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Does your town have costumed people with signs by the road?

justamjustam Posts: 21,408
edited January 2010 in All Encompassing Trip
This is the first place I've ever lived in (and I've lived in a lot of places!) where the businesses frequently have costumed people shaking signs by the side of the road to try to get a driver's attention.

This is a hot place too. I can't help but wonder about the people in the puppy costumes with face masks and the giant Mario-headed guy or the big chicken. :shock:

Don't they get dehydrated? It seems so odd to me that there are so many of these costumed advertisers! On a main street I had to drive up today, I saw five people doing this in front of different businesses. (I saw two puppy men, a Mario, a chicken, and a statue of liberty.) :geek:
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Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • smarcheesmarchee Posts: 14,539
    someone dressed like Mario from Super Mario Bros?

    maybe the costumes are a little bigger so they can hold a water bottle in them?
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    Yes, Mario was in front of a video game store.
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  • markin ballmarkin ball Posts: 1,075
    Rampant here in Vegas. We've even got a guy named Mr. Happiness that dresses up in crazy outfits and just dances and waves to people for no other reason than to promote happiness. He's a normal guy who lives in a "good" part of town and has money (what I mean by that is that he is not a crazy or homeless guy). Pretty cool if you ask me.
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    markin ball wrote:
    Rampant here in Vegas. We've even got a guy named Mr. Happiness that dresses up in crazy outfits and just dances and waves to people for no other reason than to promote happiness. He's a normal guy who lives in a "good" part of town and has money (what I mean by that is that he is not a crazy or homeless guy). Pretty cool if you ask me.
    :mrgreen:
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  • jimed14jimed14 Posts: 9,488
    Nor Cal sandwich shop ... Mr. Pickles. :?

    mrpickle3.png
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    ^^^ That's the type of thing I'm talking about!! :D
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  • dottlesdottles Posts: 9,140
    No, we have nothing like that, too many people would rip the piss out of them!
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    One other thing about this...

    There are some businesses that use people WIThOUT costumes to hold signs and shake them. Sometimes these un-costumed people look like drunk street people. The other day, there was a guy in front of a small bank holding a sign. As a representative of the small, upscale bank, it was comical.

    I wondered who thought it was a good idea to have a drunk, scruffy person holding that sign asking people to come in to the bank. :? :shock:

    At least with the costumed people, they are just the characters they are dressed as.
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  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    Ours get in fights with the locals.




































    Family_Guy_Chicken_Fight.gif
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  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,549
    nop..sometimes some beautiful girls make promotion and dress in uniforms and pass their products in bars-cafe-pubs..
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  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    in aberdeen they have a person inside of a statue of liberty costume swinging a sign about having one's taxes done.
    a dude swings a sign selling furniture; they are not in costume.
    and finally sometimes the little caesars pizza dude swings a sign; also, no costume just the sign.
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    CJMST3K wrote:
    Ours get in fights with the locals.

    That family guy episode is what I thought of when I saw the chicken too. :)
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  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,184
    I see them here in DC and in West Palm Beach Florida. I passed one guy last year, it was 90+ degrees in a chicken outfit for some restaurant and thought they couldn't pay me enough to do that job. They better get frequent water breaks.

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  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    Need cheap advertising, find an immigrant, give him 20 bucks and a costume that weighs 80 pounds and have him stand on a corner in 90 degree heat :shock:

    Ah America :roll:
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    norm wrote:
    Need cheap advertising, find an immigrant, give him 20 bucks and a costume that weighs 80 pounds and have him stand on a corner in 90 degree heat :shock:

    Ah America :roll:


    For that price, I might just to it for the entertainment value. :D

    ...actually it would be funny to have a guy in a thick costume holding up a sign saying "If your home is as hot as this costume, come to PCRichards for a new air conditioner!"
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  • Leathe?ma?Leathe?ma? Posts: 354
    jimed14 wrote:
    Nor Cal sandwich shop ... Mr. Pickles. :?

    mrpickle3.png

    looks like mr. hankey who suddenly turned green
  • ClaireackClaireack Posts: 13,561
    LeatheЯmaИ wrote:
    looks like mr. hankey who suddenly turned green

    He was feeling a little hungover that day
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    g under p wrote:
    I see them here in DC and in West Palm Beach Florida. I passed one guy last year, it was 90+ degrees in a chicken outfit for some restaurant and thought they couldn't pay me enough to do that job. They better get frequent water breaks.

    Peace

    Let's hope they do. :|
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  • stuckinlinestuckinline Posts: 3,365
    YES!
    we have the statue of liberty character, some plumber guy, a cow character, etc. and when a store is going out of business, there are either costumed people or people holding up huge signs on every corner of major intersections.
  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    We do. It sems to be a new treand for advertsing. Because its tax time, we have lots of people dressed like the staue of liberty on corners.
    I have seen costumed people in all kinds of weather. I cannot believe they are doing this. I would bet they don't get paid that much either. I know I have given some bottled water, cuz they didn't have any, and it would be like 98 degrees out. I think those who have water paid for it themself. So, if they don't have the money, no water. I know when I have given water, they were very grateful.
    All they do is hold a sign. Geez, the sign could be out there without humans. I think its wrong to do this to employess who happen to be desperate to make a buck. I thought we had laws about this kind of work.
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  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    norm wrote:
    Need cheap advertising, find an immigrant, give him 20 bucks and a costume that weighs 80 pounds and have him stand on a corner in 90 degree heat :shock:

    Ah America :roll:
    That is exactly what they are doing, or getting young people from the ghetto. Again, isn't this illegal?
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  • justamjustam Posts: 21,408
    Heather, I tend to think they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't need whatever it is they are being paid but I worry and wonder about them in the heat.
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  • SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 25,478
    Its funny what people will do, or how hard up people can get, just to make an extra buck....

    I can understand a 15-17yr. old kid jumping in one of these costumes, and having a little fun with it.....

    But for an adult to actually put on one of these silly outfits, and stand on a street corner, waving at cars....I just couldnt even imagine being that hard up for cash.....
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  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    justam wrote:
    Heather, I tend to think they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't need whatever it is they are being paid but I worry and wonder about them.
    I know, but that is why we have labor laws. People do get desperate and others can take advantage of them without laws. I hope they are at least getting minimum wage. I would bet not. I find that shameful on the part of the employer and personally wouldn't use their services.

    People standing on corners with "homeless" signs make more, if these others aren't making minimum wage!
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  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    and why are these costume wearing folks getting made fun of?
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."
    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,060
    edited January 2010
    I'm willing to bet that these jobs are obtained through a temp service.

    My employer has an employee dress up the last tuesday of the month. 50% off sale storewide. The employee gets their regular wage and they also receive a walmart gift card as incentive to do it. Dress up like a clown and wave a sign. Shop V.O.A. Thrift!!!!
    Post edited by mickeyrat on
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  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    mickeyrat wrote:
    I'm willing to bet that these jobs are obtained through a temp service. My employer does this the last tuesday of the month. 50% off sale storewide. The employee gets their regular wage and they also receive a walmart gift card as incentive to do it. Dress up like a clown and wave a sign. Shop V.O.A. Thrift!!!!
    Too bad he uses a temp service. If he just hired off the street, he could pay the costumed person more money, cuz he is paying more to the temp service than what the worker is getting! The service takes part of it. Too bad for the person out in costume! That sux! I know around here, it would be easy to just get people off the street at any given time.
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  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,060
    Heatherj43 wrote:
    mickeyrat wrote:
    I'm willing to bet that these jobs are obtained through a temp service. My employer does this the last tuesday of the month. 50% off sale storewide. The employee gets their regular wage and they also receive a walmart gift card as incentive to do it. Dress up like a clown and wave a sign. Shop V.O.A. Thrift!!!!
    Too bad he uses a temp service. If he just hired off the street, he could pay the costumed person more money, cuz he is paying more to the temp service than what the worker is getting! The service takes part of it. Too bad for the person out in costume! That sux! I know around here, it would be easy to just get people off the street at any given time.
    Oh no, WE don't don't use temps. We have a regular employee who CHOOSES to go out there. The incentive to do it is the gift card. Still making their regular days pay. In rereading my post I can see where I was confusing.
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 25,478
    I do not feel sorry for anyone, who makes the choice to wear a silly costume, and stand on the side of the road...

    Nobody else made this decision for them....
    It was their choice.....
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • chiquimonkeychiquimonkey Posts: 9,337
    jimed14 wrote:
    Nor Cal sandwich shop ... Mr. Pickles. :?

    mrpickle3.png
    OMG that's the one in livermore right? that's the first image that popped in my head when i saw the title of this thread :D
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