and then there seems to be one every couple of hundred yards or so. I have seen them out in all sorts of weather, in heavy rain or snow the store kindly provides them with a bin liner to keep dry. Some of the sign holders seem really scary and look as if they are waiting for their next fix of one thing or other.

gilbertcross

I've lived in about a dozen cities here so far, and I've yet to see an area that doesn't engage in this practice. One was even dressed up as a chicken. My poor mum thinks I live in some kind of downtrodden area, what with chickens walking around the neighborhood with signs...

anotherlimey

Maybe the chicken was an immigrant...

paddingtongreen

We have some occasional ones, most often one for a "chocolateer" doing hand made chocs.

What bugs me the most is when the fire companies have everyone in the street trying to fill a fireman's boot with cash. It's bad enough with normal traffic and the lights and turns. These guys spread all over the traffic lighted junction for a supermarket and shopping centre, on a Saturday!.

Chorlton

Its here in Austin, and its always for crap they have to beg you to buy.

cindyabs

Saw it in London last August..........