The Greatest Sign Maker of their Generation?

FocusZing

One of the oldest is Dirk Hofman Motorhomes. The simple white sign has been spotted at many races including those beyond Belgium. I’ve not spotted it this year. There was one at the Louisville cyclo-cross worlds but I think this was a play on the meme as the text layout was different. It’s become an internet thing with a twitter account, t-shirts, someone’s registered the .com internet domain and even British rock bands are exploiting it.

The business behind is simple, it sells and rents out camper vans. Two years ago your correspondent called the company to ask for a quick interview but… they said didn’t want the publicity. Irony aside perhaps they were shy about being called out for their ambush marketing?



LUC banner. You can see it several times in a race but actually it is one man called Luc from Geraardsbergen in East Flanders. He started out with a banner saying “Boeketje” which was the name of his wife’s shop… but he got divorced and he found himself with a lot of free time at the weekends to follow his sport. According to Het Nieuwsblad he uses a scooter to hop across his home region with the aim of getting himself and his Luc flag filmed several times during a race. He even carries a portable TV so he can instantly check whether he scored or not.

Conclusion. Watch the Belgian classics for a few years and these flags and banners are like old friends that reappear at the roadside or a sign of spring like the sound of a cuckoo. But like the politicians with their flags, it can be serious. As fun as they are these attempts can hijack sponsors who’ve paid good money to support the race.

Such is the popularity of the race these banners are easier to find than the businesses behind them. Dirk Hofman, Tornado Tom Frits and Luc are seen around the world from California to Queensland. Unknowingly some of these Belgians are the match of any viral marketing agency.

http://inrng.com/2013/03/dirk-hofman-luc-tornado-tom/

salsiccia1

above_the_cows

In preparation for tomorrow's stage...



A new contender for the crown...

The_Boy

Above The Cows wrote:

I was in the process of making that very post, but then a customer came in shop. I come back to find I've been beaten to the punch .

above_the_cows

The_Boy wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

I was in the process of making that very post, but then a customer came in shop. I come back to find I've been beaten to the punch .

Sorry.

Squaggles

Great effort by ff there , must have taken at least 2 minutes

le_patron

Above The Cows wrote:

A new contender for the crown...

In a mediterrenean climate sure, but it's not really suitable for the temperate North, that would get soggy and disintegrate in no time.

Unless there's an 'inclement weather' alternative that we haven't seen yet ?

RichN95.

Of course only one of them made it on to a Half Man Half Biscuit album sleeve:

salsiccia1

^ Is that genuine?

RichN95.

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Is that genuine?

Yes. From the album 90 Bisodol (Crimond)

above_the_cows

^Yep.

salsiccia1

That is mint 8)

Didn't have HMHB down as cycling fans

above_the_cows

Salsiccia1 wrote:

That is mint 8)

Didn't have HMHB down as cycling fans

They've even been known to donate money to Pedro's donkey sanctuary.

Yellow Peril

FF's sign is just brilliant.

Cardboard, some felt tips and use of the phrase "the Greatest" It's just so heartwarmingly 1970's I absolutely love it.

Short of waving a paper napkin with a biro inscription of "Come on Andy Schleck" I think it is unsurpassable

frenchfighter

There has got to be a good Dutch one? Surely on Dutch corner?
A good Pantani one?
Something from the Basque fans?

Turfle

Salsiccia1 wrote:

That is mint 8)

Didn't have HMHB down as cycling fans

There are cycling terms in quite a few of their work.

A Lilac Harry Quinn ends thusly:

"Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo
Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo
Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo
Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo
Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo
Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo
Sturmey-Archer Campagnolo on my mind"

Yellow Peril

frenchfighter wrote:

There has got to be a good Dutch one? Surely on Dutch corner?
A good Pantani one?
Something from the Basque fans?

They maybe good with a chair on their head but you are Der Kaiser where signs are concerned

Macaloon

Above The Cows wrote:

Salsiccia1 wrote:

That is mint 8)

Didn't have HMHB down as cycling fans

They've even been known to donate money to Pedro's donkey sanctuary.

Top rank of English folk writers: Totness Bickering Fair

I’m gonna feed our children non-organic food
And with the money saved take ‘em to the zoo

TMR

The_Boy wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

I was in the process of making that very post, but then a customer came in shop. I come back to find I've been beaten to the punch .

You're the first person to post that in this thread *that I can see*, so have a Gold star!

hammerite

Simon Warren rocked up at a hill on every stage of the ToB a few years back with a sign to advertise his book.

In wider sport surely "John 3:16" was the most widespread. First time I noticed late 80s/early 90s at a World Cup or Olympic Games.


Meanwhile FF's sign is admirable, but it lacks a little finesse.

Paul 8v

Dirk Hoffman wins the sign competition. As for stuffed animals Boar man beats stuffed fox with scarf man by a mile

above_the_cows

Paul 8v wrote:

Dirk Hoffman wins the sign competition. As for stuffed animals Boar man beats stuffed fox with scarf man by a mile

Dirk Hofman without question. I mean if I was to look for a motorhome it is where I'd go.

And Boar man will always win, forever, not only in the stuffed animals category but in 'random thing seen at the Tour' category.

joelsim

mr_poll

hammerite wrote:

Simon Warren rocked up at a hill on every stage of the ToB a few years back with a sign to advertise his book.

He was on one of the climbs in Sheffield on Sunday (might have been Jenkin Road) with his sign.

Paul 8v

Above The Cows wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

Dirk Hoffman wins the sign competition. As for stuffed animals Boar man beats stuffed fox with scarf man by a mile

Dirk Hofman without question. I mean if I was to look for a motorhome it is where I'd go.

And Boar man will always win, forever, not only in the stuffed animals category but in 'random thing seen at the Tour' category.

Someone, somewhere must know who he is!

He's definitely better than football helmet/stag antlers man, he's just a douche

No_Ta_Doctor

The greatest signwriter of all time is Monsieur Tourette.

Definitely not safe at ALL for work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4BYJXDXvps

deejay

Come on someone that I'm not tech enough to do it, but

The Belgian Umbrella seen at any cyclo X and other far and wide places.

le_patron

Ok, more a flag, but :

above_the_cows

Paul 8v wrote:

He's definitely better than football helmet/stag antlers man, he's just a douche

Never has a truer word been spoken.

mroli

Simon Warren does get about - nice to see a Brit giving these foreign types a run for their money!

frenchfighter

What is this supposed to be?