Is the junk removal business like the moving business?

You Move Me truck, Toronto, ON

You Move Me truck, Toronto, ON (Detail)

Last week I was walking down St. Clair Avenue in Toronto and I saw this moving van. I had not seen one of the firm's trucks before. but had seen the green on WOW 1-Day painting trucks.

This firm was started by the people behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK? so they know a bit about franchising, and especially franchising commodity businesses.

The moving business has been divided into the big firms; Allied, AMJ Campbell, Atlas, Bekin, Mayflower and United, and the smaller one-truck operators.

By applying the discipline that the founders developed at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? they hope to transform the moving business the way that they transformed the garbage hauling business.

One common factor among all of the businesses is the use of a shared signature colour.

Green colour swatch, (Source: http://www.http://www.1800gotjunk.com/)

This rather distinctive green is shared by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1-Day Painting, and You Move Me.

Next time I have to move I'll give this firm a try. I just hope that all of my possessions don't end up being painted, or dumped in a landfill by mistake.

We've re-branded the company, but not everywhere

Office tower above the Hudson's Bay store, Bloor and Yonge, Toronto, ON 

Sign on the office tower above the Hudson's Bay store, Bloor and Yonge, Toronto, ON

Recently The Hudson's Bay Company engaged in a re-branding exercise. The old name "The Bay" has been replaced by a more complete version of the organization's full name, "Hudson's Bay".

Hudson's Bay logo (Source: http://www.TheBay.com)

But while the stores and advertising have all been re-branded, the office tower above the store at the corner of Bloor and Yonge in Toronto is stuck with the old logo.

I wonder how long it will take before this logo, that looms over a large part of Toronto, will be brought up to date?

I'm walking in the rain, and taking my new Coach bag along for a swim.

Poster in the window of the Coach department, The Hudson's Bay Company, Vancouver, BC

Poster in the window of the Coach department, The Hudson's Bay Company, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

She's out in the rain and getting soaking wet. And she has a lovely Coach handbag under her arm. (And it is getting soaking wet too.) Ah to be young and adventurous and not care about the weather.

But what message is this poster sending to the customers? Is the leather waterproof? If I take my expensive new Coach bag out in the rain will it be ruined? If I use Coach's promotional materials as my guide, I'd say that the leather is waterproof and rain will not damage the bag at all.

I hope that is true, for Coach's sake. Otherwise there may be some unhappy customers trying to return waterlogged handbags.

Coach's defense may be that this is artistic license. But it is a risky practice to show your product being used in a way that will damage it, and then express surprise when your customers do exactly the same thing.

Nice store front, shame about the pile of boxes

Moores Clothing for Men, Granville Street, Vancouver, BC

Last week I was downtown in Vancouver and walked by this location of Moores. I could not help but notice the big pile of boxes stacked by the front door.

Being the curious fellow I am, I went into the store to see if the boxes were coming or going out. The address on the boxes indicated that they were headed for the chain's North Vancouver location. No problem. The driver is expected soon and better to have the boxes ready to go so as to get them out of the store as quickly as possible. Don't want to have the driver wheeling his dolly through the store getting the carpets all dirty.

But the boxes were still sitting by the front door 90 minutes later. As a first impression, this one is pretty poor.

And yet another of the million details that a retailer must pay attention to.

The happiest staff in retail

The LEGO store, Oakridge Shopping Centre, Vancouver, BC

Last week I stopped in at the LEGO store in the Oakridge Shopping Centre in Vancouver.

The service was outstanding. The staff were cheerful, helpful, and seemed happy to be working at the store. This was a far cry from the confusion and apathy that I encountered at Toys R Us.

Like many retailers, LEGO had a link to a survey on the receipt. I went on-line, completed the survey and received a personalized email back from the store manager.

Good customer service is increasingly a rarity, but stores that offer good service and good products thrive. I think it a shame that so many people focus solely on price when deciding where to shop. Their money goes to soulless corporations that seem to make not effort at all to understand their customers.

Yes, I know that LEGO is a huge corporation, and in upcoming posts I have some nice things to say about a few independent retailers that also offer great service.  

Is it too early for this display?

Display at Dollarama, Vancouver, BC (December 22, 2014)

Dollar stores depend on moving a lot of low priced inventory. The key to this business, and the key to success in most retail operations, is to have the right product at the right time. (At the right price and in the right quantity.)

I saw this display in the Dollarama location on Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver, BC on December 22nd. And yes, it is what it looks like, Valentine's Day Candy. The candy was on display almost two months before Valentine's Day.

I'd say this is both good news and bad news for Dollarama. On one hand the Valentine's Day stock has arrived in plenty of time to meet customer demand. But the Valentine's Day stock was put onto the sales floor because the store had almost completely sold out of Christmas candy. (As you can see from the empty displays on either side of the Valentine's Day candy display.)

How the store almost ran out of Christmas candy three shopping days before is just one of those oddities of retail. It may be either too little supply, or unexpectedly high demand.

On reflection it is possibly better to run out than have to discount huge stocks of unsold season candy after the selling season is over. I just wonder when I start to see the easter candy arrive on the shelves?

What a great idea. I wonder how much it is?

Propane cylinder exchange at The Real Canadian Superstore, Vancouver, BC

Propane cylinder exchange at The Real Canadian Superstore, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Anyone with a barbecue has likely had to refill their propane cylinder. But what could be easier, and safer for everyone involved, than just exchanging your old empty cylinder for a new full one? And, you may ask, how much do I save by refilling my old cylinder?

At this Real Canadian Superstore location you have no way of knowing.

Marketers talk about the central principles of marketing; the 4Ps. Product, place, promotion, and price. Of these four, most people would say that price is the most important. In most cases price is what the customer notices first, even it is not the trigger than makes them buy or not buy.

So while this display has a place for the prices, both with and without cylinder exchange, there are no prices in evidence.

This is yet another of the million little details that retailers need to get right. Get them wrong and not only do you miss sales opportunities, but you may drive your customers elsewhere. And the worst part of that is they may not come back.

How do you make it Canadian? Put some winter boots on.

Poster for "Say Yes to the Dress Canada", SkyTrain, Vancouver, BC

Say Yes to the Dress is about the trials and tribulations of picking the perfect wedding dress. The show starting in New York, and after 10 seasons in production is coming to Canada.

And how do the producers say Canada? Winter boots and a bridal bouquet made with Maple leaves.

The boots are a bit of a cliche, and they don't look all that warm, but the bouquet is a great Canadian touch.

When I first saw the advertisement I noticed the boots first and the Maple leaf bouquet second.

Why not another image? How about a tree?

Poster for Lougheed Town Centre, Main and Commercial SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Christmas is a challenging time for marketers, especially in a multi-cultural city like Vancouver. Even for non-Christians, Christmas has become an important gift-giving occasion. But it is referred to as the "Holiday Season, and the "Christ" seems to be have been removed from "Christmas" altogether.

Some groups are trying to reclaim the Christmas season. A slogan that I've seen some US Christian organizations use with reference to Jesus Christ is "He's the reason for the season".

And even if you are not a practicing Christian, the historical background to the season is still relevant. That is the reason we get December 25th off as a holiday.

But marketers are a bit skittish about any mention of Christmas, or any use of what might be interpreted as exclusionary Christmas images or iconography. Is this the reason we see a five-pointed star rather than a Christmas tree on this poster?

Oh well, like most retailers and malls, the folks at Lougheed Town Centre have their heart is in the right place, their wallet. One retailer I worked at made 120% of its annual profit in the month of December. We would sell more in a single Saturday in December than the entire month of February. If you don't make your sales goals in December you will likely never make up the shortfall.

Given the critical importance of December retail sales, I can't see a return to religious Christmas advertising in the future. The theory being, the wider the audience, the better the response.

A good way to rope in the parents, but why this image?

Poster for Lougheed Town Centre, Main and Commercial SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Lead the children and the parents will follow. That could be a bit sinister, but in this case the motives are purely commercial.

A photo with Santa is a Christmas tradition for lots of families. I've been doing it with my daughter since she was little. But this is a bit of a twist. Yes you can have a photo with Santa, but it is free. Ah the magic of digital photography. Easy, green, and the results are on view straight away.

And if we can draw the parents in for a free photo with Santa, maybe they will stay at the mall and do their Christmas shopping there.

The thing that I don't understand is why the art director used a depiction of a reindeer to represent Santa Claus.

Really Useful and made in the UK

Really Useful Boxes at DeSerres, Vancouver, BC

I saw these little plastic boxes at my local DeSerres store in Vancouver. I was quite surprised that the boxes are made in the United Kingdom.

What do you think is manufactured in the United Kingdom? Rolls Royce? Aston Martin? Clothing on Saville Row? A tiara by Asprey the jeweller? 

Small plastics does not spring to mind. These are the sorts of things that we expect to see knocked off for less than half the price by some factory in China. But I have to say that I'm happy to see that there are still some innovative firms in the UK making interesting products. 

Really Useful Products, http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/, is based in Normanton, West Yorkshire. Decades ago the main industries in this area were railways and mining, now it is increasingly a commuter suburb for Leeds. Interesting that a firm like Really Useful would be based there. In addition to manufacturing in Normanton, Really Useful also manufactures in the United States.

And what did I need a plastic box for? To hold the set of "Cards Against Humanity" that I printed out, but that is another story.

Two languages, but they could use a few more

Sign in the parking garage at YVR, Vancouver International Airport, Richmond, BC

Vancouver is a multicultural society. It has been reported that it is the "Most Asian City outside Asia". (Source: http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/03/28/vancouver-is-most-asian-city-outside-asia-what-are-the-ramifications/)

There is a large South Asian population, and, most important in this case, a very large Chinese population.

So why is this sign at the Vancouver International Airport only in English and French? Well, air transportation is federally regulated and the Federal government is a bilingual operation. But shouldn't these signs be about the customer and just not about the government. Yes, include French, but how about also including Chinese? Or Punjabi?

I wonder what it would take to get the airport to change the signs?

An update from Peter Sagan's marketing team about his riding kit

Peter Sagan in his old team kit, Cannondale, while riding his new team's bike, Tinkoff SAXO & Specialized
(Source: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/30448067) 

Yesterday I wrote about the video of Peter Sagan riding with his new team, Tinkoff SAXO, on a Specialized bicycle while wearing his old team kit, Cannondale..

I sent an email to Sagan's marketing person, Katarina Smolkova.

I saw a video of Peter’s new team training on the Canary Island. In the video on the BBC website, http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/30448067, Peter is riding a Specialized S-Works bicycle, but wearing his Cannondale team kit.

Can you please explain why this is? (I presume it relate top his contractual arrangements with Cannondale.)

This morning I received a reply from Katarina. 

Yes, you are right.

Due to an agreement between the 2 Pro Teams, the old (Cannondale) has authorized the new (Tinkoff-Saxo) to invite Sagan wearing the old uniform and training with the new bike.

So, that makes sense. The thing that struck me as most odd was that Sagan was riding a competing bike brand. Most of the pro cycling teams do not have a bicycle manufacturer as their title sponsor, so in most cases you would not see on bicycle brand on the kit and a different brand on the bike.

I'm sure that this happens quite often as professional riders sign with new teams in the off season and must fulfill the balance of their contractual obligations.

Just another tiny detail to add to our understanding of sports marketing 

Ah the peculiarities of contractual arrangements

Tinkoff SAXO website, December 17, 2014
Source: http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/sponsors/

Screenshot from BBC Sport video, December 12, 2014
(Source: http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/30448067)

Okay, this is a going to get a little bit complicated.

Peter Sagan is a professional cyclist riding for the Cannondale Team. In August 2014, he signed with a new team, Tinkoff SAXO. So starting in the 2015 season, he will be riding for a new team.

In December 2014, the Tinkoff SAXO team headed to the Canary Islands for some winter training. In a video on the BBC website you can see Peter Sagan, and the rest of the Tinkoff SAXO team, riding along on the Specialized S-Works bicycles. Well that's fine, Specialized is a Tinkoff SAXO team sponsor. But isn't that Cannondale kit that Peter Sagan is wearing?

I can only presume that Sagan is under contract to his old team until the end of 2014 and that is why he is still wearing his Cannondale team kit. I just can't figure out why he isn't still riding a Cannondale bike.

I've sent an email to his marketing team and I hope to have an answer sometime soon.

Which way is up? Or a new approach to customers; confuse and lose.

Promo for new Earth, Wind & Fire album, "Holiday", CBC Radio Website, December 16, 2014

Promo for new Earth, Wind & Fire album, "Holiday", CBC Radio Website, December 16, 2014 (Detail)

Earth, Wind & Fire is one of the most durable bands around. Together, in various incarnations, since 1969, the band has just released its 21st studio album, "Holiday".

Until December 23rd, listeners can stream the album from the CBC radio website, but there is a problem. The instructions say that the album can be streamed by "clicking on the player above". The problem is that the player is actually located below the text.

Yes, I know, another petty detail and why do I bother? All organizations need to realize that they are in the customer experience business. And if the customer has a rotten experience, then you run the risk of not having a business.

Empty and pointless

Empty telephone booths, Train Station, Vancouver, BC

The mobile telephone has almost become a necessity. And the poor lowly phone booth is paying the price. I saw the booths last Thursday at the Vancouver Train station near Main Street.

Empty Telus telephone booths, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Vancouver, BC

These booths, outside Mountain Equipment Co-op, were emptied a few years ago, and have since been removed altogether.

66% gutted phone booths, Granville SkyTrain Station, Vancouver, BC

And two of these three, at the Granville SkyTrain station, have been empty for years.

And why are all of the telephone booth being decommissioned? The only culprit that I can think of is the mobile telephone. They are cheap and ubiquitous, leading to the demise of the telephone booth. I wonder when the last one in Vancouver will be removed?

I need to buy a gift, but where is the shop located?

Poster advertising Passages Gift Shop, Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, West Vancouver, BC

Oh great. I need to pick up a Christmas gift. I'll just nip down to the Passages Gift Shop. But wait. Where is the shop located?

And therein lies the problem. The shops are located on "selected vessels". So why doesn't the sign say that?

I've said it numerous times. Retail is a business of a million little details. Get them right and you prosper. Get them wrong and you drive your customers around the bend.

Last week this sign was one of the things driving me around the bend.

A bit direct, but certainly to the point

Sign  outside Windsor Meat Company, West Vancouver, BC

West Vancouver consumers must be in the habit of leaving everything to the last minute. I saw this sign today in the Caulfeild Shopping Centre in West Vancouver. (And yes, that is the correct spelling of Caulfeild.)

While some consumers may take offence with the use of the word "damn", especially in connection with Christmas, I do see the store's point.

It is less that two weeks to Christmas. If you are expecting a fresh turkey to cook on Christmas day then you'd better get a wriggle on and place your order. I just wonder if this message will offend or motivate?

So, which species of tree is it?

Sign outside tree lot at The Real Canadian Superstore, Vancouver, BC

Sign inside tree lot at The Real Canadian Superstore, Vancouver, BC

The Fraser Fir is named after John Fraser, a Scottish botanist, and not after Simon Fraser, a Scottish-American fur trader and the explorer of much of present-day British Columbia.

Botanically the Fraser Fir is, depending on the source you trust, is categorized as either a subspecies or variety of the Balsam Fir.

So, if it is important that the trees are Fraser Fir, then why call them a Balsam Fir?

Oh the perils of retail and the million confusing details.

An iconic shoe comes back

North Star shoes at Big Box Outlet Store, Vancouver, BC

Sign for Big Box Outlet Store, Vancouver, BC

The North Star running shoe, a big hit for Bata in the 1970s, They were found on the feet of high school students across Canada.

But then North Star shoes seemed to disappear in the marketing frenzy of brands such as Nike and Reebok.

And what do I find looking around the new Big Box Outlet Store. The classic shoe is back. I wonder if nostalgia buffs will clear out all of the stock.

"you know you want one." But you can't have one.

Former "ethical bean express" location, Granville SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

This "ethical bean express" location has been sitting empty for over a year. The company had two locations in SkyTrain stations in Vancouver. For weeks I thought that the location just had odd hours and was never open when I was going by. But it turned out that the Granville station location closed in April 2013, and the Commercial station location closed in June 2013.

I wonder why the signage hasn't been removed by either ethical bean, or the landlord?

What did you wish for? How about the "Blue Screen of Death"?

Wish List computer station, Toys R Us, Vancouver, BC

The pesky "Blue Screen of Death" turns up in oddest places.

For a toy retailer, having the "Wish List" terminal out of action in December is a problem. Yes, technical problems do occur, but at the very least the terminal should have an "Out of order, but we're working on it" sign.

The Dairy Farmers of Canada are preparing for a fight

Dairy Farmers of Canada, transit shelter advertisement, Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC

Canada and the European Union are working out the fine details of a free trade agreement. One of the sticking points to finalizing the deal is Canada's supply management system for some agricultural products, including dairy.

I think that as a result, the Dairy Farmers of Canada are making a preemptive effort to reinforce the value of the 100% Canadian Milk position among consumers.

The 100% Canadian Milk™ symbol is a seal of origin that guarantees the dairy products you're buying are made from 100% Canadian cow's milk. When you buy dairy products made from 100% Canadian milk renowned for its quality, purity and great taste, you're also supporting Canadian dairy farmers. Make sure to look for the symbol on the packaging when you're picking up dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream and ice cream. Learn more about what the 100% Canadian Milk™ symbol stands for.

(Source: http://www.dairygoodness.ca/100-percent-canadian-milk/win-free-dairy/?utm_campaign=Cont14&utm_medium=LNK&utm_source=vanURL&utm_content=AW&WT.mc_id=Cont14_LNK_vanURL_AW)

The free trade agreement will more than double the amount of European Cheese that is allowed into Canada and it looks as if the Canadian Dairy Farmers are starting to panic. 

I can't imagine what disaster would befall the nation if a consumer bypassed Canadian Brie and purchased the real stuff from France. Or real Camembert, Gouda, Manchego, Mozzarella or any of the hundreds of other fabulous cheese from Europe.

Five days into the new month and the old events calendar is still up

Events calendar for November 2014, Toys R Us, Vancouver, BC (Taken December 5, 2014)

Yes, Christmas is a busy time at retail. And for a toy store the Christmas season is make or break time. If there is a sales shortfall over the Christmas season it is almost impossible to catch up.

Letting customers know what is going on the store and which events are coming up are both important. So why, five days into the month, is the Events Calendar still on November?

Just another of the million details that are the difference between retail success, and abject failure.

Let's finish shopping at this mall and go to another mall. One with better stores.

Lego poster at the Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC 

There are only nine LEGO stores in Canada. As such they tend to be destinations keenly sought out by LEGO fans. (I admit it, I've been a LEGO fan since I got my first set for Christmas when I was eight.)

The odd thing is that this poster, well actually a large sticker on the wall, is at the Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station. That SkyTrain station is just outside the Pacific Centre, Vancouver's main downtown shopping centre. This spot on the SkyTrain wall has had an advertisement for Oakridge Centre, the location of the LEGO store, for years. While the advertisements are generally fairly generic, they do mention some of the key retail attractions of Oakridge Centre.

So, you've just finished doing your shopping downtown and you are getting on the SkyTrain. And what do you see, a big sign telling you that perhaps you've been wasting your time and that there are some different and perhaps better shops, LEGO included, just a brief SkyTrain journey away.

A bit cheeky, but full marks for getting a great position for the advertisement.

A good thing (And about time) but is Loblaw being economical with the truth?

Sign about artificial ingredients in President's Choice foods, Shoppers Drug Mart, Vancouver

I saw this at a Vancouver Shoppers Drug Mart store, and also saw the same sign at a Real Canadian Superstore.

Consumers are getting more concerned about the volume of added chemicals in their foods, the sales of organic foods is up, and generally people are being more careful about what they consume.

Not using artificial colours of artificial colours is a certainly desirable. This change by Loblaw, the company behind President's Choice (PC), may start a trend in the grocery business in Canada. It will be interesting to see if the other grocery store chains can make the same change with their house brands.

But is that the whole story? Well, consider this product.

President's Choice Diet Cola
(Source: http://www.loblaws.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc_diet_cola3929.html)

Is Aspartame a natural ingredient? Absolutely not. Is is a flavour? Well, that is debatable. It is certainly a sweetener, and sweetness is a major part of flavour. But technically speaking, I think that Loblaw has found the loophole that will enable the continued use of artificial sweeteners. The company is foregoing artificial flavours and artificial colours, but has not said that it will forego artificial ingredients. And therein lies the loophole.

I called Loblaw to get the firm's take on this issue. The person I spoke to had no idea that President's Choice products were now free of artificial colours and artificial colours. If this change is such a big deal it might not be a bad idea to let the people in customer service know about it.

Some frame layouts are better than others (And that hurts some campaigns)

Triple Arc'teryx poster at Broadway Commercial SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Triple Arc'teryx poster at Broadway and Cambie SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Arc'teryx is doing quite a bit of transit advertising at the moment. (And by the way, Arc'teryx is a great local (North Vancouver-based) brand with top quality clothing and equipment.)

Although I've been riding the SkyTrain for years, I had not noticed just how different the poster frames were from station to station.  The smaller gap between frames in the top picture means that the poster series just makes more sense. In the bottom picture the continuation of the garments across the three frames does not visually scan as well.

Am I obsessed with transit advertising? At times it must seem so. I just think that I pay more attention to advertising than the average passenger. (And I'm not sure if paying that much attention is a good thing or a bad thing.)

It's good to know your customer, but it is not good if you can't serve them

Race car shopping cart, Rona, Vancouver, BC

Taking a small child shopping to a building centre store can be a rather trying experience. You are in pursuit of some specific piece of hardware to complete the project. You'll have to prowl the aisles, try and track down the always illusive staff, and hope that you can find someone who has even the foggiest idea about the item you are looking for.

And of course this process is all the more trying if you are trying to wrangle a small child who would rather be anywhere else than traipsing through the store with you.

That is why I think that these shopping carts are such a great idea. Keep the kids happy and you keep the parents happy. My biggest complaint is that most retailers that do offer these carts don't have enough of them. Nothing like having your child demand that you stay at Rona or Home Depot for an extra hour so she can have a ride in the race car.

Consistency is a good thing

Stylebook is an app and website that is designed to help women manage their wardrobes. With the recent United States Thanksgiving holiday there were millions of people heading home for a few days. Styylebook provides a helpful list to make packing easier.

Screenshot from Stylebook.com website
(Source: http://www.stylebookapp.com/stories/holiday_packing.html)

Screenshot from Stylebook.com website
(Source: http://www.stylebookapp.com/stories/holiday_packing.html)

Screenshot from Stylebook.com website
(Source: http://www.stylebookapp.com/stories/holiday_packing.html)

This is great. You've given your users a great packing list for their week at home to visit the family. And in an effort to monetize the website, there are some links to websites that sell some of the items that you recommend your readers take with them.

So, "8 pairs of undies" is what I need. So what do I actually see in the picture? 10 pairs of undies? And what do I see when I click on the link?

Screenshot from Target.com
(Source: http://www.target.com/p/fruit-of-the-loom-assorted-colors-microfiber-hipster-5-pack/-/A-14367968?clkid=W8yUU80-SU%3Ao3G-2EaR0v2glUkQSvuRWP0H2zs0&lnm=Target+Product+Feed+Ad&afid=POPSUGAR&ref=tgt_adv_xasd0002)

So, the list says 8 pairs and the photographs shows 10 pairs, and the link to the Target website shows five-packs of underwear. If I buy two I'll be able to match the photo on the Stylebook website.

It is just one more small thing. Tell me I need 8, show me 10, and provide a link where I can buy five.? Please be consistent.

McDonald's is getting ready to disappoint customers

McDonald's billboard, Vancouver, BC

It appears that McDonald's is intent to take over all of our food requirements. In addition to ground coffee, McDonald's want us bring home the "Holiday ShareBox".

With chicken nuggets, fries, cookies, and a couple of soft drinks, this would appear to be competing head on with offerings from Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).

So, if I buy this I will get everything in the picture. Right?

Well actually I don't. The two Coke glasses in the background are not part of the offer. So, if they are not part of the offer, why show them? Why not show me the paper cups that you are going to give to me?

McDonald's is not showing the fires on a plate, or the chicken nuggets in a bowl, so why show the Coke in a glass? My guess is branding. The glasses are obviously Coke glasses and are embossed with the Coke logo, and because the glasses are transparent we can assume that the beverage inside is Coke. (Although from a photo would you be able to differentiate Coke from Diet Coke, root beer or even Pepsi?)

I wonder if any pedantic customers will complain that they are not getting the Coke glasses with the "Holiday ShareBox"? Given the litigious times we live in, I suspect it will happen sooner rather than later.

Would you like a free coffee, or would you prefer a McCafe?

McCafe sampling at The Real Canadian Superstore, Vancouver, BC

McDonald's McCafe has shaken up the coffee market in Canada. And, in addition to the broader range of coffees available at McDonald's locations, McCafe coffee is now available in grocery stores.

Apart from name recognition, the McCafe coffees don't have much going for them.  The espresso coffees are cranked out by automated machines and are thus almost completely devoid of character. The poured coffee is mild and inoffensive.

And now you can have the McDonald's coffee experience at home. I cannot imagine a more depressing caffeinated experience.