Sign Hawkers-A Sign of the Times!

If the downsizing continues at rapid fire pace, we at least have a new booming job niche to find work-the Sign Hawker. He’s the person at the busy intersection screaming at you while waving assorted signs such as: “Going Out of Business Sale-Everything Must Go!” or “Open House- Buy Your Dream Home Today and Get a Free Pool” or this one-“Condo Auction Today! Below Appraisals.”

Sometimes the occasional grand opening gimmick appears-the guy in a chicken costume advertising the new wings joint or the large dancing cup of coffee pointing to the new gourmet coffee stand. There’s a lot of competition for high traffic turf these days. The crappy economy has humbled many business owners and it seems they are all competing for our attention on the cheap. No more money in the marketing budget for glossy magazine ads and direct mail brochures. Instead, enterprising entrepreneurs have found a way to get around county and city codes that prohibit advertising signs on right aways and grassy medians.

Back when the economy was humming along, the only people standing on street corners waving signs where high school kids promoting car wash fundraisers. Today, this new breed of sign hawker fills a real job description. They are paid in cash by the hour to stand at traffic lights while you are held hostage to the red light for several minutes all the while screaming for your attention with various tactics-some dance, others sing, and the real efficient ones just jump up and down and yell.

My first reaction is to rubberneck and I’m sure there have been a few fender benders from motorists transfixed at the oddities at the intersection. It’s a bizarre marketing tactic and a dangerous one too. The only good that comes out of it is employment for the unemployable-the ones who would stand out on said street corner anyway with a pan handling sign “Out of Work, Hungry. Help!” There’s still quite a few of those too and given the crashing economy, they now have to compete with desperate commerce as well. So, if all else fails we can make some quick cash by wearing a sandwich board for a few hours until we get ticketed for loitering. Or worse, until our neighbor drives by and honks. Hey, every economy has its quirks.