8 stunts that used signs to make a huge impact
News

Signs make a big impact on everyday life and the impression that can be generated by a simple design can be astounding, hence the use of signage in some of the biggest publicity stunts of our time!

1. The Hollywood Sign

Hollywood re-envisioned into Hollyweed in a stunt by local artistHollywood re-envisioned into Hollyweed in a stunt by local artist

This iconic landmark has been gazing out over the Los Angeles vista for over 90 years and has become an international symbol of the entertainment industry. However, a little-known fact is that its original purpose was a large-scale marketing stunt by a real-estate developer who wanted to sell houses in an undesirable suburb of Los Angeles. More recently, the Hollywood sign was part of a second stunt, wherein a Los Angeles artist, Zachary Cole Fernandez, used tarpaulin to change the spelling of the sign to ‘Hollyweed’! 2. Sexing up Parliament

Gail Porter causes a stir with FHM sign projected onto ParliamentGail Porter causes a stir with FHM sign projected onto Parliament

As part of a stunt by FHM magazine, a 100ft tall Gail Porter was projected onto the Houses of Parliament in 1999 and yes, stark naked! The stunt was executed to promote a magazine poll to find the world’s 100 sexiest women. 3. A Cheeky Fly By

Virgin Atlantic humiliates large rival British AirwaysVirgin Atlantic humiliates large rival British Airways

Richard Branson, renowned for his publicity stunts, went a step further when Virgin Atlantic’s major competitor, British Airways, encountered construction problems when developing the London Eye (which it sponsored). Branson hijacked BA’s press launch by deploying an enormous airship with the graphics “BA CAN’T GET IT UP!!” plastered across it. Not a great day for BA… But, a stunt that got Virgin’s popularity soaring. 4. In Search of Redemption

Greenpeace fly the flag for the environment in RioGreenpeace fly the flag for the environment in Rio

In 2002, Greenpeace activists scaled Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to hang a gigantic banner that protested the results of the World Summit on sustainability. This is not the first-time Greenpeace has climbed into the realms of PR stunt history, having got to the top of the Shard, the treasury building and Big Ben in London alone. 5. America’s First Dot Com City

Welcome to Half.com in OregonWelcome to Half.com in Oregon

Half.com, an online discount retailer, paid $100,000 plus extra subsidiaries to a small town in Oregon called Halfway. The deal was that the town would adopt the name Half.com for a year to promote the website. The successful stunt saw the online retailer gain huge popularity, so much so that eBay bought Half.com for $300 million shortly after. 6. KFC in Space

Tiles creating a gigantic KFC logo seen from spaceTiles creating a gigantic KFC logo seen from space

In 2006, fried chicken chain, KFC, constructed a gigantic image of their mascot the Colonel in the Mojave Desert. The image, constructed from 65,000 1-foot-square tiles took 6-days to construct and was visible from space ! 7. Doh, that’s good!

Homer in ChalkHomer in Chalk

Television Producer, Fox, created a 70m x 50m chalk drawing of Homer Simpson in his underwear on a hillside in 2007. The stunt drew attention to the release of the Simpsons Movie and definitely caught attention! 8. Pandamonium In 2008, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) placed 1,600 papier mache pandas (the number of pandas left on the planet at that time – since then numbers have been rising steadily) on display under the Eiffel Tower. The stunt was designed to raise awareness about the endangered species and those things that jeopardise their habitats. Want to maximise your exposure? Use temporary signs and graphics, bespoke displays or large-scale banners to really stand out!

More like this

What our customers say

Rated 5 stars out of 5
I would like to say a huge thankyou to everyone at Signs Express Swansea, who helped us with a Communication Boards project. Sharon was ver...
Lisa Harrison - Swansea Bay UHB - CTM ALD Team
Signs Express
I just want to say thank you to yourself and the team, the rebrand to Atherton flooring has been great and I'm receiving lots of positive f...
Ashley Atherton - Atherton Flooring
Signs Express
I would like to truly thank you for all your kindness and help. Your team did a fantastic job for our shop, which we are all grateful for a...
Eve Cox - Tailorations
Signs Express
Rated 5 stars out of 5
First class service from Signs Express Wearside. From Design to Installation these guys understand our high quality expectations and are a...
Fairgrieve Compression
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Many thanks to Signs Express (Exeter) for our new sign, they gave very helpful advice and the installation was quick and efficient. 
J Parsons - Kadampa Meditation Centre
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Incredible from start to finish & super professional. Would highly recommend! 
Will Keogh - Orega
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Incredible from start to finish & super professional. Would highly recommend! 
Will Keogh - Orega
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Great customer service, quality product. The fitter was very professional. 
Chinedu Nnaemeka
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
I needed sign writing on my new van. I contacted Signs express and they talked me through a few different price options and discussed my re...
Alex Smith
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Great quality of work, quick responses to a quote request and very friendly staff who go out of their way to help. Really pleased with the...
Adrian Froggatt
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Excellent Service from Signs Express Leeds! All that you would want in a supplier, professional, great job and quick turnaround! Thank you!  
Julia Jagger
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Rick and the team were excellent, comms were quick, price was reasonable, the guys doing the fitting were great and most importantly the si...
David Taylor
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Fantastic service and speedy turnaround. Really impressed with the communication, Rick was great at getting our signage sorted in time for...
The Hot Yoga Chapel
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Love my new signs! They look classy, elegant and fit my brand perfectly! The product and quality of the workmanship is fantastic too! Fault...
Claire Wood
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Great service, my second time using these guys and will continue to use them in the future. The artwork/mock up process is seamless and the...
Lumiere Photographic
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Everyone on the Team were so helpful, we had an external sign that as 6m long, and internal signage fitted. The service went above and beyo...
Candida Edwards
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Absolutely brilliant service from start to finish! Query was answered quickly with amazing attention to detail and all options explained. I...
Sara Cowie
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Hi, Fountain. We must have done something right to get such a good rating from you. We really appreciate you taking the time!  
Fountain Admin
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
In January 2023 we made an initial order of some aluminium signage to be displayed in our elevators and communal stair landings. Since this...
Peter Niven
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Excellent service from beginning to end. Great work on the sign too. Thank you 
Steve Austin
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Fantastic service from Signs Express - always super communicative, accommodating and do a great job with our signs. Would highly recommend! 
Lisa Credland
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Good communication, always happy to answer any questions I have and great end product 
CarrManorOnline
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Great service, helped with designs, even gave full tour of printing facilities. Then got everything printed very quickly for us. Great ser...
Nathan Walsh
Google
Rated 5 stars out of 5
Signs Express are fast, efficient and super friendly. They get all work done as quickly as possible and it always looks great. Will definit...
Clare Delaney
Google