MOUNTAIN MARKETING |
|
DECEMBER 2004 THE BEST MONTH EVER FOR MULLINAX FORD. 203 F150's SOLD WHY? THE ULTIMATE DISPLAY |
203 F150's SOLD IN DECEMBER |
Orlando Sentinel Article "LIKE A ROCK" BY: Ramsey Campbell Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer Al Mango doesn't try to move mountains. He prefers to build them. These faux mountains have caught the fancy of auto dealers around the country who want to promote the ruggedness of their sport utility vehicles. " What car dealers want is to put a focus on their product and these rocks do that" said Keith Thomas an Orlando architect. Mango's rocks don't just look like boulders-they are as strong as the real thing. During the past few years, Mango has constructed mountaintop look alike's for auto dealerships in many states, including Florida, North and South Carolina, and Wisconsin and Iowa to name a few and is currently booking displays for next year. His largest to date was the project of Mullinax Ford in Apopka, Florida, where three SUVs sit atop a mountain of faux black granite. The massive rock formation is constructed out of structural steel, sculpted concrete and hand-finished paint. It required 77 tons of concrete and more than 30 gallons of paint to complete. The Mullinax job required six workers and more than 2,000 feet of structural steel. It weighs more than 80 tons. Thomas said the massive formation is only the project's first phase. Thomas, who knew of Mango's experience as designer for artificial rocks for Universal's theme parks suggested that he design a formation for a Mitsubishi dealership in Greenville, S. C. Mango also designed a mountain waterfall for the display and was stunned to see cars pull off the interstate to watch when the water began to flow. This display has been featured in a number of national automotive publications. A lot of people thinks it is real according to the General Manager, Steve Francis. Thomas said the formations are increasingly popular, as car dealerships look for new ways to focus passing motorists attention on their products. Mango calls his work "Artificial Rock Auto Displays" but most people just call them MANGOROCKS. |
|