Dude With Sign
Take one dude, add some cardboard and a decent black marker pen, mix together with a simple idea and some observational writing, capture the image and share. Repeat often.
In October 2019, Seth Phillips (the dude) and Elliot Tebele, the founder of Jerry Media, an Instagram content and advertising company, took to the streets of SoHo, New York to hold up a cardboard sign adorned with a simple protest, “Stop replying-all to company-wide emails”.
The photo was originally intended just for Tebele’s Instagram account, but after sharing a second protest saying, “Seinfeld is way better than Friends” in front of a Friends billboard, an online following began to develop and Phillips and Tebele realised that they had struck a chord and “needed” to create an account specifically for these “protests”.
The @dudewithsign Instagram account was created, and within a few months the account had grown to reach millions of followers. Maybe you’re one of them.
As the follower count grew, so too did Seth’s real-life profile and popularity. In a forbes.com interview from 28 January 2020 he is quoted as saying:
“The corner usually fills up with people within minutes, and everyone has their phones out. When I’m finished, a lot of people will ask to take pictures with me or videos, which is still something to get used to. It’s a very strange feeling, but it also kind of cracks me up that people are seeing me as a famous person for holding up cardboard signs.”
On 29 February 2020 he held signs with Jimmy Fallon from The Tonight Show … and then on 14 August 2021 he donned a suit jacket to appear at The White House alongside US President Joe Biden to promote COVID-19 vaccination. Dude: “Let’s Look Out For Each Other And Get Vaccinated”. Joe: “This Dude Gets It, Folks”. Whatever it takes, right?
Finally, in a somewhat gushy video interview with actor Drew Barrymore Seth confesses, in reference to the execution of his ideas, he “likes to keep it very consistent”.
It’s always interesting to note the stuff that gets to cut through, and to try to figure out why that has happened. In this instance we reckon that the “system” was in fact the secret sauce. Sure, the copy writing is clever, but there’s plenty of that around. It’s the delivery of that content via this fresh and (literally) streetwise template that has tickled our collective fancies and made its contribution to the cultural zeitgeist.
There are many examples @dudewithsign. Here’s a selection:
Verifying That I’m Not a Robot Is Becoming Too Stressful
Not Everyone Needs A Podcast
You Are Not “Literally Dead”
We Get It, You Have An Air Fryer
If I Invite You, Don’t Ask Who’s Coming
Let Me Bring Toothpaste on my Flight
Don’t Hold The Door If I’m More Than 10ft Away
Leave People Who Haven’t Seen Game Of Thrones Alone
TV Anchors Don’t Need To Report From Inside The Hurricane
Stop Making Me Type With The TV Remote
Middle Seat Gets The Armrest
Stop Showing Me Ads For Things I Just Talked About
Don’t Text Me “Are You Coming” 30 Seconds Into The Zoom Meeting
Red Onions Are Clearly Purple
Lowest Percentage Gets The Charger
You Can Cold Plunge Without Telling Everyone
Shitty People Stop Ruining My Favourite Baby Names
What Do I Do Now That Succession Is Over
My Arms Hurt
It’s Not Self Checkout If I Need Help Every Time
Stop Asking Where I See Myself in 5 Years
… and here are some more recent posts:
Every Umbrella I’ve Owned Is In A Bar Somewhere
Day 140 Of Not Knowing What 6-7 Means
What Is In A Cocktail To Make It $20
You’re Not Going To Watch Your Fireworks Video
If You See Drunk Girls Wearing Sashes, Run
You Don’t Need to Announce You’re Taking A Social Media Break
Let Your Dog On The Bed
Happy “Circle Back” Day
If I Come To Your Destination Wedding, You’re Not Getting A Gift
Postscript
Since featuring Dude With Sign in REMORANDOM 1 we have noticed an increased number of obviously-paid-for collaborative posts that promote one thing or another. So Seth’s mother’s advice for Seth to “get a real job” may not be so urgent now.
Video
REMORANDOM Book Chapter
