@dudewithsign is a well-liked Instagram account that incorporates a tall man carrying sun shades holding a cardboard check in numerous public locations. Besides as a substitute of a severe protest message, the signal comprises a enjoyable aphorism about trendy life, like “Who TF writes opinions on Yelp” or “You'll be able to take a chilly dip with out telling everybody.”
The eponymous dude is Seth Phillips, an worker of Jerry Media, a social media advertising and marketing company based by Elliot Tebele of the favored Instagram meme account @fuckjerry.
Tebele initially got here up with the idea of holding up a protest signal with a humorous phrase, however solely made a number of Instagram posts utilizing it. Phillips later reinvigorated the thought and it caught on – the Instagram account now has 8 million followers and does advertisements for manufacturers like Wingstop, CVS, Dunkin', and extra by which he brandishes enjoyable model or product associated indicators (BuzzFeed as soon as employed Phillips to carry a customized signal at an occasion).
FJerry and its different affiliated firms have filed not less than seven lawsuits since November 2022 towards manufacturers that allegedly used the Dude With Signal picture with out permission to publish memes on their branded social media accounts.
Manufacturers which have been sued embody Avid, a know-how firm; All Entry Dietetics, a coaching program for dieticians; Itching, a remedy for psoriasis; Brumate, a thermos cup firm; RQ Insurance coverage and Snack Membership. All of those manufacturers posted variations of the Dude With Signal meme to their official Instagram accounts with the picture edited so it appears like Phillips was holding an indication with a message about their respective manufacturers.
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