Sign of the Times
I don't know when this phenomenon began, but I have recently noticed it has become more prevalent. I really don't understand it, so I guess I'm just looking for some explanation as to why this is a good idea for any party involved.
I'm sure you've seen them. They can usually be spotted at busy intersections or on side of busy roads. You can tell who they are by the huge signs that are attached to their souls. Their signs usually contain some multi-color message adverstising some huge going out of business sale for some store. And I guess most people might pass by these Sign People without a second thought, maybe some have not really even noticed them (which incidentally is not good news for the stores that are paying these folks to advertise their sale for the sole purpose of them getting noticed by potential customers).
But I contemplate these things. Chalk it up to too much free time, I suppose.
Anyway, I wonder what the job title is?
-Sign Holder Upper
I wonder about the qualifications?
-Must be able to stand for long periods of time and be able to hold up a 20 pound sign. Must like fresh air (with a little pollution mixed in). Dignity not necessary.
How do people end up with this job?
I guess it doesn't take any brain power or heavy manual labor, so it must be attractive for some reason. You don't really have to directly deal with customers which is a big plus.But can you imagine earning $5.15 per hour to stand on the side of the road holding a going out of business sign? How long of a shift would one have to endure? Are there health insurance benefits? Paid holidays?
I have observed these Sign People while stopped at stop lights to see if I could figure out a little bit about the kind of person who would willingly choose to perform this job. Usually they are hiding themselves with the sign, probably just slowly whittling the time away hoping no one will recognize who they are and collecting their weekly wages and just getting by. Others have proudly waved their sign performing their job with such gusto and authenticity. That person is going places. Promotion bound. I have seen others actually chatting on cell phones while in the middle of their shift. I guess most minimum wage jobs wouldn't allow this, so there are some perks.
I then begin to wonder why companies think this is a good way to advertise their sale. And does the average customer really respond to this type of advertising?
"Despite the mail circular, newspaper, TV, and radio ads, I really didn't think to shop at the Super Dooper Rhodes Furniture Store's Bankruptcy Liquidation Going Out of Business Sale until I saw that woman in the purple sweatsuit holding the huge technicolor sign on the side of the road."
I guess it is just one more arm with which to grab the consumer and herd them into a store that either is picked over, overpriced in the first place, or employing the old bait and switch trick. And I don't hold much faith in the consumer to rise about this tactic, we know all about the power of suggestion. There must be some market research out there that supports that companies are achieving the desired effect from this new breed of advertising gimmick. And if they are usually adverstising a going out of business sale, how does the store that is going out of business justify the expense of the Sign Holder Upper? Is it worth the cost?
I sometimes come up with these evil scenarios that these Sign Holder Uppers are actually prisoners of Corporate Headquarters and are being forced to carry out their sentence in this fashion. Who needs a stock barricade or scarlet letter when there are going out of business signs to hold?
Which, for some reason that probably only makes sense in my mind, reminds me of my 6th grade teacher's discipline techniques that involved a circle on the chalkboard that your nose was supposed to touch and was always drawn just little taller than you were and dictionaries were held in both hands if the offense was more serious. Tim Dunn & Dan Miller's orange in the toilet shenanigans resulted in them both holding on to the evidence-the said orange retrieved from said toilet- while each of their noses rested within their respective circle on the chalkboard. Public ridicule is an effective deterrant in 6th grade classrooms, I suppose. Holding up a sign and surrendering your dignity must be effective as well.
So my heart goes out to those Sign Holder Uppers who are schilling for the Corporation. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. Where do I get an application?
I'm sure you've seen them. They can usually be spotted at busy intersections or on side of busy roads. You can tell who they are by the huge signs that are attached to their souls. Their signs usually contain some multi-color message adverstising some huge going out of business sale for some store. And I guess most people might pass by these Sign People without a second thought, maybe some have not really even noticed them (which incidentally is not good news for the stores that are paying these folks to advertise their sale for the sole purpose of them getting noticed by potential customers).
But I contemplate these things. Chalk it up to too much free time, I suppose.
Anyway, I wonder what the job title is?
-Sign Holder Upper
I wonder about the qualifications?
-Must be able to stand for long periods of time and be able to hold up a 20 pound sign. Must like fresh air (with a little pollution mixed in). Dignity not necessary.
How do people end up with this job?
I guess it doesn't take any brain power or heavy manual labor, so it must be attractive for some reason. You don't really have to directly deal with customers which is a big plus.But can you imagine earning $5.15 per hour to stand on the side of the road holding a going out of business sign? How long of a shift would one have to endure? Are there health insurance benefits? Paid holidays?
I have observed these Sign People while stopped at stop lights to see if I could figure out a little bit about the kind of person who would willingly choose to perform this job. Usually they are hiding themselves with the sign, probably just slowly whittling the time away hoping no one will recognize who they are and collecting their weekly wages and just getting by. Others have proudly waved their sign performing their job with such gusto and authenticity. That person is going places. Promotion bound. I have seen others actually chatting on cell phones while in the middle of their shift. I guess most minimum wage jobs wouldn't allow this, so there are some perks.
I then begin to wonder why companies think this is a good way to advertise their sale. And does the average customer really respond to this type of advertising?
"Despite the mail circular, newspaper, TV, and radio ads, I really didn't think to shop at the Super Dooper Rhodes Furniture Store's Bankruptcy Liquidation Going Out of Business Sale until I saw that woman in the purple sweatsuit holding the huge technicolor sign on the side of the road."
I guess it is just one more arm with which to grab the consumer and herd them into a store that either is picked over, overpriced in the first place, or employing the old bait and switch trick. And I don't hold much faith in the consumer to rise about this tactic, we know all about the power of suggestion. There must be some market research out there that supports that companies are achieving the desired effect from this new breed of advertising gimmick. And if they are usually adverstising a going out of business sale, how does the store that is going out of business justify the expense of the Sign Holder Upper? Is it worth the cost?
I sometimes come up with these evil scenarios that these Sign Holder Uppers are actually prisoners of Corporate Headquarters and are being forced to carry out their sentence in this fashion. Who needs a stock barricade or scarlet letter when there are going out of business signs to hold?
Which, for some reason that probably only makes sense in my mind, reminds me of my 6th grade teacher's discipline techniques that involved a circle on the chalkboard that your nose was supposed to touch and was always drawn just little taller than you were and dictionaries were held in both hands if the offense was more serious. Tim Dunn & Dan Miller's orange in the toilet shenanigans resulted in them both holding on to the evidence-the said orange retrieved from said toilet- while each of their noses rested within their respective circle on the chalkboard. Public ridicule is an effective deterrant in 6th grade classrooms, I suppose. Holding up a sign and surrendering your dignity must be effective as well.
So my heart goes out to those Sign Holder Uppers who are schilling for the Corporation. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. Where do I get an application?
posted by amyd | 9:26 AM
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