- November 4, 2015
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Is Human Signage Effective?
Motion attracts attention.
It’s a proven dynamic in nature. Jump over to YouTube and get a glimpse of spectacular courtship displays by birds of paradise to see what we mean. Or for an up-close demonstration, head over to the nearest intersection, where these days you just might find a “human billboard.”
That’s the term assigned to an increasingly used way of grabbing attention – the art of signage mixed with the science of sociology. The most common form of human signage occurs when businesses hire people to hold or wear signage. Whether called sign holders, walkers, wavers or twirlers, they’re known for spinning or dancing while wearing costumes or promotional signage. The term also encompasses the integrated marketing tactic some businesses use in which they pay people to wear advertising as clothing – yes, even promotional apparel and products follow fashion trends.
Human signage is entertaining. But is it an effective way to spend your integrated marketing budget?
In an interview with Entrepreneur, Wade Swormstedt, editor of Signs of the Times, made the positive connection between motion and attraction, and Tyler Barnett, a principal at a consumer and lifestyle public relations firm, affirmed its power and offered one reason why human signage connects with customers. People like to participate with brands, an outcrop of online interaction and engagement, “So with sign spinners, people are attracted by what they see. They can participate by clapping or honking or taking pictures, and they’ll also read a message, and that message, of course, is our clients’,” he said.
If such advice seems like a launch pad for your next social media campaign, here are few pointers gleaned from some of the top brands on Instagram to consider. And to amp up your end-of-year marketing and sales push, what about encouraging shoppers to post selfies with your sign spinners to gain twice the benefits of holiday signage?
All that jingling and twirling could create some beautiful music – as in cash registers ringing.