Answer Man
Advertising That Turns Heads
Why do so many attorney billboards have the lawyers’ head coming out of the top of the sign?
Ahh, you noticed! And therein lies the answer.
Runaway craniums are big attention-getters, and that’s what roadside advertising is all about. They are a type of billboard “extension’’ that allows advertisers to “break out of the rectangle’’ says Craig Swygert, president of the Orlando division of Clear Channel Outdoor. So whether the ad is for a ride at Universal or an attorney who wants to handle your lawsuit, you’re more likely to notice it if an object on the sign is literally over the top.
Perhaps the attorney most noted for thinking out of the box is Dan Newlin. The personal injury lawyer has 50 billboards across Central Florida advertising his services, and he came up with the design, which boasts his Mount Rushmore-like head.
“It’s worked out really well,’’ says Newlin, who also is a familiar face because of his many TV commercials. “I do get people who say, ‘My gosh, your head is so big’ and make some jokes, but as far as recognizing and remembering, it really does stick out. I mean how many billboards do we pass a day on our normal routes to work? And how many do you remember?’’
Definitely yours, Dan.
How do I become a performer at Cirque du Soleil?
If you have trouble getting to the gym more than once a week, kindly skip to the next question.
Seriously, if you’ve ever attended a Cirque show, you know that physical prowess is important in the acrobatic roles—performers do six to 10 shows a week, after all. But there are many intangibles required too. “We’re looking for not only acrobatic excellence but also a certain passion, desire, dynamism and openness to learn,’’ says Marceline Goldstein, senior acrobatic talent scout
for Cirque.
Almost as amazing as the 20 Cirque shows worldwide is the number of different positions that are available—from singers and contortionists to fire twirlers and roller skaters. (Check out circquedusoleil.com/jobs, a highly entertaining site even if you’re not job-hunting.)
For those looking for a shot to join, Cirque will be holding auditions May 7-9 in Orlando for circus performers and athletes. Go to the above site to apply (Cirque prefers you be at least 18 years old). And by all means, make a demo tape. Goldstein says that sometimes these auditions can be magical—a stellar performer turns out to have just the talents that are needed immediately for a specific show.
Why was the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 4 near Kaley Avenue closed?
The overpass was chained off six years ago (did anybody notice?) to make way for the eventual widening of I-4. The city says not many people were using the bridge—which connects industrial Indiana Street with residential Grand Avenue—and it needed repairs anyway. When the road widening will begin is anybody’s guess, but until that day, the bridge to nowhere apparently will remain.
Answer Man welcomes your questions about the Orlando area. Send queries to answerman@orlandomagazine.com
