We meet Tony at the LC Sign offices, nestled in a commercial plaza next to a sprawling field of single-home vegetable gardens, a quintessential sight in Guangdong known as a 'village-within-a-city.' Close to the airport, Tony points out that the factory is located even further away. When we meet, he tells us that he's soon travelling to the US for the first time with his team to attend a light and sign trade show in Orlando.
Tony and his team travelled to a trade show in Orlando, Florida, in April. Image via LC Sign
To those whose algorithms feed them China content, Tony is an instantly recognizable figure, known for his humor that bridges cultures and languages. With his efforts, Tony has helped amass over a million followers across various specialized lighting accounts under the LC Sign banner. This is his story.
Born in Henan province, Tony's journey to Guangzhou was motivated by a desire to escape his academic struggles. "My math was terrible," he admits. "I knew I wouldn't be able to go to high school, so I decided to find a school that focused on English." This decision, unconventional at the time, set him on a path that would eventually lead him to internet stardom.
Tony uses humour to capture hundreds of thousands of likes on his videos. Screengrab via Instagram
In 2022, with a background in video filming and editing, Tony discovered LC Sign. Intrigued by the potential of a role that combined his skills and interests, he took a leap of faith. "I tutored college students on video editing and filming for two years after graduating. Then I got a job as a cameraman for another two years. But there was a voice that kept telling me to get in front of the camera, get involved with sales and do foreign trade."
Tony joined the team in February but the initial growth of LC Sign's social media was slow and fraught with challenges. Tony recalls the early days of posting videos to TikTok and Instagram, struggling to break through the noise and gain traction.
Tony has developed a range of hilarious English accents based on stereotypes and popular culture. Image via LC Sign
But then it happened. After a few fruitless months, Tony changed their approach to the type of content they were making. In that month, they breached 1,000 followers; the next month clearing 10,000.
The success of Tony's videos came from the realization that they needed a gimmick, which he derived from his love of stand-up comedy. "I watch a lot of comedians like Russell Peters and Jim Jefferies. Peters does a lot of accents, like Indian and Chinese, which I find so hilarious. "When it comes to the Chinese accent, it's not offensive to me, I think it's amazing that he can mimic it so well. I thought that if he could make me laugh, then maybe I could do it, too. Initially, I was worried that people would be offended, but people were accepting, and it worked out great, so we continued with it."
Tony was well received at the Sign Expo in Orlando with many of his peers in the industry praising him for "making signage cool." Image via LC Sign
Tony has created a variety of hilarious ethnically-flavorful English accents which he turns while doing product demonstrations in the LC Sign factory. The products themselves are extremely innovative and practical, as far as commercial lighting goes. But the characters, sometimes enhanced with costumes, are what truly make his social media presence unique. They run the gambit of pop culture English caricatures, from classic cowboy to a Brummie (Birmingham) accent that we all recognize from Peaky Blinders. Then there's Jamaican Tony, Russian mobster Tony, an LA cholo voice with Hispanic inflection, and a gravelly Christopher Nolan's Batman impression that he sometimes breaks out, just to name a few.
Image via LC Sign
"Every time we come out with a new accent, that video always gets the most views."
The videos Tony makes are an eclectic mix of product showcases, humorous skits, and cultural commentary. They strike a balance between informative and entertaining, making LC Sign's offerings more relatable to a global audience. The success of Tony's social media strategy took many at LC Sign by surprise. While clicks don't always convert to sales, Tony tells us that the vast internet presence he cultivated has translated into significant revenue growth for the company.
The interview with Tony appeared in the April Issue of That's Magazines. Screengrab via Instagram
As LC Sign continues to grow, so does Tony's ambition to explore new ways to entertain, engage, and connect with audiences worldwide. Scan the QR code to follow LC Sign on Instagram.
[Images via LC Sign]
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