Bowen Island's branding in action

New branding for Bowen Island
(Source: https://www.tourismbowenisland.com/destination/what-they-say/tell-your-friends-its-awful/)

On June 27 2016, a new branding initiative for Bowen Island was unveiled at a meeting of the Bowen Island's municipal council.

The new branding message is rather tongue-in-cheek and has not met with universal approval. (It seems that Bowen Island nothing ever does.) 

Last week I saw elements of the campaign  being used at a new building being completed close to the ferry terminal.

Garden adjacent to a new building in lower Snug Cove, Bowen Island, BC

Sign in the garden adjacent to a new building in lower Snug Cove, Bowen Island, BC

I'm keen to see how many more instances of this campaign I see in action around the island over the summer.

How fast does this doll drive?

Doll in "Infiniti Red Bull Racing" driving suit (Front view)

Doll in "Infiniti Red Bull Racing" driving suit (Rear view)

My daughter found this outfit at the local thrift store. She has no idea who Red Bull is and I know that she has never even tried the drink.

I wonder why Red Bull licensed the Formula 1 team's logo for doll's clothing? Or it may not have originally been intended for a doll and perhaps came with a teddy bear. But either way it seems an odd piece of licensing for a tiny garment that was purchased by a pre-teen girl.

What does "vapour-distilled" really mean?

Advertisement for smartwater, Vancouver, BC

I saw this advertisement on a bus shelter in downtown Vancouver. I was intrigued by the term "vapour-distilled" decided to look into this product a bit more.

Well, I should have known. This is a product from Coca-Cola. Its is just plain tap water that has been tarted up a bit.

"glacéau smartwater is inspired by the way mother nature makes water, known as the hydrologic cycle.  we simulate this process by vapor distilling water, making every drop as pure as the very first drop of rain (before it passes through pollutants, of course).  if that’s not smart enough, we then one-up mother nature by adding in electrolytes for a clean crisp taste.   if that sounds like genius, it is.  smartwater is smart because it’s made that way."
Source: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/brands/product-description#glacéau smartwater

So it look fancy, clean and pure, but it is just plain tap water that has been subject to a large-scale industrial boil and condense process. The smartest thing about "smartwater" is how the true nature of the product is disguised.

By one estimate that I saw a few years ago, bottled water sells for 10,000 times more than the tap water that is its raw material. Now that's smart!

You can't "tap", so of course you will be able to call

Fare gate at Renfrew SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Fare gate at Renfrew SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

The public transit system in Vancouver has adopted a new prepaid card system. The "Compass" card replaced paper tickets with a magnetic stripe.

The old paper ticket system just required that you carry a valid ticket or monthly pass while travelling. The new system requires that you "tap" in and out of every station. This is not problem if you are non-disabled, but if you have a disability that makes "tapping" a challenge then you are in a bit of a bind.

The solution to "call for assistance" is hardly a solution. Not really convenient if I am in a hurry, or if the disability that prevents me from tapping also prevents me from calling.

Now up to date

Video display at Douglas College, New Westminster, BC

Video display at Douglas College, New Westminster, BC (Detail)

A few days ago I commented on the fact that Douglas College was still used in the old Instagram logo on the video wall in the New Westminster campus. Well no more. The logo has finally been updated.

I asked my students if they noticed the logo change and I was a bit surprised that none of them had.

The phone is dead! Long live the phone!

Abandoned payphone installation at Broadway Commercial SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Functioning payphone at Broadway Commercial SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

Functioning payphone at Broadway Commercial SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

There was a time when payphones were almost everywhere. On street corners, outside gas stations, at every subway station, and almost every bar and restaurant.

The ubiquity of mobile phones has rendered the payphone "surplus to requirements". As the revenue per phone has dropped, payphones have been removed and maintenance seems to have all but stopped. And of course the many other things that you can do with a cheap mobile phones has not helped the situation.

These two payphones, well two payphone locations,  are at the western entrance to the Commercial Broadway SkyTrain station in Vancouver. One of the two phones was removed long ago and the other has been converted to a "card service only" phone to eliminate the damage due to cash theft attempts.

How long will the remaining payphone last? Based on the number of times I've seen anyone use the payphone (never), I don't give it much time at all.

However, try to find someone under 25 in downtown Vancouver who does not have a mobile phone. Good luck on that quest.

Who needs a logo?

Column with MAC name in multiple fonts, Hudson's Bay store, Vancouver, BC

Column with MAC name in multiple fonts, Hudson's Bay store, Vancouver, BC

Column with MAC name in multiple fonts, Hudson's Bay store, Vancouver, BC

Column with MAC name in multiple fonts, Hudson's Bay store, Vancouver, BC

For most brands the logo is sacrosanct. You don't mess around with the font or colour. There are usage guidelines for every conceivable use. Colour or black and white, print or online, CMYK or RGB.

But with this wrapped pillar MAC has turned those conventions on their head.

I wonder if this is a one off display of inconsistency, or if I will see this elsewhere?

A bit of shrinkage

New and old conditioner bottles, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, BC

Almost all companies are looking for ways to cut costs.  Some of these ways are obvious, others are more subtle.

A few times a year I stay at the Hotel Vancouver. I've been keeping an eye on the ways that the hotel is working to keep its costs in line.

The shrinking size of the bathroom supplies is subtle. Unless you are a regular visitor you will have no idea that the old bottle were over twice the size of the new ones. The 3 ounce/90 millilitre bottles are enough for a multi-day stay. The new 1.4 ounce/40 millilitre bottles will be good for a day or so, but no more.

Another cost saving is replacing the paper newspaper with an electronic version. The hotel used to deliver newspapers to any guest wanting a copy, and there were piles of additional papers in the hallways of the upper floors for any guests who wanted an extra copy. Now there are only a few newspapers available at the concierge's desk for luddites who can't handle reading via the pressreader app.

I'm sure that there will be plenty more ways that hotels will nibble away at their costs. The question is will the customers react. Unlike the airlines in Canada where consumers have very few choices, hotels face dozens if not hundreds of competitors. Pare down the offering too much and the customers will go elsewhere. (And perhaps never come back.)

Why not make the message and icons consistent?

Portable sign at BC Ferries terminal, Horseshoe Bay, BC

Wall sign at BC Ferries terminal, Horseshoe Bay, BC

At any transportation hub there will be a plethora of signs. Go here. Don't go there. Don't even think of going there!

Most of the signs are useful and inform passenger about useful things like where ot go to pick up their baggage etc.

These two signs tell passengers with pets (dogs) and bicycles (oversize items) to board the vessel on the lower deck. There is no explanation about why the dog is leashed on one sign and unleashed on the other. Or why a bicycle is described as a bicycle on one sign and as an "oversized item" on the other.

Yes, I know the signs were made at different times, but the inconsistent message is confusing. And what business needs to go out of its way to confuse its customers?

The double-breasted jacket is gone, and then it's back, and it will be gone again soon

Men's wear display at Topman, The Hudson's Bay, Vancouver, BC

Men's wear display at Topman, The Hudson's Bay, Vancouver, BC

For years double-breasted suit jackets were almost impossible to find, and them they made a reappearance.

Fashion comes in cycles. And just as one fashion disappears from view, another is right behind it ready to take over. 

Before the days of fast fashion these cycles were long, even decades in some cases. But now it can be a matter of only a couple of years before designers are mining the archives for the "latest" trend.

I tell my students that they'll be wearing pleated trousers soon and they just scoff. Well, time will tell.

I was surprised that this was on the shelf (Not shocked, but just a bit surprised.)

Sexcereal for Him at Safeway

Sexcereal for Her at Safeway

According to the firm's website this is,  "The world’s most amazing breakfast or pre-bed cereal!"

One of the maxims of modern marketing is that sex sells. I was just not quite expecting that I would find a product that used sex to promote itself so blatantly in my local Safeway location.

So, as I said in the title of this posting, surprised, but not really shocked.

Keeping up with change

The old and new Instagram logos
(Source: http://www.designbolts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Old-New-Gradient-Instagram-Logo-Design-2016-3.jpg)

Video display at Douglas College showing social media logos

Video display at Douglas College showing social media logos (Detail)

Instagram changed its logo two months ago. Not everyone was crazy about the change. (I do prefer the old logo that pays tribute to Polaroid cameras.)

But when a logo changes, pushing that change out to the community is a real challenge. Not every user will update their use of the logo promptly. And if the logo is used in printed material many users will wait until the existing stock of brochures etc. is use up before reprinting with the new logo.

There is less justification for delay when the logo is used electronically. (Unless you just prefer the old one.)

Does your fruit need guarding?

Two Banana Guards (Closed and on duty.)

Two Banana Guards (Open and filed)

I've found far too many destroyed bananas at the bottom of my daughter's backpack. The black peel and liquid flesh are just revolting! And the solution? The patented, made in Canada Banana Guard.

According to the maker, "With over a million sold, the patented Banana Guard has allowed people of all ages to enjoy the world's most favourite fruit at work, school or play without the worry that it will become smushed and inedible! Remarkably this device fits over 90% of commercially available bananas. How? Highly curved bananas can be straightened slightly to fit into upper curve and very straight bananas can be bent ever so slightly to fit into the mold." (Source: http://www.bananaguard.com/products)

So, I'll have to see if the 90% fit rate is true.

I should not be seeing this

Empty shelves at Real Canadian Superstore, Grandview Highway, Vancouver, BC

Last Thursday morning I was at the Real Canadian Superstore. I was surprised at the number of holes on the shelves. I can understand that after a long weekend there might be a few items in short supply, but this was four days later.

Inventory management is one of the key areas for any retailer, and in the grocery business it is probably the most important.

Yes, customer love cheap prices, but if the shelves are empty they will take their business elsewhere.

When is an "M" a "W"?

Sign at Centra Windows location, Grandview Highway, Vancouver, BC

Sign at Centra Windows location, Grandview Highway, Vancouver, BC (Detail)

Sign outside Centra Windows location, Grandview Highway, Vancouver, BC

You'd think that a firm that sells windows might make sure that there were enough "W"s on hand for the signs. But in place of "W"s. the firm is using upside down "M"s.

Would many people notice a small detail like this? Probably not, but to my eye its just looks odd. An easy mistake to make, and an easy mistake to fix. I wonder why they don't fix it?

The "Move Up" campaign is back

Advertisement for Move Up Prince George, Granville SkyTrain station, Vancouver, BC

This summer Prince George is once again trying to tempt residents of the Metro Vancouver area to move north. Given the rapid increase in housing prices around Vancouver, the more affordable real estate may be a deciding factor for some people.

Of course the range of job opportunities and cultural and recreational diversions may be a bigger factor for many people.

This advertisement focuses on the length of the commute. It will be interesting to see what other features of Prince George are featured in upcoming advertisements.

The wrong stock photograph

Billboard for autoTRADER.ca, Main and Terminal, Vancouver, BC

Every province in Canada has a mandatory helmet law. There are exemptions for Sikhs in British Columbia and Manitoba. (The turbans worn by devout Sikhs do not fit under a helmet.)

There are many jurisdictions in North America where the balance of motorcyclists are not required to wear a helmet, but British Columbia is not one of them.

Is autoTRADER.ca encouraging its customer to break the law?

Another promotion for 100% Canadian Milk

Advertisement for MILK 2 GO on McDonald's Happy Meal box

The first advertisement that I saw trumpeting 100% Canadian Milk was for Tim Hortons. Now I see the same approach used for Saputo's MILK 2 GO. It is, however, interesting that the MILK 2 GO website does not include any information about the milk's country of origin.

But regardless of whether MILK 2 GO uses country of origin for leverage, McDonald's is using the nationalistic appeal to promote milk. Will it sell more milk? I'm sure Saputo hopes so.

A pre-emptive measure

Letter from Telus regarding possible postal strike

If there is a strike it may one of the last for Canada Post. Over the past decade large firms such as Telus have been pushing their customers to accept electronic invoices in place of the mailed paper version.

Most people have long since given up writing letters and if invoices no longer arrive in the mail box what is left? Magazines and "junk mail". (And many magazines and newspapers are also going the electronic distribution route.)

If the strike goes ahead, and is a lengthy one, this may be the death knell for Canada Post. Firms such as Telus are working hard to push consumers towards accepting electronic delivery of invoices. If that trend gains more traction the lost postal volume may never be reclaimed.