Dude With Sign
| Dude With Sign | |
|---|---|
 Phillips in 2023 | |
| Instagram information | |
| Page | |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Followers | 8 million |
| Associated acts | Jerry Media |
Updated: October 30, 2023 | |
Dude With Sign is an Instagram account that features Seth Phillips holding protest signs about everyday issues. It is produced by Jerry Media.
History
[edit]The New York–based company Jerry Media (formerly Fuck Jerry) is known for producing viral marketing material.[1] Jerry Media founder Elliot Tebele came up with the idea of writing whimsical messages on protest signs, posting a few on Instagram, and employee Seth Phillips later picked up the idea.[2]
Dude With Sign posts generally show an expressionless Phillips in sunglasses holding a cardboard sign on a busy SoHo street corner.[2][3][4] The signs communicate trivial grievances and observations about modern life.[2][3][5] Phillips's first post, featuring a sign reading "Stop 'replying all' to company wide emails", went viral in October 2019.[1][4] His next, saying "Seinfeld is way better than Friends", also went viral.[6] Dude With Sign had 1.4 million followers by December 2019 and four million by the end of January 2020.[3][4]
Sponsored content appeared on the account by early 2020, including advertisements for Old Spice, Sprint, and Justin Bieber's album Changes.[1][6] Later partnerships have included ads for multiple underwear brands,[7][8] a Super Bowl ad for Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade,[9] and informative COVID-19 pandemic posts partnering with both the World Health Organization and President Joe Biden.[10][11] BuzzFeed News reported in 2023 that at least seven lawsuits had been filed against companies that had created their own Dude With Sign ads without permission.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hanks, Douglas (February 1, 2020). "This is Miami's first Instagram Super Bowl. One sign: the Dude with Sign is here". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Notopoulos, Katie (April 7, 2023). "The 'Dude With Sign' Instagram Account Sure Does Sue A Lot Of Brands". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c Guirguis, Sarah (December 19, 2019). "Dude With Sign Speaks On Behalf Of All Millennials". Flair. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c Mneimneh, Razan (January 31, 2020). "Stop whatever you're doing, Egypt has its own 'Dude with Sign'". Step Feed. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Sengupta, Trisha (December 10, 2019). "'Dude With Sign' is all about a man protesting about random things and they're absolutely relatable". Hindustan Times. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Mun, Lauren (February 21, 2020). "Instagram sensation @dudewithsign becomes commercial figure". The Daily Targum (student newspaper). Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Chan, Tim (January 14, 2021). "The 'Dude With Sign' Launching an Underwear Campaign Is Peak 2021 (and It's Only January)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Tom Brady is a marketing genius, hires 'Dude With Sign' to promote underwear". Marca. June 20, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Frediani, Bastien (March 23, 2021). "Why My Favorite Super Bowl 2021 Ad Is Not A TV Ad". Think Bastien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Tay, Alison. "How Dude With Sign Became the World Health Organisation's Secret Weapon Against Coronavirus". Grazia. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Lahut, Jake (August 13, 2021). "Biden holds sign with 'Dude with Sign' at White House to promote vaccines for young people". Insider. Retrieved October 30, 2023.