What a waist!

Advertisement for Disney's Cinderella, TransLink bus, Granville Street, Vancouver, BC

Advertisement for Disney's Cinderella, TransLink bus, Granville Street, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Disney has made billions recycling fairytales. The latest effort is a live-action version of Cinderella.

The vast  majority of these films have had their original story eviscerated and had any hint of anything controversial excised.

Of course that does not mean that Disney wants to present anything like a realistic body image. The waist on this actress is so tiny that it must only be possible with a corset. (Not unlike Barbie's 16" to 18" waist".)

Does this impossible body image have any effect on young girls? All the evidence says yes, and the effect is not good. As the father of a young daughter I have no idea how I'll deal with her struggles with body image in the face of so many completely unrealistic examples.

Thanks Disney, for nothing!

Imitation is the sincerest form of competition

Kellogg's Special K Fruit Crisps and President's Choice Crispy Snacks, No Frills, Vancouver, BC

Before President's Choice, grocery store house brand products were pretty horrible. Cheap and generally tasteless. But Dave Nicol and Loblaw's changed that with the introduction of President's Choice in the mid 1980s.

But if you are competing for the consumer's attention, and wallet, on the crowded shelves of today's grocery stores you have to ensure that the consumer knows what you are offering.

As a result it is not surprising that many of the private label products from firms such as Loblaw's and Shoppers Drug Mart closely resemble the national brands that they are competing with.

Sometimes belief is just not enough

Grouse Mountain advertisement, SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

2014-2015 has been a disastrous winter for ski areas in southwestern British Columbia. The snow did not come, and when it did come it did not last.

So, while Grouse Mountain may say, "We believe in Winter", I don't know if their belief is shared by the population at large.

With global warming this may be the pattern for the future and the three ski areas that overlook Vancouver; Cypress Bowl, Grouse Mountain, and Mount Seymour, may find that just don't get enough snow to even start up next year.

Grouse Mountain may believe, but sometimes belief is just not enough to keep a business going.

A bit of uniform camouflage

Paramedic's uniform shirt, Lions Gate Hospital, North Vancouver, BC

Last week I ran into a Paramedic at the Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver. The top button of his shirt was undone and I noticed that the placket and buttons were just there for appearance., The actual garment closure was a zipper hidden behind the placket.

This zipper is designed to make getting dressed faster and easier, while still maintaining the dressier appearance of the button closure.

I wonder if patients would really notice if the shirts did up with a zipper? And more to the point would they care?

This is quite clever, and I wish I'd thought of it

Former North Shore Bike Shop location, North Vancouver, BC

Advertisement on bicycle rack outside former North Shore Bike Shop, North Vancouver, BC

How do you let your customers that you've moved? If you have the contact details for all of your customers you can call them, send them an email, or even drop a postcard in the mail.

But many businesses, even though they may have lots of steady customers, have never gone to the time and trouble of collecting their customers' contact details.

So I was quite tickled to see this advertisement on the top of a bicycle rack outside the former North Shore Bike Shop location. As long as the shop is willing to keep buying the space, customers will be able to find out where the shop has moved to. Brilliant.

Was this just too challenging a task?

Lottery prize board, Granville SkyTrain, Vancouver, BC

Last week I saw this prize board at the Granville SkyTrain station. Either some passerby was playing silly buggers, or the staff don't know or care how the board should set up.

Either way, anyone buying a ticket should request one for the $50 million draws.

By the way, the correct amounts were $14 million for Lotto 649 and $50 million for Lotto MAX.

Oh the irony

Canada Long-sleeved Cycling Jersey, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Vancouver, BC

I am taken aback by the irony of this garment. A "Canada" jersey made in China that Mountain Equipment Co-op, a Canadian firm, purchases from a supplier in the United States.

Really, there was no possible way to find a Canadian supplier to make a "Canada" jersey? Or did you not even try?

That is just a bit sad.

Trying to make an entry-level job look good

McDonald's advertisement on bus shelter, Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC

McDonald's advertisement on bus shelter, Howe Street, Vancouver, BC

McDonald's, like many firms that employ lots of young people at minimum wage, struggles with both recruitment and employee retention. Annual employee turnover rates of over 100% are not uncommon.

So how do you make the job look attractive? Good-looking staff having fun and the promise of valuable experience would seem to be a couple of good options.

Regardless of what you think about McDonald's food, that sort of fact-paced production environment offers great learning opportunities. Balancing supply and demand, dealing with the peak periods, and handling complaints; these are all essential skills for any manager.

But that does not change the fact that given the high turnover, McDonald's is always on the lookout for new staff.  The problem is that for many people McDonald's does not look attractive either as a place to work, or listed on their resume.

They go together like Coke and crackers?

Christie and Coca-Cola display, Rexall Drugstore, Royal Centre, Vancouver, BC

Christie and Coca-Cola display, Rexall Drugstore, Royal Centre, Vancouver, BC

I'm not saying these two brands are a bad fit, they are just not two that I would normally put together.

For me the obvious connection of a soft drink and junk food would be Coke and chips. But either way, it is too much fat and sugar (Or fat and aspartame) to be good for you. Best to steer clear of Coke, Ritz and Triscuit.

Glass of water and an apple; much better together.

Welcome to the land of stereotypes

Happy Meal toy selection, McDonald's, Vancouver, BC

Happy Meal "boys" toy selection, McDonald's, Vancouver, BC

Happy Meal "girls" toy selection, McDonald's, Vancouver, BC

Could the stereotype be more blatant and obvious? The boys get Hot Wheels and the girls get Barbie. For the boys it is "Team Hot Wheels" and for the girls it is "Barbie - Life in the Dreamhouse".

Can't retailer like McDonald's take a more enlightened approach to this and shun the pink hell that is Barbie? Generations of girls who aspire to more than "Life in the Dreamhouse" will thank them.

Getting half of it right means you're actually getting it wrong

Clock and clock radio at Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
(Photo taken March 11, 2015)

In the retail and hospitality industries there are a million little details to get right. And when something entirely expected happens, like the start of daylight savings time, it would be nice if the clocks in the room were all showing the correct time.

In this case a 50% grade does not mean a pass. The clock radio is correct, but the alarm clock is wrong. The clock radio is set to Pacific Daylight Saving Time, while the alarm clock is an hour behind,  on Pacific Standard Time.

You know that this is going to turn out badly. Someone will use the alarm clock and set the alarm so they can catch their flight, or make it to that meeting, or have breakfast with their sweetie. And they'll be an hour late.

Maybe businesses like hotels need someone like me to be their anal retentive conscience. (Or at least hire someone to worry about the details that seem to get ignored by too many businesses.)

Not really bait and switch, but close

Sign outside Goodlife Fitness, Hemlock Street, Vancouver, BC

Women can join this fitness club for only $2.99 per week. What a great deal!

But wait a minute, what is that tiny type below the price? "$79 enrollment fee required"

This does not quite fall into the category of bait and switch, but it is close. At least the details about the enrollment fee are on the sign, rather than hidden in 6-point mouse type" in the contract.

I went on the firm's website to see if I could find any information about what you actually get for the enrollment fee, but there were no details to be found.

So, you'll just have to go into the club to find out what you get for the enrollment fee. Good luck.

Why is a social media site advertising on bus shelters?

Facebook advertisement, transit shelter, Vancouver, BC

I don't get this? Transit advertising works if you are trying to raise awareness. It works well if you are targeting a young audience that takes the bus. 

In a city like Vancouver what young person, or pretty much any nerson, is unaware of Facebook? I fail to see what this campaign is trying to achieve. Almost 1.4 billion people around the world use Facebook. And for those not using it will an advertisement on a bus shelter convince them to sign up?

Saving money a few pennies at a time

New White Spot crayons (top) and old White Spot crayons (Bottom)

New White Spot crayons

These days many companies are working hard to save pennies. The declining value of the Canadian dollar is putting lot of pressure on anyone that must pay their bills in US dollars.

The White Spot restaurant chain is no exception. On my last visit to the restaurant I noticed that the number of crayons per child has dropped by 50%. Previously children who ordered the Pirate Pak would get a small triangular box with four crayons inside; blue, green, red, and yellow. But austerity has set in and the four crayon box has been replaced by the two crayon plastic bag. The number of colours remains the same, but the crayons are now double-ended, although slightly larger in girth.

So, a small change that is saving the company small change.

Out of date again

February 2015 events calendar, Toys R Us, Vancouver, BC
(Photo taken March 10, 2015)

I saw this in-store calendar last year, and it was out of date then. Well, 10 days into the new month the old calendar is still up.

I could perhaps understand this shortcoming if this was an especially busy time of year, but this is the end of February. When I worked in retail our sales for the entire month of February was equal to a single Saturday in December.

Anyone managing a retail store must work to keep things up to date. There are a million details in retail, and once things start to slip it is a swift route to closing the doors for good.

One month on and one month older (Would you drink old Coke?)

Can of Coca-Cola in the minibar, Hotel Vancouver, BC

I was at the Hotel Vancouver last week and noticed a few odd things. (Lots of fodder for future postings.)

The last time I was at the hotel, February 2015, I noticed that the can of Coca-Cola in the minibar was a commemorative can from the 2014 Football World Cup in Brazil. I mentioned this to someone working on the concierge desk and they said that they'd look into it.

The rule at the Hotel Vancouver must be look but don't touch, because there are still cans that are at least nine months old in the fridge.

Perhaps not everyone is as observant as me, but the age of the in-room food and beverages should make anyone think twice. I'll be back at the hotel in July. I wonder if the can of Coca-Cola will enjoy its first birthday.

Perhaps they were thinking of the other Columbia?

"Wet Floor" safety cone, Bowen Queen, Howe Sound, BC

I saw this safety cone on the Bowen Queen ferry. (Although to be pedantic, it is not actually cone-shaped.)

On a ferry is might be useful to be able to warn the customer if the floor is wet, and given Canada's multi-lingual society a couple of different languages on the sign would be good.

As this vessel is governed by the federal department, Transport Canada, I would presume that the two languages might be English and French, Canada's two official languages.

But no such luck., The two languages on the cone are are English and Spanish.

Perhaps someone was thinking not about British Columbia, but about the other Columbia, the one is South America. The one where they speak Spanish. You know, the one where Juan Valdez, the coffee grower, lives.

"Free" is only attractive price if there is some demand

Stack of Yellow Pages books at the recycling depot, Bowen Island, BC

It is that time of year, the Yellow Pages books are being delivered. And if this year is anything like last year, the book will be delivered to the recycling depot, and in few weeks about 90% of them will go straight into the paper recycling bin.

I can remember when the Yellow Pages was an indispensable tool in every home, but that was 20 years ago. Now, not so much. The book is immediately out of date, big, bulky, and the type is too tiny to read.

Why would I rely on the Yellow Pages book when I could use the Yellow Pages app, to just use Google to find a business?

I give the print book another year or two before it is abandoned altogether.

"More honoured in the breach than the observance"

Sock vending machine, Oakridge Shopping Centre, Vancouver, BC

The quote above, from Hamlet, is usually taken to mean that something that people should do, they don't do.

When I looked around the play area I saw about half of the kids running around barefoot. I presume that the mall has to be seen to be making some attempt to maintain hygiene standards, but I've never seen any attempt by mall staff to enforce the rule.

And I almost hesitate to mention that it should be "Kids' Play Area". Oh well, one battle at a time.

A nice campaign, but perhaps lost on today's youth

Coca-Cola advertisement on bus shelter, 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

The iconic Coca-Cola bottle is celebrating it 100th year. To mark the occasion, Coca-Cola is using images of historic figures drinking coke.

While this is a great idea and a nice campaign I fear that demographics may be the undoing of it.

Marilyn Monroe died in 1962. I wonder how many of today's Coke drinkers know who she is? I would think that they might be more familiar with Marilyn Manson. But that is probably a person that Coca-Cola does not wish to be associated with.

Are you tired of this? I am!

Advertisement for Shen Yun at Oakridge Shopping Centre, Vancouver, BC
(Photo taken March 1, 2015)

Advertisement for Shen Yun at Oakridge Shopping Centre, Vancouver, BC (Detail)
(Photo taken March 1, 2015)

How many times have I seen out-of-date advertising on buses, trains, SkyTrain stations? Unfortunately too many to count.

Last week I saw this advertisement in a shopping mall in Vancouver. Out-of-date by over 6 weeks.

When will these these companies learn that out-of-date advertising does nothing at all to make advertisers want to purchase the space. If you can't sell it to anyone else, why should I buy it?

This advertisement does not seem like value for money

Escalator steps stacked up in front of an advertisement for Douglas College, Granville SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

The long walls of the underground SkyTrain stations can provide big canvases for some rather striking advertising. But stuff happens. The advertisements can get defaced or damaged, or in this case obscured.

How do advertisers ensure that they are getting the full value for their expenditures? Will the advertising seller offer extra time to make up for the days, or perhaps weeks, that this advertisement is obscured by the piles of escalator treads?

If Douglas College is still paying for this advertisement, it does not seem like value for money.

The right advertisements in the wrong place

Douglas College advertisements, Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, West Vancouver, BC

Douglas College advertisements, Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, West Vancouver, BC

Douglas College has a great series of advertisements that feature students and show some of the interesting things they are doing, and what the students hope to do once they finish.

I would presume that, given the choice, young students would prefer to go to a post-secondary institution where students do interesting things. However I do find it interesting that Douglas College chooses to advertising at a place that is, at a minimum, a 30-45 minute drive, an 85 minute transit ride, a 120 minute bicycle ride, or 10 hour walk away from the campus.

Driving directions from Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, West Vancouver to Douglas College, New Westminster
(Source: http://www.mapquest.ca/#f34578bb45474fb9ea8d6c84)

Translink public transit route from Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, West Vancouver to Douglas College, New Westminster
(Source: http://tripplanning.translink.ca/)

In addition, the prospective student would need to travel right past at least six other post secondary institutions and dozens of private ones. (The public one are marked with a yellow star on this map.)

Lower mainland, Vancouver to New Westminster (The yellow stars indicate the public post-secondary institutions)
(Source: https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.231961,-123.0047853,12z)

Douglas College may have lots of students who are coming from the Bowen Island, the Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver Island. I just find that a bit hard to believe. If you add in the ferry time, those students could be spending two to six hours on transit every day. 

As good as the Douglas College programmes may be, I can't see students willingly spending that much time in transit, especially if they have other choices.

Two problems here

Advertisment at the Broadway City Hall SkyTrain Station, Vancouver, BC

Whenever I see an advertisement on public transit for a company selling public transit advertising I am reminded that the supply for public transit advertising exceeds the demand. If Lamar could generate some revenue for this space, I'm sure that would be a better use of a limited resource.

The other problem is that Go Transit is actually a public transit service in another part of Canada. It is a commuter rail service in Toronto.

So, is Lamar saying that I should advertise on the Go Transit trains, or is Lamar promoting advertising on public transit in general. I may be one of the few people in Vancouver who made this connection, but then I'm just pedantic.

Either way, having lots of unsold spots filled with advertisements telling me to buy the unsold spots is not the most compelling argument.

Remember to breathe, or perhaps better to hold your breath

eMail from Mountain Equipment Co-op, March 5, 4015

Fire at the Vancouver container dock, March 4, 2015
(Source: http://media.gotraffic.net/images/iUOUx.g5z6J8/v5/1200x-1.jpg)

I received the email at the top from Mountain Equipment Co-op yesterday morning. (March 5, 2015) Nothing wrong with that except that the day before, on March 4, 2015, there was a fire at the Vancouver container dock. 

A container full of trichloroisocyanuric acid caught fire sending thick clouds of toxic smoke through the north eastern part of the city. Resident were advised not to go outside and to avoid breathing the smoke. (See the full story.)

So, really this is just a case of bad timing, but a bit funny in a pathetic way. We should all remember to breathe, just be careful what we breathe.

The most boring car advertisement of 2015?

Toyota advertisement, Waterfront SkyTrain station, Vancouver

I saw this advertisement in a SkyTrain station last week. This may well be the most tedious and boring automobile advertisement that I have seen all year.

Two cars, a boring headline, and no reason for me to engage at all. It is just so dull, trite, and predictable. No Twitter, Instagram, or even the website is listed. My primary-school child could have designed a better ad.

Perhaps I'll see if I can help her land the account.

Why is Starbucks doing this? (And why should I care?)

Sign outside Starbucks store, Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC

Sign outside Renfrew SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Sign outside Renfrew SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

La Boulange is a French-style cafe and bakery from San Francisco. Founded in 1996, La Boulange sells a wonderful range for baked goods, snacks, meals, and beverages. The pastries from La Boulange were introduced at Starbucks locations in Vancouver on March 3rd.

Looking at the La Boulange website I see a wonderful space will filled with fabulous looking food and authentic atmosphere. Everything that Starbucks wishes that it was.

According to the Starbucks staff that I spoke to, the La Boulange baked goods will be shipped frozen from San Francisco and then heated up on site. Is that what Starbucks customers really want? Some tired frozen pastry that has been trucked thousands of kilometres? Was there not a local bakery that could actually provide fresh pastries?

It is just so sad. When you have the choice of hundreds of real cafes that offer better coffee and fresh baked goods why would you subject yourself to Starbucks?

How to confront your biggest competitor

McDonald's advertisement, Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC

For the moment I'll ignore the fact that this advertisement was still up two days after the promotion finished.

My main point is that right in the middle of the Tom Hortons "Roll Up The Rim To Win" promotion McDonald's offered free coffee for a week. So, would you rather buy a coffee at Tim Hortons and have a roughly one in six chance of winning something, or get a free coffee at McDonald's.

As you might expect, they were lined up out the door to get a free coffee at McDonald's.

Great way to spoil the competition's biggest promotion.

Fighting a losing battle

Kodak PLUSDigital single-use camera box

I found this at the local recycling depot. It had been dropped off in the hope that someone would find a use for it.

Well I have a use, show it to my students and hope they get a giggle out of it. According to the "Develop before" date on the bottom of the box, the film is good until 2016.

I just can't imagine the Walmart staff knowing what to do with this next year. (The box says, "Drop off camera for processing at Wal-Mart Canada".)

But mocking aside, this was an interesting, but ultimately futile, effort on Kodak's part to try and extract some additional revenue from the dying film business by offering digital and print output. First rolled out in 2003, this was part of Kodak's losing battle against the digital camera.