Positive Publicity (At Last)

The sign industry has been frequently forced to fight for its place at the table. During World War II, shops had to sacrifice manpower and materials to the war effort. During the 1970’s energy crisis, John Lamb and other industry stalwarts gave compelling testimony before Congress to ensure that signage wasn’t scapegoated as creating an undue strain on energy consumption. Thanks to their efforts, the industry wasn’t subjected to austere regulations. The American Planning Assn. has continuously portrayed signage as a boogeyman that strips communities of any redeeming qualities.

Thus, it was extremely heartening to watch FastSigns CEO Catherine Monson on Undercover Boss, which aired on CBS at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 4. For those unfamiliar with the show, network officials recruit an organization’s chief executive and send him or her undercover in disguise as a new employee. The boss interacts with the company’s “rank-and-file” staff to better understand what employees encounter during their daily travails – both at work and in their personal lives.

To do so, Monson developed the character of “Louise”, a “rocker chick” with dyed, jet-black hair who’s perpetually clad in blue jeans. She visited four franchises – located in St. Louis; Austin, TX; Culver City, CA; and Phoenix – and tried her hand at, among other things, site measurements, weeding vinyl and applying printed decals with a squeegee. In addition to learning some of the finer points of fabrication and installation, she got to know several big-city franchisees on a personal level.

And, perhaps as importantly, more than six million viewers (according to Nielsen’s TV ratings) also got to know people on the sign business’ front lines as hardworking, conscientious professionals. After years of fighting negative publicity, the episode likely provided a positive infusion of goodwill for the industry. Kudos to Catherine and her executive team for courageously embracing this opportunity.

ST will cover Monson’s nationally televised appearance in detail in a future publication.