Tucson has some unique advertising strategies that I just haven't seen other places. Perhaps these strategies evolved to attract the eye of drivers on well traveled 4 and 6 lane roads where businesses line each side of the street. The three I've noticed are balloons, costumed waving people, and the sign twirlers.
Some businesses string balloons from their roadside signs, and by the end of the week the balloons are often droopy and partially deflated, soon to be replaced by freshly helium inflated recruits. Car dealerships seem to favor the more permanent mounted "balloons", often in patriotic colors since there is nothing more American than buying a car. They look a little less fun to me, only waggling stiffly with a strong wind as compared to the fancy-free movement of their traditional counterparts. I didn't really notice the prevalence of balloons until Elena fell in love with balloons, and now points them out (and girlfriend does NOT miss a balloon display!) when we are driving.
The costumed waving people are typically dressed as the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Tax) or some other such nonsense. Yesterday I saw a woman dressed not very provocatively but in some sort of sexed-up Americana type outfit advertising for a sale at the local sex shop called Fascinations. That was a new one. My parents and I saw a dude with a huge beard hanging around a barber shop in our neighborhood a couple of years ago; I think my mom snapped a picture because it looked so real. These advertisers aren't necessarily anything special (I'm comparing them, of course, to Justin Timberlake on SNL), but I do wonder how some of them manage to keep their pep through the day. In truth, most look a little bored.
The most exciting form of Tucson advertising that I've seen has been the sign twirlers. Lately I've seen a lot of people just waving the signs up and down or side to side, but there are some really talented twirlers out there. These guys (I've yet to see a female pro twirler) do all sorts of sign flip/body spin maneuvers, and always catch the sign. It's quite impressive. The combination of their talent and the energy that fuels their incessant movement just boggles my mind. They must be either slamming Monster drinks or on cocaine.
On that illicit note, I come to the point of writing this blog entry. There is a church that I pass by after dropping Elena off at daycare that just has the snarkiest signs out front sometimes. Sure, they also advertise for church yard sales (*snore*), but they make me chuckle with slogans such as "BE AN ORGAN DONOR. GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS" and "WITHOUT THE BREAD OF LIFE YOU'RE TOAST". I have to say, they have simply outdone themselves this time by taking the most somber time in the Christian calendar and making a pretty funny joke out of Christ's resurrection. Their current sign (which I imagine will be up through Holy Week and Easter Sunday) reads, "YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN. HAPPY EASTER". Wow. I am almost tempted to check out what their services are like, but mostly because I really want to find out who the mastermind is that comes up with these phrases. Are there databases with such phrases? Anyway, if you're a Tucsonan, the church is on the east side of Kolb between Broadway and Speedway.
Okay, time make the doughnuts. See how powerful advertising can be? And should I really say "donuts"? What a weird word.
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