Hot job in a down economy

I see these people A LOT in SW Florida, human sign posts.  Minimal job skills are required, I believe the ads for such a position goes like this:

WANTED: Human sign post.  Must be able to wave incessantly, stand in one place for hours at a time, endure harsh elements and be willing to work for peanuts.

These people amaze me.  The job has to be absolutely miserable.  I am further dumbfounded by businesses idea that this is actually an effective way of advertising.  I can’t ever recall seeing a human sign post and as a result decide to patronize that business as a result.