The North Circular Roads earliest adopters of ambient media, are no more.
For decades Shadbolts kept motorists up to speed with the trends in the wood veneer business via their ‘Veneer Of The Week’ sign.
It’s difficult to know what their the thinking was,
they already had a ‘Shadbolts Veneers’ sign, so it wasn’t just to let the locals know this is the place for all their veneer needs.
Why send someone up a ladder with a huge slice of veneer and a bag full of letters week after week, year after year?
It was a long-term commitment that must have had a cost attached, yet no guaranteed return on that investment.
Presumably it was felt this was good for business rather than a good public deed.
But even if a motorist driving around the North Circular is in the market for wood veneer, is he likely to be switch sold a bit of White Birch because it’s Shadbolts ‘Veneer Of The Week’?
Probably not.
But the sign felt generous, like Shadbolts were decent and cared about their product, and when companies make a bit of extra effort like that, it’s always repaid in good will.
It reminds me of the Innocent offices.
They’re choc-a-bloc full of quirky signs, jokes and badges. They’ve made the effort not only in producing them, but they’ve spent money producing them beautifully.
Alongside the sign ‘Goods entrance’ is an equally professionally produced sign above a window-‘Burglars entrance’, embroidered on the white coats in the lab are names like ‘Top Banana’ and ‘Prof Plum’.
They’ve spent good money on it with no particular financial return in mind.
Like the Shadbolts, it just reflects the company, one has a thing about ‘fruit’, the other ‘wood’. If you have a passion it’s good to let people know about it.
A bit like a blog I guess.
Was thinking about things that have disappeared which is why I was reflecting on Shadbolt’s VotW this morning. Enjoyed your reflections.
December 18, 2011 @ 12:44 pm