Painted 3 months ago on the roof of his business, a Perth prankster gave plane passengers a fright upon entering Sydney.
The Perth-themed sign was painted in a “special, reflective road paint” containing glass crystals so that that incoming travellers could witness the sign in all its glory – day and night.
However, this prank was no cheap thrill, costing business owner Brad Heasman $4,500, but it was all “worth it”.
Heasman was applauded for unintentionally drawing attention to his business Heasman Steering and Suspension, his prank being credited as a clever marketing scheme.
Regardless of whether or not it creates more revenue for his business, Heasman confessed in an interview with Sunrise that he has a bit of a “giggle” whenever a plane flies overhead.
Originally hailing from Perth, he chose the city because it was the furthest place from Sydney, guaranteeing the “biggest scare” for travellers.
The signs conception comes at a rather convenient time, as Perth placed number 6 in the world’s top 10 most liveable cities.
This sign is giving passengers a fright!
A Sydney business in the flight path of Sydney Airport has put a sign on its roof that reads Welcome To Perth and it has Sydney-bound passengers wondering if they got on the wrong plane.
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/aS4wv2wfYu— Hammoud The Pilot ✈️ 🇱🇧 🇸🇱 (@mustafahammou12) June 9, 2021
However, Heasman could not take full credit for the creative stunt, referencing a similar prank by a Milwaukee man as the inspiration behind his prank.
Mark Gubin has been maintaining his ‘Welcome to Cleveland‘ sign since 1978, garnering international attention along the way.
When Gubin was questioned as to why he painted the sign on his roof, his response was tinged with a similarly light-hearted, comedic attitude to Heasman’s:
“It was all tongue-in-cheek, just for fun. Living in the world is not a dress rehearsal. You better have fun with it“.
Heasman’s prank has since circulated Reddit, with one user recognising it stating: “I remember seeing that … I had a heart attack because I had just come from Perth“.
This is not the first time pranksters have created false signs or altered iconic landmarks.
In 2017, Zachary Cole Fernandez, transformed the famous Hollywood sign to read Hollyweed on New Years Day. This marked the second time the sign had been re-designed to spell ‘Hollyweed’.
The first occurred in 1976, when art student Danny Finegood reconfigured it after the passing of relaxed marijuana laws.
Ahh, to be young, wild and free.
