human directional
n.— «As the housing market cools here in the exurbs of Los Angeles and elsewhere, builders are relying on the frantic motion of these young workers to catch the attention of a dwindling number of buyers. In some cities, it is common on weekends to see six or seven sign twirlers—“human directionals” in industry parlance—on a single street corner, pointing the way to sprawling fields of newly framed houses.» —“The Signs of a Cooling Market in California” by Rebecca Fairley Raney in Riverside, California New York Times Nov. 19, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...
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Sign twirlers have been around for almost and entire century but are sprouting more and more. Why do we see them more now? Effectiveness, cost effectiveness. Saturation in other mediums often makes companies wonder if they are doing everything, most of the time the answer is no. This strategic thinking with the objective to gaining a competitive edge leads to the adoption of this creative an innovative form of outdoor advertising. Unlike conventional mediums of advertising which target an audience inside there home via t.v, newspaper or magazine our sign twirlers-human directionals are twirling to thousands of passer-byers. Only an intersection away, thousands are ready to buy or check out an opportunity and simply need to be pointed in the right direction.
More insight about Human Directionals / Sign Twirlers visit Alluring Advertising.
Contrary to the original catchword description, human directionals don’t necessarily have to be young or in a state of “frantic” motion. Most human directionals just move their signs from side to side and the companies that hire then often prefer that others are able to read the sign, which is usually not possible if the sign is moving “frantically”.