The LOFT Gets Presumptuous With 23rd Street Ad

Has an ad ever made you stop and question the very fiber of your being as much as this one from LOFT?  Witnessed on 23rd and Broadway, I was nearly trampled by a line of commuters close on my heels as I paused to contemplate its claim. Who is this woman that I, a man of 30, am supposed to be? Do I really look this happy in a double-button sweater jacket?  Should I have left the black rimmed hat at home?

And is it ever any time other than now?  A few more moments of contemplation and I confirmed that this is in fact not me but this is most definitely now.  And now is now, too.  With those questions out of the way I thought about the actual “you” in the ad — the model.  What happens when she sees this?  Does she stop and say, “holy shit, LOFT!  You’re right!” and hi-five the thing?   If so, I want to be there when she does. That would be an I Spy NYC moment for the record books.

No, HDNet, I still don’t know this guy.

Advertising in New York City is out of control. It’s like you have to get beaten over the head for it to sink in. Well, apparently this guy beats people over the head for a living, I just don’t know who he is. And I don’t think I want to.

MMA ads for HDNet.

Jersey Condo Ad Catches Attention (2.19.09)

Why are they staring at you? Could be the bubble covering your head.

23rd Street Station ad

I saw this ad while I was waiting for the train this morning and I love it. It’s funny, clean and delivers the number one value point right away. Of course if everyone at Grove Point has circles on their heads it could be a weird place to live.

Branding a Landmark (2.18.09)

The days of leasing or renting are over. Now you have to brand your office space. And if you’re going to be leasing 160 Fifth Avenue you’d better make it something special. You’d better make it a branded experience — a total experience.

Brand This Landmark

Isn’t it amazing how much you can learn about New York City, trends, and new ideas, simply by walking to work every morning?

Become a fan of I Spy NYC on Facebook.

Is that an Asian Farmers Hat on that trendy kid? (1.29.)

Every once in a while I am stoped in my tracks by store window displays. This morning it was the Lucky Brand Jeans display on 22nd and fifth I learned that this conical straw hat, traditionally worn by farmers trying to shield the hot sun as they toil in the fields, is now apparently a hot display item for a little kid.

Lucky Jeans and Conical Hat

Can you imagine this family walking down fifth avenue? The trendy mom with her white leather purse and then the little kid tagging along in his Lucky Brand jeans, $40 t-shirt and a 笠帽, 竹笠 on his head?

Click here to Become a Fan of I Spy NYC on Facebook.

New Billboard Put Up on 7th (12.29.08)

It seems like new advertisements are constantantly popping up all over Manhattan. A new this, a sale on that. It’s really quite overwhelming. But for all the large scale ads I encounter I’ve never seen one being put up. Until this morning…

New Gap Ad on 7th Ave.

Now it’s down with the Christmas sales banners and up with the “you need to look as hip as these people” ads. This one is at 108 7th avenue. Happy shopping!

Click here to Become an I Spy NYC fan on Facebook.

Booga Sugar (12.8.08)

If you turn your view away from the soaring New York skyline and look towards the ground you’ll see lots of things. Trash, dog crap, unidentifiable stuff. You’ll probably also spot these stickers for Booga Sugar. A street marketing tactic that’s becoming more and more popular in NYC. (See Rod Stuart Loves the Hamptons)

Booga Sugar

So what is this? Notice the G clef. Ahh. There we have it. Booga Sugar, boogasugar.com is a New York City band who seems to a thing with Sweet and Low. It’s poppy, electronic, eclectic and fun music. And while I don’t condone litering of just any old piece of garbage, it seems like New York bands have to do creative advertising like this to generate some buzz and break through all the clutter. Good luck Booga.

Become a Fan of I Spy NYC on Facebook.

Business Prospecting (12.5.08)

Times are tough. There’s no way around that fact. In these times businesses will generally try to capture the widest audience possible. Casting their nets afar and dealing with any unqualified leads in the hopes of netting any short term capital at all.

It seems that even adult stores in the West Village, like this one on Christopher and the West Side Highway, are reaching out to audiences they feel have been missing out on all they have to offer.

Business Signs

All too often businesses let creativity (or the attempt at being creative) get in the way of driving business. Sometimes you just need to telegraph what you want. Click here. Sign Here. Buy this. You want it. Come in and shop.

Perhaps there is a lesson we can learn from Gotham City. Ladies?

Post No Bills (11.13.08)

Post no bills. That’s what the sign says. To be honest, I was rushed this morning and I don’t even remember which street this was on. You can see them all around New York. My problem with construction sites like this is that if we were allowed to post bills, or signs, the whole thing would look a hell of a lot better. Wouldn’t you love to see an ads for good entertainment like Growin Up Gotti or Paris Hilton’s My New BFF on your neighborhood construction site? I would.

Post No Bills

SoHo Advertising (10.23.08)

Got a late start this morning and took a slightly different route home, but noticed something interesting on my way — the witty and aggressive advertising found in Soho. This time it was on W. Houston and W. Broadway.

Soho Fox Ad

It’s difficult to twist a common phrase and not come off looking cheesy but with this I think it works. The good people at Fox, or whoever their marketing agency is, got some great visibility on a wide street.