Two countries separated by a common language

Casdon "Electronic Cooker", Indigo, Vancouver, BC

Casdon "Electronic Cooker", Indigo, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Casdon "Electronic Cooker", Indigo, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

What is a "hob"? And for that matter what is a "cooker"?

For most North American's these terms are a bit of a mystery. The British term "hob" equates to "element" in North America, and "cooker" means "stove" or "range"

For Indigo, the retailer where I found this product, the use of terms that are not used in Canada probably does not help sell this toy.

On the other hand is it worth it for Casdon, the brand behind this product, to produce a special version of the packaging just for the North American market? Probably not at this point, but if sales rise it may be a viable proposition.

Perhaps I'll crochet a truck cozy

Advertisement before YouTube video
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hoc9pNfVfU)

YouTube video - How to Crochet for Beginners
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hoc9pNfVfU)

I don't own a truck. I don't drive a truck. I've never owned a truck. I've never driven a truck. I never plan to own a truck. I never plan to drive a truck. I am not a truck person.

So why is YouTube showing me this advertisement before a video entitled "How to Crochet for Beginners"?

This is the sort of horrible targeting that gives on-line advertising a bad name. If YouTube can't match advertisements and content better than this why should marketers waste their time with the site? I thought the folks at Google, YouTube's owner, were smarter than this.

It's called deception

Advertisement on Facebook for TheRealReal.com (May 25, 2015)

Item listing on TheRealReal.com (May 25, 2015)

Item listing  (Detail) on TheRealReal.com (May 25, 2015)

When you advertise at one price and then try to sell at another it is called deception. In this case the advertisement on Facebook lists a selling price of $779 for this Rolex watch. Once you click on the advertisement and go through to the firm's website you quickly discover that the selling for for the watch is $8,850.00.

This is deceptive and inexcusable.

Is this stuff too complicated for you?

Ticket booth, BC Ferries terminal, Horseshoe Bay, BC

Ticket booth, BC Ferries terminal, Horseshoe Bay, BC (Detail)

 

Ticket booth, BC Ferries terminal, Horseshoe Bay, BC (Detail)

Ticket booth, BC Ferries terminal, Horseshoe Bay, BC (Detail)

BC Ferries does not have the best reputation for customer service. A few years ago the firm increased the cutoff from 5 minutes to 10 minutes, meaning that anyone buying a ticket needed to do so 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Given that most of the foot passengers arrive on public transport, and buses are now known for their rigid adherence to timetables, this annoyed lots of people.

The move to 10 minute cutoffs was supposed to ensure that sailings would depart on time and BC Ferries wound be able to stick to its schedules and meet its on-time performance targets. (A hallmark of a well-run transportation system.)

I saw these notices at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal on the weekend. I find it remarkable that these are the only option to deal with a malfunctioning electronic sign. Can you not do better than a hand-written note taped to the window?

This does not communicate an image of a well-run system. I hope the rest of BC Ferries operations are a bit more polished.

Punctuation, is it too much to ask for?

Sign in the window, Rainbow Dry Cleaning, Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, BC

Sign in the window, Rainbow Dry Cleaning, Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, BC (Detail)

I don't think that the person doing the sewing is named Jean. I don't know for sure, but that is probably a reasonable assumption.

Rather than identifying the person operating the sewing machine, I think that this sign is identifying the service on offer. Rainbow Dry Cleaning will hem my jeans.

I know this may seem needlessly petty and pedantic, but accurate punctuation can also be financially significant. A comma in a telecommunications contract cost the buyer millions.  

The party is over (Not that it should have surprised us.)

Rainbow Loom display, Indigo, Broadway and Granville, Vancouver, BC

Sign on Rainbow Loom display, Indigo, Broadway and Granville, Vancouver, BC

Well, they had a pretty good run, but the children have moved on, In 2014, my daughter received two Rainbow Loom kits for her birthday and just about every kid at school was making and wearing Rainbow Loom bracelets. Today it looks as if retailers are getting ready dump them. This product has followed one of laws of marketing.

Source: http://cdn2.free-power-point-templates.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/product-life-cycle-ppt-template.jpg

All products follow this life cycle. In some cases the brand can try to control the time between introduction and decline. (The annual release cycle of Apple iPhones is one good example.) And in other cases the length of the product life cycle (PLC) is subject to the fickle whims of the marketplace.

Generally the steeper the climb, the faster the descent. That is the usual PLC profile of a fad. How could anyone think that the Rainbow Loom would be anything but a fad?

I'm sure by the time the next school year starts in September some new crafting craze will have taken over, but in the meanwhile look for a ton of these kits at garage sales over the summer.

A new restaurant with some very old spelling

Sign at new Masa restaurant, Broadway and Hemlock, Vancouver, BC

Sign at new Masa restaurant, Broadway and Hemlock, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Spelling in English is a "movable feast". Letters come and go from the accepted spellings in English. The currently accepted spelling is "coming", although "comming" was the accepted spelling in the past.

But regardless of whether it was the accepted spelling in the past, it is not what people are expecting today.

Is this a case of anachronistic spelling, or just a sign made by someone who can't spell? In this case I suspect the latter.

Perhaps it's just a coincidence

Bounty and Island Bar (Front of package)

Bounty and Island Bar (Back of package)

If. like Dollarama, you are selling a lot of  cheap no-name goods how do you get consumer's attention? An obvious option is to copy the packaging of a top-selling national brand.

The original product is Bounty, and Dollarama decided to make a copy, Island Bar. The ingredients are almost the same, but while the Bounty sell for over $1.00 each, the Island Bar iat 2 for $1.00.

Like most knock-offs it is a compromise; not as big and not as tasty. But it looks pretty similar and for half the price, some consumers will put up with the differences.

An advertisement the breaks out

TD Bank advertisement, Broadway City Hall SkyTrain Station, Vancouver, BC

TD Bank advertisement, Broadway City Hall SkyTrain Station, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Transit advertising is generally constrained by frames. But in this case the advertisement breaks out. I'm not really sure why. I might expect this if the advertisement was showing something that was extra large, but this tablet has an 8" screen. A strong tie-in between the execution and the strategy would have been good.

But breaking out does get more attention, and that is never a bad plan for an advertiser.

Finally, a drink that is a sensible size (Too bad it is still just made with Starbucks artificially-flavoured coffee syrup)

Sign promoting the new Mini Frappuccino, Vancouver, BC 

Child's hand (for scale) on the Sign promoting the new Mini Frappuccino, Vancouver, BC 

Sign promoting the new Mini Frappuccino, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Starbucks has been known for offering high calorie beverages in enormous sizes. (A common failing for most North American quick service restaurants.)

So it is interesting that Starbucks is making a big deal out of producing a 10 ounce beverage that "only" has 300 calories instead of the regular 480 for the 16 ounce size.

But all of this discussion is somewhat moot. Even the smaller size will not be attractive to consumers if the coffee flavour is no good. And many consumers seem to be waking up to the fact that there are better coffee beverages available, many of them made with real coffee instead of an artificially-flavoured coffee syrup.

Owing a bit of a debt to Banksy

Advertisement for Telus Optic television version, Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC

Advertisement for Telus Optic television version, Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

These ads started appearing around Vancouver a couple of weeks ago. The illustration looks like it is channeling Banksy with a fierce determination.

Now there is  nothing wrong with playing off popular culture in an effort to increase sales, I just wonder if Banksy is the right artist to mimic?

It's green so it must be good for you

Pepsi Next truck and trailer, West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC

Pepsi Next trailer, West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC

Pepsi Next was launched in Canada in 2014. The company made a big deal out of the fact that it does not contain any artificial sweeteners. And the green-coloured vehicles seem designed to reinforce the natural appeal.

But even with 30% less sugar, and no artificial sweeteners, Pepsi Next is still a sugary, carbonated beverage. The question that remains is whether consumers will come to like the taste of  stevia. And if the bulk of consumers can be convinced that stevia is better for them than aspartame then the move will pay off.

Despite the fact that Pepsi is dropping aspartame from the ingredients in the US version of Diet Pepsi, it will remain in the Canadian formulation. Negative consumer reaction to aspartame has been growing for years with fears over the product's safety. Despite FDA and Health Canada approval, and over 100 studies that appear to reinforce the safety of the additive, many consumers remain unconvinced.

It will be interesting to see if the backlash against aspartame continues and other beverage firms, such as Coca-Cola, also abandon the chemical.

We're all slaves to unreliable technology

Airline check-in kiosk, Broadway City Hall SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Airline check-in kiosk, Broadway City Hall SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

We are often far more dependant on computer technology that we might think we are. And this is an example of the processes that are often going on in the background.

This check-in kiosk for Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located at the Broadway City Hall SkyTrain station. This is not the first time I've seen this error message on the screen. And despite the theoretical option of "Connect", the terminal would not connect to the required webpage.

And as a customer there is nothing that you can do about it and the airlines take no responsibility for malfunctioning technology. So passengers just have to hope that despite the fact that they have booked and paid for a ticket on this flight, there will still be seats available when they get to the airport. Oh well, there will probably be another flight tomorrow.

Is the way to a community is through its children?

Sign at playground, Edith Cavell Elementary School, Vancouver, BC

Sign at playground, Edith Cavell Elementary School, Vancouver, BC

Sign at playground, Edith Cavell Elementary School, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

When The Home Depot came to Canada one of its early charitable partners was KaBOOM!. KaBOOM! is a US-based charity that builds children's playgrounds.

By partnering with KaBOOM!, The Home Depot made a very positive impression on the communities where the firm opened new stores.

And the signs that tell the public who built the new playground are surrounded by The Home Depot's signature colour, orange. Great publicity for a firm that has supported a good cause.

Beware of anti-social media, and the fast-changing social media landscape

Sign on the wall in the Emergency Department, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC

Social media has become so integrated in our lives that we almost expect our daily activities to be documented and commented upon by friends and family. But for a hospital the use of social media is a rather risky area.

Do I want the nurses to take a photo of my severed leg because they think it is funny that I was so careless? What if a photo is posted of someone who is under court protection? (Witness protection, abused woman etc.) What about photographs of minors?

But perhaps more important, what about all of the other social media not in the sign? Can I share with Meerkat, Periscope, Snapchat and Vine? Shows how fast the social media landscape is changing.

And of course, this sign means that sharing on MySpace is perfectly acceptable. You're just sharing with a smaller and ever shrinking audience.

We're lying to ourselves (And happy doing it.)

Sign at IKEA, Richmond, BC

It says in big letters "Frozen Yogurt", yet everyone who ordered a cone called it "Ice Cream". In Canada "Ice Cream" must contain 10% butter fat. "Frozen Yogurt" has no such requirement and usually contains no butter fat at all.

But consumers are creatures of habit. Much to the chagrin of the dairy farmers we say "pass the butter" even when there is only margarine on the table. And for most people any frozen treat in a cone as "Ice Cream".

I wonder if the dairy farmers will try to crack down on the terminology that consumers use? A pointless exercise at best.

Making their lives a bit easier (Or never underestimate the ability of lazy people to mess things up.)

Shopping cart drop-off location, IKEA, Richmond, BC

Shopping cart drop-off location, IKEA, Richmond, BC (Detail)

Shopping cart drop-off location, IKEA, Richmond, BC (Detail)

The IKEA store in Richmond, BC offers two designs of shopping carts for customers. A grocery store-style cart designed for housewares etc. with a large basket and small rack underneath and a larger chart with a big flat platform designed to carry large flat boxes.

The two styles of IKEA shopping carts in use
(Source: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/742691/19210280/1341956088420/Ikea1.JPG?token=Nqcip0sSSL6ATQemewizEOYWzb0%3D)

But the two cart styles don't "play nicely together". If customers don't put away the carts by style, i.e. they alternate the basket and platform styles, the storage is very inefficient.

Short of redesigning the two cart styles so that they will nest together, this seems to be the best solution. The design of this cart drop-off area makes it impossible for customers to put the carts in the wrong place. Clever and simple.

If it is not a baby wipe then what is it?

Antiseptic wipe package, ambulance, Vancouver, BC

A few days ago I found myself sitting in the front of an ambulance. In the space between the seats I saw this package of wipes. Evidently just because something looks safe to use on your baby does not mean that it actually is.

This is a probably a regular problem. Consumers assume that a product in a familiar package is what they expect it to be. While this sticker on the top of the lid is one way of alerting users, I wonder if there are others? This is a regular problem for industrial designers, using product and packaging design to provide additional information to the consumer.

I just wonder what sort of packaging might be both practical as a dispenser, and distinctive enough to alert users to the fact that the wipes are not suitable for use on babies?

Who do you think of when you see orange?

Advertisements at Broadway City Hall SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

These days most brands have their signature colour. UPS pretty much owns brown, Coke has its own trademark red, and the Toronto Dominion (TD) Bank has a stranglehold on green.

So, it was very interesting to see these two advertisements, using very similar shades of orange for two unrelated businesses in two completely different industries.

Other firms in these industries have their own colours. In the mobile telephone business Bell uses blue and Rogers and Virgin use red. Wind has laid its claim to orange.

In the education realm Langara has staked its claim to orange, the University of Toronto uses blue, while both Okanagan College and York University use red.

Orange is an interesting colour. It is not the most popular colours for brands, that would be red or blue, but it is distinctive. And these two firms are not the only ones to use orange. Home Depot has been using orange for years and ING and now Tangerine use it for banking.

I don't fault either Wind or Langara for using orange. Distinctive and unlike brown it is not outrageously out of fashion. It was just odd to see the two advertisements so close together.

This location makes no sense at all

Wine Cellar location
(Source: http://www.westsiderealty.ca/ActiveListings.php/Details/904/4085-west-14th-avenue-vancouver-bc#viewdetail)

If you have some nice bottles of wine and are looking for a place to store them you need somewhere that is;

• Dark
• Quiet
• Still

The stereotype of the ideal wine cellar is the dark cave. Consistent temperature, no sun exposure, and free from vibration.

I found this wine cellar on the floor plan of a house for sale in Vancouver. The location of the wine cellar makes no sense to me. Adjacent to two laundry rooms and a gym is not the ideal space.

Laundry rooms produce vibration and heat, neither of which are the ideal conditions for wine storage. And the vibration from the exercise equipment wouldn't do the wine any favours either.

Pity, as it is nicely laid-out room with a few hundred expensive-looking bottles.

Not the worst possible choices

Dasani vending machine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC

Dasani vending machine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Consumers are paying more attention to the perceived evils of sugar-filled foods and beverages.  I was intrigued to see that this vending machine, at the Vancouver General Hospital, offered a number of non-carbonated and lower calorie offerings.

Not that all of the offerings are on my list of prefered beverages. I dislike the artificial sweeteners in Coke Zero, Diet Coke, and Fresca both for their aftertaste and the chemical load that they place on your body. And Dasani is just tap water in an expensive package.

But the most interesting omission is that although sugar-laden Canada Dry Ginger Ale is for sale, regular Coke is not available. Has the Coca-Cola company's flagship product become such as pariah?

Isn't there a better way?

Department door held open with a tied bedsheet, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC

Department door held open with a tied bedsheet, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

I was walking through Vancouver General Hospital over the weekend and came across this. As a way to hold a door open, a tied bedsheet works quite well, but from an operations perspective is this really the best solution?

It is effective but does it look professional? And isn't a waste of clean laundry?

Is a door in a hospital needs to stay open there are lots of better solutions. I wonder why those solutions can't be implemented.

The price has changed, but we can't be bothered changing the signs

Sign at rear of Freshslice Pizza location, Grandview Highway and Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC

Sign at rear of Freshslice Pizza location, Grandview Highway and Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Sign at front of Freshslice Pizza location, Grandview Highway and Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC

Prices change. That is a reality of modern commerce. But if the prices change the signs also need to change. Increasingly I'm seeing retailers that are raising prices, but being a bit tardy about updating their signage. This borders on both the unethical and illegal.

The common excuse is "we haven't had time to change all of the signs yet", which is not very convincing. And the cynics might say that the lower prices on the signs outside are part of campaign to entice customers with an offer that the retailer has no intention of offering.

If it is important to your business to increase the prices then it should be equally important to promptly inform your customers.

Yes this may seem petty, but it is another of the million little details that separate a mediocre retailer from a great one. And why would a firm not aspire to be great?