Have a happy horse!

2014 Happy New Year Kit Kat Packaging

Nestle is a huge company that sell its products in almost every country. So it is not really surprising that a confectionery firms with operations would find a way to take advantage of a what was once a rather fringe holiday in North America.

The slot in the middle of the package is to insert a red envelope, traditionally containing a gift of money.

What's in a name?

Sprott-Shaw Community College sign

In various incarnations, Sprott-Shaw has been around in British Columbia for over 100 years. In recent years the college had been best known for its vocational programmes.

However, that all changed in 2004 when the school rolled out its BBA degree in a newly christened Sprott-Shaw Degree College. At the time I thought that the Sprott-Shaw name was more of a burden than an advantage. (I taught in the BBA programme at Sprott-Shaw from 2005 to 2009.)

Well, someone must have been listening because the college has finally been renamed. It is now Ascenda School of Management. A vast improvement.

Source: http://www.acsenda.com/

Chinese New Year.(Did you know?)

Sunkist Navel Oranges, Safeway, West Vancouver, BC

In Canada, 20 years ago very few people outside the Chinese community knew anything about Chinese New Year. But in British Columbia, especially the Vancouver area, it has become a very big deal.

Retailers big and small are now filling the shelves with special version of products specially packaged for the holiday.

I wonder if the Year of the Horse will bring good fortune to Sunkist?

I hope that's not the main ingredient

Facebook Advertisement, January 27, 2014

MDF is an acronym for Medium Density Fiberboard, the core of cheap furniture all over the world. Basically is is sawdust and glue.

Given the common concern about the odd bits and pieces that end up in food, especially pet food, MDF seems like a poor choice for a name.

But I also wonder how and why I ended up with an advertisement for dog food on my Facebook page. I don't have a dog and never have. Rather poor targeting.

Welcome to the real world

Royal Bank of Canada poster, Skytrain Station, Vancouver, BC

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) knows what side its bread is buttered on. With some high schools in Richmond having 70% ESL student bodies, The size of the Mandarin-speaking population of the Vancouver area has long since passed the critical mass required for targeting marketing.

And non-Chinese consumers are so used to seeing Chinese-language advertising that these types of advertisements no longer even get much attention from the rest of the public.

Are you in business?

Erika Fashions, City Square, Vancouver

I saw this sign at a mall in Vancouver. I wonder if the store is going to be in business for much longer. Low standards like this just bug me as the broken sign is often an indication of a lack of attention by management.

I wonder how much longer this store will be be in business?

How out of date are the ads on the bus?

Holiday Service notice on Kelowna Bus, January 9, 2013

While this is not as out of date as the Milk advertisement that dated from 2004, but any out of date advertsing really does call the value of the medium into question. I'll have to see how long these ads last on the buses.

Or they could just leave them up and confuse people year round.

Trying to compete by offering more

Feature on the improved Greyhound buses

Greyhound buses have not had the best of reputations. Cold, slow, and generally unimpressive. Well, someone at the marketing department has listened to the customers and the coach line is now offering a few improvements.

This week I had two 4 1/2 our trips on Greyhound and I must say that the experience is vastly improved. Of course a 150-250 kmph train would be even better, but given Western Canada's terrain and low population density that is not going to happen.

When the bus can offer services that you can't get in your car, such as Wi-Fi, it really is a viable alternative.

Only in Canada!

Happy Meal toy display at McDonald's

You would only find this in Canada. Where else is a piece of maintenance machinery so well recognized? Do New York Yankees' fans know makes the lawnmower that cuts the outfield? Do Toronto Raptors' fans know what is used to polish the varnish on the basketball court?

Of course not, but every kid in Canada knows that the machine that fixes the ice is a Zamboni. (To the point where it is a generic term for an ice resurfacing machine.)

Don't just tell me what to do, give me the tools to do the job

Counter at The Village Baker

"Please drink you Coffee in a Mug" sign at The Village Baker

This is a great idea. Encourage customers to use a mug, rather than a paper cup. Is there a problem with this idea? No, it is a great idea. But as with so many ideas, the problem is with the execution.

There should be a bunch of mugs next to the sign. (And after my suggestion, the owner had his staff stack a bunch of mugs next to the sign.)

This is like so many ideas in retail. You need to look at the idea from the customer's perspective and ask the questions that they would ask. Questions such as, "Where are the mugs?

Look down and SMILE

Sign on the floor at the lululemon lab store on Broadway in Vancouver

I saw this at the lululemon lab store at Broadway and Cambie in Vancouver. The little things like this make shopping more a pleasure.

And like everything in retail it is one of those little details that makes shopping a bit more enjoyable.