LAST EDITED ON 03-31-02 AT 10:44 AM (CST)

I just visited www.herbasigns.com to see what's new. They have changed the tone of their message to reflect recent changes in Herbalife policy. I won't even waste my time commenting on the spelling and grammar for now.

http://www.herbasigns.com/

They've apparently got a free "Tips & Tricks" booklet that you get with any order. With this booklet you find out how to:

"...get your installations done in a short amount of time. Without getting caught!" (Read: It's still illegal)

"...use Step Stake Signs on the weekends in many cities, when code enforcement does not work and allows directional signs" (Read: It's still illegal)

"With permission, you can use these signs on private property and parking lots and even busy parking lots like at Wal*Mart or Target, or shopping malls" (Guess what...still illegal)

"avoid being seen putting out signs, how to handle complaint calls, and how to completely cloak your identity from those evil people" (I'm assuming that's us)

Their whole point seems to be: If you are going to break the law, make it a sign ordinance violation. You can't go to jail for it. They say "no criminal penalties", but they don't mention that you will still pay big fines.

I've got quite a nice collection of step-stakes. I prefer them to utility pole signs - much easier to remove and more costly to the perpetrator. I wonder how much $$ per pound I can get at the recycling place.

-Spellchecker

I'm laughing my ass off! They're going to weed out 90% of their potential customers by their ridiculous presentation alone.

Spellchecker questions:

<I wonder how much $$ per pound I can get at the recycling place.>

Forget it, cost more to take it in than it's worth. I simply call the CE officer that I deal with and he comes by once a week and picks it up. They inturn recycle the step stakes back to "Re Zoning Notices"

Friday's are normally their main day on the street. If they don't get by Friday PM late, then it goes in the heavy duty curb side recycling on early Tuesday AM. Either way it doesn't accumulate.



GreatWhite-BH (GW)
Texas Chapter - CAUSS

GW

HOLY COW!!! Only a few hours later, they've changed their splash page. Now it's promising that if you "Get caught" they'll "give you a refund or pay your fine"

I love it! They're doing our job for us!

Fascinating quotes from herbasigns.com's FAQ. I wonder if the RICO statutes apply here...


WHAT ARE THE LEGALITIES SURROUNDING THE USE OF STEP STAKE SIGNS? ARE THEY LEGAL TO USE ON PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAYS IN MY COMMUNITY? 

A very good question with a very long, involved answer. 

In most cities/counties it is legal to put out signs BUT illegal to have the signs out. 

What this means is that in most cities, the use of step-stake signs is against some sign ordinance. From a criminal law perspective, it is legal to install the signs on the public right of ways, but not on someone else's private property- that would be trespassing. 

Putting signs out alongside an Interstate Highway or Freeway is not recommended and may have severe legal consequences due to safety concerns, distractions to motorists at high speeds, yadda yadda yadda. 

We have found the best places to put signs are either on your own property or on right of ways that are in unincorporated parts of a county. 

Rocket Signs has an ongoing nationwide step-stake sign advertising campaign and from time to time we get calls from cities- usually small cities requesting that we cease advertising in their jurisdiction. 99% of the time, we oblige as it doesn't do us any good to have our signs removed quickly. We suspect any of the negative attention we receive is due to the fact that we are advertising signs and contributing to the increased use of these signs which may be quite heavy at times in some markets. 

On the other hand, we have had counties and county departments order step-stake signs from us in the past. It really depends on the area and how strict the signs codes are enforced. Many times, it's not so much the routine enforcement of the codes, but a complaint from somebody to the code enforcement department that triggers the removal of the signs. 

Overall, the use of step-stake signs is favored by code enforcement over some other kinds of signs such as signs nailed to utility poles and trees that cause property damage and signs that are hard to remove such as street posters. Step-Stake signs can be easily removed which is usually the extent to which the sign codes are enforced. 

In some areas, Step-Stake signs are perfectly legal or are allowed by temporary use permits for certain purposes such as real estate and special events. 

None of our customers have ever indicated to us that they have had a serious legal problem over the use of their signs. 

The best advice we have for you if you are concerned about the legalities is to check the sign codes in the area you wish to use your signs. 

--

HOW CAN I PREVENT PEOPLE FROM STEALING MY STEP STAKE SIGNS? 

We have come up with some creative and inexpensive ways to protect your advertising investment from the Step-Stake Sign's biggest enemies: Vandals, kids, code enforcement, road maintenace crews and retired people with too much time on their hands. 

These and other helpful hints are in our Tips & Tricks guide which is free with your order.. 

Please also remember, that the Step-Stake Sign is recognized throughout the sign industry as an excellent way to promote businesses because if they are places in public-right-of-ways in areas where they aren't permitted, they can easily be removed without causing damage to property such as hammering signs to utility poles or trees or gluing street posters to traffic light control boxes. 

Oh, goodie! More "step-stake" signs = more free tomato plant cages for me. We're planning a big crop this year.

Redstone

>HOLY COW!!! Only a few hours later, they've changed their splash
>page. Now it's promising that if you "Get caught" they'll
>"give you a refund or pay your fine"

"Get caught" implies that a person would be doing something illegal. Or, maybe "get caught" means in violation of the new Herbalife policy which states that signs may not be placed without "the express permission of the owner of such property."

So they are promoting actions for which getting caught would be possible. Therefore, it must be either illegal or a violation of the policy. Nice try, guys.

They might also want to correct spelling, especially Herbalife (not Herballife). Also "usings", "excerise" and "loonie" need fixing. Order some signs and they might read, "Wokr from hom", "Loose wait now", or "Eye bye house".

I don't think I'll be doing any business with this company.

-Spellchecker

More seriously, can someone who has CE contacts (who have the ear of Mr Sweeney at Herbalife) get the big H to put some pressure on these jerks at herbasigns.com?

I'm a little unhappy about language such as:
"radicals"
"crazy loonie tunes"
"fire rounds at you with a shot gun"
"scary, dangerous people"
"Extreme people"
"anti-capitalist fascists"

Herbalife, are you listening? Is this the way you want your products promoted?

Redstone

Email notices have been sent to the CE's that are dealing with the folks at Herba.

I'm sure Herba will have something in their mail when they open for business since there's a three hour time difference from East Coast to West.

These suckers at herbasigns have enough rope as it is. It's now just a matter of time.


GreatWhite-BH (GW)
Texas Chapter - CAUSS

GW

The writing on herbasigns.com is oddly familar. David Alexander of banditsigns.com uses ellipses (...) to separate thought fragments with about the same frequency. He's also obsessed with the same point that closes herbasigns' splash page, namely that it's our responsibility discover and suggest a replacement for any advertising technique we criticize.

The only difference is that herbasigns is excitable and banditsigns keeps fairly calm.

Two businesses that print signs. Both are feeling the pinch. I wonder if this is the same person.