Marceau puts art and soul into signs

Marilyn Monroe says Jeff Marceau is her dude, Marlon Brando will make you an offer you can’t refuse to vote for him, and Jack Nicholson believes it would be insane to cast a ballot for any other mayoral candidate.

No matter how the 34-year-old gym owner does at the polls Nov. 10, there’s no doubt Marceau has won the award for most creative campaign signs, eschewing convention and replacing it with the cultural icons of our time.

Marceau’s signs, at least those that haven’t been stolen, are located along major thoroughfares including Algonquin, Cassells, Trout Lake Road, Fisher Street and the overpass.

He designed and hand-painted each, using such unorthodox art supplies as exterior latex and automotive paint.

Tired of seeing the same old signs
Baytoday.ca caught up with Marceau as he replaced the Einstein sign, which had disappeared from its post at the corners of O’Brien Street and Airport Road.

“I’m just so tired of seeing the same old signs, just saying 'vote, vote, vote,' and they’re boring, but I think my signs are getting people talking,” Marceau said, hammer in hand.
“I remember the first set of speeches we went to, not very many people seemed interested in talking to me and by the time the next one rolled around, and I had my signs up, everyone was like, ‘whoa’ and people wanted to talk to me in regards to the signs. So it was kind of mission accomplished. People realized signage can make a difference if you put some effort into it, and I think I’ve demonstrated that in this election.”

Marceau says we live in “a TV society.”
“So I figured what better way to catch people’s attention than to go with the people who made it as popular as it is,” Marceau said.

He's not worried, either, that he's using copyrighted or trademarked images.

"I'm not using them for commercial purposes or to make any money," Marceau said.

Steal them after the election
He’s a bit chagrined, though, that several of his sign have apparently been stolen.

"The Nicholson sign lasted three days,and somebody told me it got ripped off in broad daylight," Marceau said.

He admits theft of the signs is a compliment to his work.
And he thinks he knows who did the thieving.

"I don't think it's the senior citizens or the working people stealing them, it's the youth stealing them," Marceau said.

"And you know what, I'm running my campaign to help the youth of the city but they're not helping me or themselves by stealing my signs. Do yourself a favour and leave them there until after the election, and then steal them."

To see Marceau’s signs, go to the photo gallery link at the bottom of the page.