True Tales

Sign Prospect Lost Over Misunderstood Word

A different company name might have helped.

Published

4 months ago

December 2, 2024

Signs of the Times Staff Signs of the Times December 2024 Issue

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

(Not So) Mysterious Caller

I received what I thought was a spam call from an out-of-state number. I asked the person for the name of their company and they replied “Black Velvet A$$holes.” Obviously I hung up. They called right back and I reluctantly answered. After further clarification (and enunciation), I realized they were saying “Black Velvet Asphalt.” We didn’t get the business… — Joe Allen, So Easy Signs, Middletown, OH

Mars Bravo: The Most Interesting Name in the Sign Industry

Mars Bravo is not the kind of name you hear very often in the sign industry — the kind of name more likely to follow, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage…!” In this episode, Eric interviews Mars to find out about her start in the sign industry and her ideas for the future, first with how she got her name.