It's Not Victoria

I love foreign trips -- exploring new places, tasting new foods and of course, studying retail promotions and pop culture. This lingerie store is (I'm guessing) modeled after the famous Victoria's Secret brand. As beautiful as some Columbian women are, it just doesn't feel the same.

Per their web site, Women's Secret is run by and for women. Snapped in Bogota, Columbia. 

'Tis the Season ... for Fruitcake

Spotted this in the Houston Airport last month. It's sponsored by Oxfam to generate holiday donations & gift purchases. Good humor (unless you're a fruitcake fan) and well timed.

"When you give a fruitcake, everyone goes hungry."

Smoking Loon: Another Good Branding Example from a Wine Maker

Wine makers are getting increasing clever with their branding and Smoking Loon is no exception. The charm here is the way they've carried the concept from box to cork. Below, the box ... and the cork stamp? "Whooh Whooh Cough, Wooh, Wooh Cough." 

Note: I'm not endorsing smoking!

Read the Fine Print

Have you read the label on Vitamin Water Zero? "C'mon, is that a purse ... or a suitcase? let's see what you're squeezing in there. looky here,  gift card (with 89 cents left), three different hand creams (melon, cucumber, cucumber-melon), lip balm, lip stick and lip gloss. oh, what's this? ahhh, the ol' giant wad of receipts (plan to return that shirt you're wearing?) ... " The copy here is inspired -- and it all leads up to a simple statement about the 'good stuff' they've squeezed into a small bottle of water. Kudos to this copywriter.

Kilroy Was Here ... or was it Charlie Sheen?

No clue why, but this packed bar (Kilroy's) in downtown Indianapolis has a portrait of Charlie Sheen in the entry. I'm a little late with the post; I first saw this when his shenanigans were on the Internet almost daily. Thought it was amusing.

Bright Idea

Saw this in a colleague's office a few weeks ago. Apparently it was intended to disguise a small wall imperfection but I think it's perfectly suited for a product innovation guy. Something similar can be found here.

Clever "Mobile" Advertising

Have always loved the F.H. Furr trucks cruising around Northern Virginia and I finally caught one at a light. The door design on the back of these trucks is truly differentiating. Not sure it's enough to make me remember their name, but I sure remember the trucks!

Free Entertainment at Denver Airport (DIA)

Crusing through Denver International Airport, I spotted several interactive billboards by 1st Bank.

Scan the QR code and you can download sodoku, crosswords or a book! You need a smartphone, and most Blackberries and iPhones work. Each time I passed a billboard, someone was trying it. Lots of well-deserved press buzz too for the Boulder, CO agency that created it.

Laurel & Hardy are Swank in Cali

Spotted in the window of Swank Interiors in Palm Springs, CA, this display is two giant Stan & Ollie (Laurel & Hardy) heads chatting about mid-century modern furniture. Fun!

The store wasn't open on my 6 a.m. walk, but peeking inside, it looked like good stuff.

Call me crazy, but I bought a coupon organizer at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Argue its value all you like, but take a closer look at the divider labels:

I get the "OTC Meds" sticker. Even the "Vegetables" label is obvious to someone who avoids greens at all costs. What however, is the "Soops" category supposed to represent? Where do I get coupons for soops? In the lower left, you see they also included a "Soups" sticker.

Buying Rain. While the roads are flooding?

This one cracked me up. It's been raining in the area for days. Roads are flooded. Power is out in some places. This trailer happened to be parked at a nearby construction site. It caught my eye while driving in a downpour.

Glam Seating & Mosaic Walls ...

... are just a few of the very cool architectural details seen recently at Camana Bay on Grand Cayman. Check out these up-lit, acrylic (I think), seating orbs:

There's also a multi-story observation tower. Competing with stunning views of the island are the glass mosaic walls that grace each floor. Their promotion site describes it best. The wall "evokes the sensation of ascending a deep-sea dive from seabed to surface." This cell phone image doesn't do it justice.

Around the World ... One "Bit" at a Time

Here's an interesting social media experiment with the stickybits app. The goal is to see if a global conversation can be created and to track how information spreads. Check it out ... if you live outside of the US, you might even be able to play.

Good to Go? Not at a Courtyard Marriott

I grabbed this on my way out of a Courtyard Marriott room last week. Why? I think it's confusing. The phrase, "I'm good to go" by an informal poll of my officemates suggests just the opposite of "do not disturb." Two thirds felt it meant, "clean up this room" and the remainer took Marriott's side. I even consulted Urban Dictionary and its first listing said, "ready for action."

What do you think?

New Hang Up

Enjoyed this decal sighting on my way to work the other morning. Driver wasn't holding a cell phone ... but appeared to be talking via a bluetooth ear piece! Is that not the same?

Couldn't find this decal online, but here's a place that sells something similar.

Santa Goes Digitial

Guess this would have been funnier 5 years ago, but it did make me smile. What should the update be? He's checking his Facebook page? Recharging his iPad?

 Sorry it's late ... forgot I had the photo.

Back-Sided Compliment

Fun spin on the usual ... a sign at Tysons Corner Center in McLean, VA, asking smokers to use designated areas. If only smoking were prohibited altogether!