A new way of advertising that's cheap - and effective

Sunday, March 15, 2009

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Jeremy Mitchell became a flagger after he lost his job as a crane operator in Port Manatee.

MANATEE COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A new trend in advertising can be seen on sidewalks across the Bay area. People stand for hours holding signs, trying to encourage drivers to stop for a minute and spend some of their cash.

But does it really work?

Yes, say several business owners.

Lee Pattison manages flaggers who advertise for Quizno's. He said the positions are hard to come by, as he gets about 10 calls a day from people asking for work.

"It's just not a sticker or a banner," Pattison said "It puts a human touch on it, a little emotion and it seems to be working well, driving a lot of people through our door."

On the days that Pattison's flaggers are off, he sees a decrease in business by as much as 25 percent.

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Several other business owners said flaggers bring in extra business for them, but sometimes not even a warm body is necessary to draw attention. The managers at the Springs Apartment Complex said they get a lot of inquiries, thanks to the mannequin on their front lawn.

All of these signs are hard to miss, which is the point.

"I try to get the passing cars' attention," said Jeremy Mitchell, who works for Pattison as a flagger for Quizno's.

Mitchell used to work as a crane operator at Port Manatee. Now, he's making the best of his part-time job.

"I'm willing to work, whatever I have to do to survive, you know," he said. "I listen to music, sort of, kind of put a little pep in my step, you know, move around a little bit."

Mitchell makes about $7.50 an hour, which, in today's tough economy, is fine by him.

"I guess I'll just have to work my way up the ladder again," he said.

In most cases, the hourly wage paid to flaggers costs less than conventional advertising.

Plus, with code enforcement laws in place that prohibit sandwich board-style signs in many Bay area communities, flaggers provide businesses with a way to cheaply advertise without breaking the law.