Via HundredNorth, a real legacy on Robson: Robson Street’s an exclusive address, all right. By my counts, this is strike 2 for the Legacy on Robson billboard. When they originally put up the billboard — complete with URL — they didn’t bother to make sure their website was up. The grand opening for the condo […]

A Vancouver company has turned tattoos into marketing for its coffee. The company’s owners sport temporary tattoos of their logo and web address. When people comment on the tattoos, the entrepreneurs have the chance to strike up conversations about the company’s products. Temporary tattoos are clever. But the company also issued a news release, seeking […]

A little ad copy never hurt anybody, right? Well, maybe not, but Tasers may have. So the company can no longer call its product “non-lethal”. Taser will change its product descriptions, as part of an effort to meet US deceptive marketing laws. Here, in Canada, companies are subject to the Competition Act, specifically part seven, […]

On Tuesday, when I posted about “bumvertising”, Google had 18,600 hits for the word. As of now, Google returns 26,200 results. This just goes to show how publicity and viral marketing (mostly via blogs) can increase your exposure. Update: 36,600 hits on September 23, 2005 (c) 2005 by Andrea Coutu. Vancouver Marketing Consultant. All rights […]

When a friend emailed me about an gambling community’s use of homeless people to advertise its site, I was skeptical. Pokerfacebook.com claims to hire homeless people to hold signs advertising its website. The site even calls this “bumvertising”, a term it claims to have trademarked. Tonight, The Daily Show featured a segment on the website […]

Following a whirlwind summer love affair, Wal-Mart has dumped Singles Shopping nights. The retail chain started “shop and flirt” nights at a Virginia store, in mid-July. Just two weeks later, Wal-Mart ended the fling, claiming “it was time to move on”. The retailer said that some people had complained. My guess is that Wal-Mart faced […]

Via Fast Company comes “Why Integrated Marketing Makes Me Shudder”. I’ve been on the integrated marketing bandwagon for many years now. It makes sense to deliver a consistent message to your prospects and customers. It’s cheaper, more efficient and less confusing. But, as the authors of the Fast Company blog point out, marketing is just […]

As of September 19th, Canada Post will be enforcing restrictions on letter mail destined for the United States. From now on, only paper will be allowed in letter mail. If you want to send anything else, you’ll pay $3.95 for a small packet — up from $1 to $1.70 for lettermail. This is sure to […]

In her now famous interview with RDI, Karla Homolka revealed her plans following her release from prison: Napier: And what will be the first thing that you’d like to do? Homolka: This is stupid. I’d like to have an iced cappuccino. An iced cappuccino from Tim Hortons, that’s what I’d like to do. When I […]

Snapple’s newest publicity stunt accidentally floods a NYC square. Things like this are always funny when they aren’t happening to you. (c) 2005 by Andrea Coutu. Vancouver Marketing Consultant. All rights reserved.