Road Show

Road Show

Entrepreneur Joe Hassani sought a less expensive way to help retailers advertise. The answer: Training people to entertain motorists while spinning a client's sign.

Joe Hassani was visiting his brother in Sacramento, Calif. in 2006 when he spotted a rudimentary form of target marketing: A longhaired guy on the side of the road near a sandwich shop, holding an arrow-shaped sign for the shop. He was moving the sign slightly to the beat of a rock song.

Here was a concept that was begging for improvement. So Hassani came back Tampa, where he shrank and reshaped the sign. He trained 10 people to dance and entertain while listening to music and juggling the sign.

That was the beginning of Advertising Performed, Hassani's advertising firm in Wesley Chapel that focuses on entertaining motorists while spinning, catching and flipping clients' signs. These are the folks that work on most weekends, directing people off main roads into shopping centers and housing communities, so people can buy everything from condos to vacuum cleaners.

The key is that Hassani's staff is made up of entertainers, who dance and constantly move, rather than just standing and spinning a sign. Some like to imitate the moves in the movie, "The Matrix."

"We're putting on a show," says Hassani, 27. "We really want to draw traffic."

Hassani's performers are young, clean-cut and wear the company-issued red shirt and black shorts uniform with the firm's logo. He does not dress entertainers up like dogs, historical figures or other characters because he wants a professional, consistent and positive image for his clients.

He employs an account executive in Tampa and is looking to hire more in Clearwater, St. Petersburg and South Tampa.

Clients so far include Lennar, KB Homes and Beezer Homes.

Besides the length and complexity of the performances, Hassani's company also sets itself apart by posting all of its prices on its Web site. Prices are based on hours.

"I think the people like it," he says. "Compared to other advertising mediums, we are very inexpensive."

Hassani trains his entertainers for two weeks. Sometimes they work in pairs, one at an intersection, another closer to the client's location. He doesn't hire professional dancers, mimes or models, but simply people who can display a sense of rhythm. Hassani started off dancing with signs himself to test the concept.

Looking ahead, Hassani wants to capture central Florida, Sarasota, Bradenton and the entire Bay area in the next three years. He expects the company to be profitable in its first year.

Hassani was born in Morocco and moved to the United States13 years ago. After studying advertising in college, he worked in sales for retailer Beepers and Phones and was a regional sales manager for Rave Wireless.

He always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Being in sales, he knew the value of generating more traffic.

That's one of the big challenges for his company. He is cold calling, knocking on doors, doing public relations and attending trade shows.

So far, the reaction from customers has been positive. Some beep their horns, many smile, some wave, some even take a photo with a cell phone. One of the performers unknowingly found his performance on You Tube.

What else would Hassani like to do? A more diverse set of clients, such as performers dancing on top of a junk hauling company truck, is a good start.

"That would grab attention," he says. "We like trying new things."

- Dave Szymanski