Which one is healthiest?

One of these cereals contains 500% more sugar per serving than the other two. Any guesses about which one is the healthiest?

Cheerios packaging

Multi-Grain Cheerios packaging

President's Choice Toasted Oat Os packaging (Loblaw)

Okay, hands up if you think that Multi-Grain Cheerios are the healthiest option? They do contain the most fibre; 3 grams per 30 gram serving.

How about the Toasted Oat Os? They are tied with regular Cheerios for the amount of protein; 3 grams per 30 gram serving.

The regular Cheerios have the lowest carbohydrates per serving; 20 grams. (But the serving size for the regular Cheerios is only 27 grams, while the other two cereals have a serving size of 30 grams.

But how about sugar? General Mills makes a big deal out of the low sugar content of Cheerios cereal.

Cheerios magazine advertisement touting the low sugar content of Cheerios

And how about Multi-Grain Cheerios? Well, as far as sugar is concerned Multi-Grain Cheerios is the unhealthy choice. While regular Cheerios and Toasted Oat Os both have 1 gram of sugar per serving, Multi-Grain Cheerios have 6 grams of sugar per serving?And why? Because sugar is ingredient number three.

The cereal may contain five whole grains, but it contains more sugar by weight than three of the five "whole grains" touted on the front of the package.

Just another reason why reading the packaging is critically important.

Where are you? And what language do your customers speak?

Ronald McDonald House donation box at McDonald's, Vancouver, BC

The clientele in this McDonald's location would likely speak English, or perhaps Mandarin. The number of uni-lingual francophones that patronize the Renfrew and Grandview location in Vancouver is very tiny.

So on a recent visit to this McDonald's location why was the sign on the Ronald McDonald House donation box only in French?

Yes she is a cute girl, and yes it is a worthy cause. But the box is a bit useless is the customers don't understand the message.

Just another of the hundreds of little details that so many retailers get wrong.

How do you know when you are running out of stock? By being smart.

Thread fixture at the college bookstore

Thread fixture (Detail) at the college bookstore

I love the clever little details that make life easier. This fixture has a small and rather clever feature built in. When there are only two spools of thread left a little red tab appears to warn the store staff. And when there is only one spool left the red tab sticks out further and is unmistakable.

Simple, clever, and a real time saver. No need to do a thread inventory every week to make sure you don't run out. One thing that would improve this is having multiple slots for the most popular colours.

Two weeks late (And the problem is that it is not unusual)

Advertisement on a bicycle rack at the Renfrew SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (October 11, 2014)

Who doesn't love culture? And who wouldn't be thrilled to find out about the three-day celebration of culture (September 26 to 28), Culture Days?

Perhaps the people who are looking at an advertisement for an event that occurred two weeks earlier. Is it really that hard to get the signs down when the event is over? It shouldn't be all that difficult, but it sure seems to be.

Are you worried about Ebola?

Sign on the front door of LifeLabs laboratory in Vancouver, BC

This sign has been up on the door of the LifeLabs location at City Square in Vancouver since September 3, 2014.

If I was to be pedantic I think that the sign should be worded, "If you have visited West Africa in the last 21 days." My most recent travel could have been from Heathrow airport to Vancouver, but before that I could have visited West Africa.

So, probably a good idea to be concerned about the spread of the disease, but the ambiguity of the sign does not help to improve the safety of the clinic workers.

They've committed to a date. Will they be able to keep it?

Sign on the hoarding around the new Nordstrom store at the Pacific Centre in Vancouver

It is a public declaration. The new Nordstrom store is to open in September 18, 2015. In less that a year Vancouverites will be able to enjoy the legendary customer service that Nordstrom is know for.

Do I expect the store to open on time? Absolutely.

Do I expect Vancouver shoppers to be impressed? They'd better be. If it was good for nothing else, Target's cross-Canada disaster of retail store launches has given Nordstrom a lot of mistakes to learn from.

As George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Somewhat out of place

Advertisement for Diane's Lingerie on a transit shelter on Broadway in East Vancouver

I saw this advertisement in a transit shelter on Broadway in East Vancouver. Diane's is a high-end lingerie shop on South Granville, one of the most expensive shopping precincts in Vancouver. So why is the firm advertising on a transit shelter in East Vancouver?

From the perspective of reaching your target customer this make no sense at all.

Are all of the representatives ladies?

Avon recruitment brochure, 2014

Avon recruitment brochure, 2014 (Reverse)

When I was a kid there were two gender-specific door-to-door sales operations. On a pretty regular basis we would see the "Avon Lady" and the "Fuller Brush Man".

Avon started in 1886 and Fuller, twenty years later, in 1906. Over the years there have been men selling Avon and women selling Fuller. (The later was especially common during World War II.)

I was a bit surprised that Avon is adopting such a gender specific tag line for its latest recruitment efforts. And especially surprising when the title of homepage on the Avon website is, "Avon | Become an Avon Representative or Shop for Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance, Color, Fashion & Home".

Is Avon only recruiting  female representatives? Does this qualify as gender discrimination? Or is merely sloppy? Either way it is inconsistent communications and one of the things that drives me a bit nuts. (But then I'm a bit pedantic.)

No longer "as seen on Television"

DIY Colourful Loom Kit

 

"AS SEEN ON YouTube" on DIY Colourful Loom Kit package

Although it is less than 10 years old, YouTube has dramatically changed the world of marketing. Before the turn of the century the label on this package would have read "AS SEEN ON Television".

But in the middle of the 20th century, there would have been only a handful of television channels to watch. Now there are hundreds, if not thousands, of channels, and that is not even counting all of the choices of satellite channels or the huge amount of streaming video available.

So, is it any surprise that this package as "AS SEEN ON YouTube"? Not to me.

PS As this is sold in Canada, I do like the fact that the manufacturer is using the Canadian spelling of "colourful".

Starbucks abandons any pretense of recycling

Waste receptacles at newly opened Starbucks, Renfrew Avenue, Vancouver BC

Two-stream waste receptacle at Starbucks, Los Angeles, California 

Starbucks old-style three-stream waste receptacle, Vancouver, BC

Starbucks is having a tough time meeting its environmental goals.

"In 2008 we set a goal to implement front-of-store recycling in all company-owned locations by 2015. Since that time, Starbucks has implemented recycling in more than a dozen markets and established relationships with several municipalities to expand their acceptance of materials produced by Starbucks in local recycling systems." (Source: http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report/environmental-stewardship/front-of-store-recycling)

Despite offering a small discount, fewer than 5% of customers bring their own reusable cups. And any pretense of front-of-store recycling seems to have disappeared.

A recently opened Starbucks in Vancouver, the top picture, has abandoned the firm's previous efforts of trying to get customers to sort the waste into recyclable and non-recyclable streams.

And as long as Starbucks, and other fast food firms, can get away with abandoning any recycling they will do it. Labour is just too expensive, and quite frankly sorting the waste is a horrible job. But that does not reduce the need to do the right thing.

When is a price increase not a price increase?

Sun-Rype 100% Juice, Apple Lime flavour - New 900 ml packaging

Sun-Rype 100% juice, Apple flavour - Original 1 litre packaging
(Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8a/Sun-Rype_Apple_Juice.JPG) 

I've written about this before, and I'll probably write about it again. Consumer are facing a bit of stealth inflation from consumer packaged goods (CPG) firms.

Sun-Rype has changed the packaging of its 100% juices from a 1 litre (1000 ml) package to a 900 ml package. So, 10% less and as the new package is taller than the old package most consumers probably won't realize that the amount they get in the box has changed.

Consumers who don't pay attention to packaging and labeling are their own worst enemies, and a staggering portion of consumers seem to be oblivious to the changes, or are unwilling to complain.

And as long as the complaints are low in number packaged goods firms will keep trying these sorts of moves.

October is not early 2014

Sign on the wall of the Seymour entrance to the Granville SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (October 16, 2014)

Is it that hard for advertising and signs on public transit systems to be up to date? I first noticed this sign in August 2014, and been wondering about it ever since.

Either the work is over and the sign should come down, or the work is still going on the sign should be updated. Either way, someone is not on the ball.

They couldn't find any coffee? Inexcusible!

Starbucks Frappuccino Syrup bottle, Vancouver, BC

Description on Starbucks Frappuccino syrup bottle, Vancouver, BC

Starbucks is in the coffee business. Yes, the locations do sells teas and some food, but coffee is the chain's raison d'etre. ("Reason to be", or "reason for existence".)

The locations are awash in coffee, so why does Starbucks need to use "Artificially Flavoured Syrup" for its Frappuccinos?

I've never had a Frappuccino and I doubt that I ever will. And if this sort of chemical bastardization is common to all Starbucks foods and beverages then I will likely give the chain's locations a wide berth.

But what about last year?

Sign at Safeway, City Square, Vancouver, British Columbia

It is great that Safeway employees volunteer in the "communities we serve". But this sign tells me about the volunteer service in 2012. It is now almost three quarters of the way through 2014. Are there not data for 2013 available?

Just another example of the sort of out of date promotional materials that drive me crazy.

The right message in the right place

Advertisement at the end of the conveyor belt at Safeway, Vancouver, BC

As they say in real estate, the three most important things are, "location, location, location". And when developing a media plan the importance of location can't be ignored.

In this case the benefit of using the Telus Optik television service is explicitly stated in the message and the message is a perfect fit with the location of the advertisement. "We want to record our shows when we're stuck in line".

A captive audience and a great message with an obvious benefit for the consumer. Not flashy, but well thought bout and probably very effective.

It may be useful, but is it safe?

BeatTheTraffic.com booth outside the Pacific Centre, Vancouver, BC

Sign at BeatTheTraffic.com booth at the Pacific Centre, Vancouver, BC

BeatTheTraffic.com is a website and smartphone app that offers real-time road traffic information for drivers.

Now that sounds like a good idea. Even if you are listening to an all traffic station, such as Vancouver AM730 (http://www.am730.ca/), there will always be incidents that are either not reported or are reported too late for you to take another route. Real-time traffic reporting, linked to GPS on a smartphone, offers a personalized traffic conditions report that would enable motorists to pick the best route regardless of the day's conditions.

And what problem do I have with this application? In addition to traffic information obtained from local and provincial/state government sources such as traffic cams, the application also relies on crowdsourcing. Users can upload their own traffic reports and photographs of accidents, roadwork, and delays.

Using a mobile device while driving is generally illegal, in addition to being dangerous. Does this application encourage drivers to break that law? Well not explicitly, but how many drivers will pull over in stalled traffic to upload a picture of the cause of the problem?

The irony would be complete if a BeatTheTraffic user caused an accident that then slowed down all of the other BeatTheTraffic users. I'm sure it is only a matter of time.

An advertisement that really hits the spot

Transit poster for Langara College on the SkyTrain, Vancouver, British Columbia

Nothing like knowing your target demographic. According to a May 3, 2014 story in The Vancouver Sun (http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Metro+Vancouver+sushi+explosion+counting+with+video/9801640/story.html), Vancouver has over 600 sushi bars. And every sushi place I go to seems to filled with students.

So this advertisement scores on two counts. There are lots of sushi bars in Vancouver and students love sushi.

Of course the real question for Langara College is, are students motivated to select a post-secondary institution based on the number of courses offered?

Why does it matter if these are "limited edition"?

Chocolate bar display at Shoppers Drug Mart, Vancouver, BC

Nestle, Limited Edition Chocolate Bars $1.49

I remain perplexed by marketers need to make the ordinary special.

How many people will pick up these chocolate bars because they are "limited edition". It is not like a lithograph, or a new Ferrari.

Nestle has made thousands, or tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of these bars. I would not call that limited. The only thing that is limited about these bars is my interest in paying $1.49.

Is this an odd request from a company? "Please don't use our product"

BC Hydro advertisement at Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, West Vancouver, BC

Most companies are quite happy when their customer buy more. More sales usually equals more profit. And what company does not want more profit?

BC Hydro is continuing its theme of energy conservation. In the past this has included inducements to get rid of inefficient appliances. Now the utility wants consumers to keep their thermostats below 21 degrees Celsius (About 70 degrees Fahrenheit.)

While this will limit revenue for BC Hydro in the short term, it is a responsible thing to do.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

If only my bicycle had a credit card

Sign at the Horseshoe Bay BC Ferries Terminal, West Vancouver, BC

I take the ferry quite a bit, and often travel with my bicycle. According to this sign I can use the self-serve check-in kiosks, but my bicycle will have to pay at the Ticket Booth.

I think, or at least I hope, what the company means is, "Passengers with bicycles must pay at the ticket booths".

But perhaps logical prose and good grammar is just too much to hope for these days.

Making losing even easier

BC Lottery Corporation transit poster for mobile ticket purchase, Vancouver, BC

The odds of winning the big prize in Lotto Max, picking the right 7 numbers out of a possible 49, is 1/28,633,528. A ticket is $5.00 and that gives you three plays.

By my calculations, if the main prize is over $47,722,547  then it makes mathematical sense to buy a ticket. The payback based on value of the prize is higher that the odds of winning.

But lotteries, and all gambling make money because people lose. (I remember reading a statistic that the average gambler in Las Vegas loses about $175.00 per trip.)

So, the easier you can make it to people to buy tickets than the more money the lottery corporation makes. A slippery slope, but as government around the world have come to reply more and more on lottery revenues to fund general spending, they are in a conundrum of promoting the winning experience to get  people to buy tickets, while at the same time encouraging "responsible gaming".

Will this technology increase ticket purchases? I think so. Will it increase sales among younger consumers? Absolutely. Will younger consumers lose more money? Of course, we'd be fools to think otherwise. And as the proverb goes, " A fool and his money are soon parted".

Killing two birds with one stone

Bike rack outside TD Bank location on Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC

Skateboarders are a determined and inventive lot. They will try to ride anything. (I know, I skateboarded for years and we were most creative in finding riding spots.)

But landlords are not keen to have their outdoor spaces overrun by skateboarders. ("Brings the whole tone of the place down.") So surfaces, such as the concrete edge of the planter in the background of the above photo, are often interrupted with metal brackets and bars to make riding impossible.

Of course there is another way around the problem, and that is to add an obstacle in front of the concrete to prevent skateboarders from riding the edge at all.

So, the cyclists are happy, with a place out of the weather to lock up their bikes, the bank patrons don't have to deal with "young punks on skateboards", and the landlord is happy because the skateboarders have to go elsewhere to ride. Everyone's happy, except the skateboarders.

Perhaps they should all pull their accounts from the TD Bank and see what happens?

It may be low fat, but it is almost 10% sugar

Special K "low fat Granola"

My wife picked up a package of this cereal on sale at the grocery store. Special K has a reputation for being a healthy cereal and the "50% less fat" statement on the front of the box looks pretty persuasive.

But the side panel is where the truth really lies.

Special K "low fat Granola" Nutrition Facts

Special K "low fat Granola" Nutrition Facts (Detail)

A 1/2 cup (54 gram) serving of this cereal does have only 3 grams of fat, but it does have 10 grams of sugars.

If you look closely at the list of ingredients, and let's be frank, most people don't, you'll see that two of the first three ingredients are sugars, and four of the first nine ingredients are sugars. Given the current justifiable obsession about the amount of added sugar in our diet, and the fact that sugars are almost 20% of the weight of a serving of this cereal it is no wonder that Kellogg's is boasting about the low amount of fat. The firm sure as heck does not want you to start thinking about the amount of sugar you are consuming.

Oh, and by the way, "evaporated cane juice", number eighteen on the ingredient list is just another name for sugar.

I have this incredible feeling of deja vu.

Sampling Uncle Ben's at the Broadway SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Text on the poster at the SkyTrain product sampling, Vancouver BC

According to the 2011 census, the amount of French spoken in Vancouver is tiny. 24,780 people, 1.1%, of the population identified French as their mother tongue, and only 8,410, 0.4%, spoke it at home.

So why does the firm handling the sampling for Uncle Ben's in Vancouver have a stand-up poster with with a slogan in French?

Just another of the million little details that separate adequate marketing from great marketing.

Do you know where you are?

Sampling Starbucks Refreshers outside Shoppers Drug Mart, Vancouver, BC

Sign at the sampling

According to the 2011 census, the amount of French spoken in Vancouver is tiny. 24,780 people, 1.1%, of the population identified French as their mother tongue, and only 8,410, 0.4%, spoke it at home.

So why does the firm handling the sampling for Starbucks in Vancouver have chalkboards with a slogan in French?

Just another of the million little details that separate adequate marketing from great marketing.

Do you know the meaning of primary?

ICBC/Western Insurance poster, Vancouver, BC

ICBC/Western Insurance poster (Detail), Vancouver, BC

I'm confused. (Not a new situation.)

How can you say "A primary driver"? There can only be one primary driver, everyone else is, by definition, secondary or tertiary.

And what does "Does anyone drive your car over 50% of the time?" really mean? 50% of the driver's driving time, or 50% of the time your car is driven by anyone?

Clarity in marketing communications is critical, but sometime it seems very hard for firms to actually achieve it.

The advertisements may be "Always on", but perhaps no one wants to buy them

CBS/Decaux transit shelter advertisement, Vancouver, British Columbia

Every now and then I see these transit shelter advertisements around Vancouver. And what message should I take from these?

I do like the "Always on", a dig at electronic media. But if CBS could sell the space then would I ever see these posters? I think not. The people buying advertising space are probably not swayed by this sort of message. They care about demographics and the number of eyeballs that see these posters each day.

But better to advertise your own services that leave the frame empty.

Yellow means it must be a taxi

Dog Taxi Mini, Vancouver, BC

Business cards under the windshield wiper of Dog Taxi Mini, Vancouver, BC

In North America, and especially in New York City, the colour yellow, and the checkerboard trim, signifies that the vehicle is a taxi cab.

Dog Taxi must believe, with good reason, that the yellow taxi meaning is now almost universal. If it worked for Joni Mitchell in 1970, let's hope it still resonates for Canadians.Joni Mitchell playing Big Yellow Taxi (Live 1970)

Make sure it is ready on time

Sidewalk sign outside Clarkes Recognition Products, Vancouver, BC

In the printing business there is a saying, "Fast, Cheap, Good. Pick any two."

This business seems to making a similar compromise. You can have it on time. It will be "quality designed". But the company is not making any promises about the quality of the finished goods.

I know. I'm being petty and pedantic. I'm sure the awards and well made, but for me the key thing here is that the firm is making a big deal of of delivering on time. On time delivery is critical in the awards business. You have a big ceremony planned, and if the awards are not finished on time everyone looks like a fool.

Location! Location! Location!

BikeLUBE tune-up service south of Science World, Vancouver

BikeLUBE prices and services

Last week I took my daughter to Science World in Vancouver. She loves it and any science centre is a great educational opportunity. (Do you know why dextrose is called dextrose? Because the chemical in solution in water causes the plane of polarized light to rotate to the right. Looks very cool on an overhead projector.)

Anyway, the bike path that goes by the Science Centre sees 6,000 cyclists per day and this bicycle service operation is regularly set up there. Business is so good that sometimes customers don't want to wait.

I guess the lesson for any service-focused retailer is that location is perhaps the most important factor in business success.