Do giant inflatable apes really close the sale?

[El_Kabong]

A few Novembers ago, I was driving through Boyertown, PA when I noticed a shop. Actually, I didn't notice the shop at all. What I did notice was the man out front: a guy wearing a Santa Claus suit, and waving a little American flag. "Man, that place must be pretty desperate for sales," I thought, and drove on.

Now I live near Houston, and every day as I tool down I-45, I note that nearly every automobile dealer, furniture store and big-box flooring retailer has a giant inflatable figurine on its roof. Most often it's a King Kong-sized ape, but I've seen Godzillas, Santa Clauses, enormous cowboy boots and Dog knows what else. I imagine the various retailers pay a fair amount for rental of these things. My question, or poll, therefore, is: has anyone actually based a purchase on whether or not the shop had a giant ape on its roof? If so, why? I suppose it's also worth asking the inverse: has anyone ever refused to patronize an establisment that resorts to inflatables apes as sales devices?

If anyone in retail wants to chime in with facts and figures demonstrating the efficacity of ape-etizing their stores, well, that's fine too.

[Lissa]

I assume the hope is to draw your eye, which apparently was successful. While gazing at the incongruous shape of a giant monkey perched atop their building, perhaps your eye will fall to the Honda parked below it. If their graphics person has drawn the price clearly and brightly enough on the windshield, you may think, "Oh, hey, that's a great price on that Honda. Maybe I'll stop in for a test drive." Maybe it solves "eye boredom." You know how you drive by something every day and don't really notice it any more?

There is a tax service near me which has Uncle Sam out on the sidewalk in front of it every day for two months prior to the tax due date. For me, it worked in one sense. I drove by there every day and didn't realize there was a tax service in that building until I asked someone what was up with Uncle Sam. It didn't get them any more business-- I use Turbo Tax-- but if someone asked me where one was, I'd be able to tell them now.

[The Scrivener]

I guess it depends partly on what's for sale... bananas? Hard-sided luggage? :)

[Khadaji]

El_Kabong I know exacatly where you mean. I used to work in Boyertown and I asked a similar question of my lunch companions one day. While driving back to work I asked: Has anyone every been driving along, seen a giant ape and said: "You know, I should really stop and get that car I've been meaning to buy"? Really, who goes to an auto dealer because there is a giant ape on the roof?

[El_Kabong]

I assume the hope is to draw your eye, which apparently was successful. While gazing at the incongruous shape of a giant monkey perched atop their building, perhaps your eye will fall to the Honda parked below it.

The thing is, this area has some of the most giagantic car dealerships I've ever seen. You almost have to wear welder's goggles to avoid being blinded by the sunlight glinting off the hundreds of shiny grilles out front. I bet these places are visible from low Earth orbit.

I suppose maybe it has something to do with sales managers thinking "well, I gotta be seen to be doing something, and the rental isn't that much, and hey, it can't hurt, right?"

What's really funny is that now you can't have just plain old giant apes any more, because everyone's got an ape. Now, to really stand out, the ape has to be pink, or wearing sunglasses and yellow boxer shorts, or something.

[Sublight]

Would you buy a bowl of soup at gorilla ramen (http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyominifeaturestories/302/tokyominifeaturestoriesinc.htm)?

[Least Original User Name Ever]

I used to run a Little Caesar's Pizza place. They sell $5 pizzas.
In the beginning of this promotion, they had to run a lot of commercials to innundate the area (they can, the family that runs the corporation is wealthy).
After a couple years (I believe it was two) of this, the area knew that we had pizza for cheap and that you didn't even have to order if it was just cheese or cheese and pepperoni (they were ready and waiting).
The problem was "shakerboarding". They have a kid outside, standing by the road, shaking a plastic sign that says "$5 Hot 'n' Ready Pizzas!".

Having a kid (or kids) go out there and do such a thing was rough on keeping labor costs low.

The corporate peoples said that it worked. It didn't. I told them time and time again, telling them that it costs a lot of money to do it (when taking the entire corporation into account) and that when the area is innundated, you only need to do it sporadically and to announce new product launches. Doing it sporadically made it seem like the customer was going to re-discover this new bargain that they already knew about. All the bigwigs knew is that they remembered when it first launched and it impacted the sales greatly. I'd point to the sales charts and tell them that I did no shakerboarding last week and that the numbers were virtually identical to the current week's numbers (barring holidays and other days that would otherwise spike sales). They still didn't listen. What does a 22 year old know?

[Mesquite-oh]

I used to run a Little Caesar's Pizza place. They sell $5 pizzas.
In the beginning of this promotion, they had to run a lot of commercials to innundate the area (they can, the family that runs the corporation is wealthy).
After a couple years (I believe it was two) of this, the area knew that we had pizza for cheap and that you didn't even have to order if it was just cheese or cheese and pepperoni (they were ready and waiting).
The problem was "shakerboarding". They have a kid outside, standing by the road, shaking a plastic sign that says "$5 Hot 'n' Ready Pizzas!".

Having a kid (or kids) go out there and do such a thing was rough on keeping labor costs low.

The corporate peoples said that it worked. It didn't. I told them time and time again, telling them that it costs a lot of money to do it (when taking the entire corporation into account) and that when the area is innundated, you only need to do it sporadically and to announce new product launches. Doing it sporadically made it seem like the customer was going to re-discover this new bargain that they already knew about. All the bigwigs knew is that they remembered when it first launched and it impacted the sales greatly. I'd point to the sales charts and tell them that I did no shakerboarding last week and that the numbers were virtually identical to the current week's numbers (barring holidays and other days that would otherwise spike sales). They still didn't listen. What does a 22 year old know?Little Ceasar's sells pizza for 5 dollars?!!!

[ParentalAdvisory]

Little Ceasar's sells pizza for 5 dollars?!!!

That's what the shakerboards say by us.

[Long Time First Time]

One of the local car dealers uses a gorilla. It's a girl gorilla. I know because its pink and has a bikini on.


What I don't get are the tent sales. Once a year, a car dealer will drive all their inventory to the local 4H fair grounds and sell them over there. Why?

[Ethilrist]

There's a local car dealer who is famous for being a straight-talking, honest guy. He's not the most successful dealer, but at least he's honest. He keeps his prices down by running a simple operation.

He had a radio ad a few years ago saying "You know, everywhere I go I see car dealers with giant monkeys on their roof. I'm not sure why they're there. Every time I see one, I think to myself, 'I don't think I'm going to get a giant monkey.'" He ran another ad about six months later saying, "Last spring I ran an ad that kinda made fun of my competitors putting giant monkeys on their dealerships. I realize it may not have been the most professional statement for me to make, but they bought giant monkeys."

[Hampshire]

I think the "Giant Gorilla" tactic is useful in that it puts that business in many peoples cognitive map for future reference. While they may not be stopping in there today they will surely remember the place when they are in the market for that particular product/service.
"Hey, I think I'm going to buy a Dodge Hemi."
"Really, where are you going to buy it?"
"I'll probably go check out that place on the interstate. You know the one. They always have that giant gorilla out there."

[The Scrivener]

re. Gorilla Ramen -- sure, why not? Even a great ape could prepare a decent bowl of ramen noodle.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Nashville businesses use concrete Gorillas, & Polar Bears, as well.

Some are semi-landmarks.

[Missy2U]

My question, or poll, therefore, is: has anyone actually based a purchase on whether or not the shop had a giant ape on its roof?

Yes. Yes, I have. I think apes are way cool. Especially when they're purple.

I'm joking. Actually, these things are pretty annoying. I had a Caribou Coffee open up across the street from a house I rented a couple of years ago. This damn idiot would jump around Dundee Road making people honk at him. AT SIX IN THE FREAKIN' MORNING! ON WEEKENDS! I darn near sic'ed my dog on him. Finally, the husband gave him a talking to - the caribou retired shortly thereafter.

[ivylass]

Watch out for some of those balloons. They can be killers! (http://www.local6.com/news/9318041/detail.html)

[Freddy the Pig]

Has anyone actually based a purchase on whether or not the shop had a giant ape on its roof?Well, yes. Yes, of course. You mean there are people that don't do this? There are people who just saunter right into an ape-less place of business and spend their hard-earned money on goods and services that are obviously of inferior quality?

If a business either can't afford, or doesn't care enough, to mount an inflatable ape near its entrance, I'll take my money elsewhere.

Now excuse me, I've got to go post in that thread about whether people who are crazy don't know it.

[Zsofia]

There is a tax service near me which has Uncle Sam out on the sidewalk in front of it every day for two months prior to the tax due date. For me, it worked in one sense. I drove by there every day and didn't realize there was a tax service in that building until I asked someone what was up with Uncle Sam. It didn't get them any more business-- I use Turbo Tax-- but if someone asked me where one was, I'd be able to tell them now.

The one near me has a teenage boy with a CD player and headphones out there dancing all day, dressed up like the Statue of Liberty. When he isn't there it's an older black guy with a full beard. I don't get my taxes done there, but it does make me smile. The boy always waves at me, and I wave back.

[Khadaji]

The one near me has a teenage boy with a CD player and headphones out there dancing all day, dressed up like the Statue of Liberty. When he isn't there it's an older black guy with a full beard. I don't get my taxes done there, but it does make me smile. The boy always waves at me, and I wave back.
Are you sure that they work there? Maybe they are just crazy...

[Rigamarole]

Car dealerships can be a scary place. It's like walking into the lion's den. You need someone there to comfort you and tell you that everything is going to be OK.

That, my friend, is the apes' true purpose.

[Stentor 2.5]

They do it as a public service.

I defy you to produce one person among us who would want to live in a world without giant inflatable monkeys. It's what separates us from the terrorists.

[Ludovic]

I for one welcome our giant inflatable ape overlords.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Little Ceasar's sells pizza for 5 dollars?!!!


$5.30 including tax (crap, that's state of Michigan tax).

They're 6 or 7 bucks depending if you're far away from civilization or not.

[GargoyleWB]

"Grrrrape ape...grrraaape ape. Hey Beagley-beagley..."

[HelloKitty]

What I don't get are the tent sales. Once a year, a car dealer will drive all their inventory to the local 4H fair grounds and sell them over there. Why?I can't answer your question, but the car dealerships around here don't even go to all that trouble.

When they have a tent sale, they just put up tents over the cars that are already in the lot!!!

:confused:

[El_Kabong]

I think the "Giant Gorilla" tactic is useful in that it puts that business in many peoples cognitive map for future reference.

Yeah, but around here there are so many of the things that you have to remember what color it is, and whether it's wearing sunglasses or not.

Anyway, I guess I'd rather have those big gorillas bobbing around than those stick-figure things made out of nylon tubes that they blow air into from the bottom. For some reason those things creep me right the hell out.

[chappachula]

I used to run a Little Caesar's Pizza place. They sell $5 pizzas......
Having a kid .....was rough on keeping labor costs low.

The corporate peoples said that it worked. It didn't. I told them time and time again, telling them that it costs a lot of money to do it (when taking the entire corporation into account)
I'm curious--Does a minimum wage kid standing with a sign "cost a lot of money"?
Is the profit margin so low that you can't add one worker for a few hours?
(I assume the sign-shaker kid only worked from after school till dark)


This thread raises another question about advertising that I've never understood: The constant barrage of ads from very very well known brands.

Like Coca Cola. Everybody in the western world knows how much cola he likes to drink. Does seeing a dancing bottle of coke on TV make you say, "Gee whiz, I wonder what that tastes like? Maybe I'll like it more than the coke I had for lunch"

Sure, for a new product, advertising is vital....but for the same cola that I've been drinking all my life, and which I see all around me every day, I dont need any reminders.

[MizGrand]

I'm curious--Does a minimum wage kid standing with a sign "cost a lot of money"?

One day while I was driving I was feeling especially friendly and noticed a board shaker on the median of a very busy intersection. I rolled down my passenger window and said "HI! So how much do they pay you for that?". He said he got ten bucks an hour. That's a fair bit more than minimum wage. I responded "Cool! Good for you!".

[Least Original User Name Ever]

I'm curious--Does a minimum wage kid standing with a sign "cost a lot of money"?
Is the profit margin so low that you can't add one worker for a few hours?
(I assume the sign-shaker kid only worked from after school till dark)


This thread raises another question about advertising that I've never understood: The constant barrage of ads from very very well known brands.

Like Coca Cola. Everybody in the western world knows how much cola he likes to drink. Does seeing a dancing bottle of coke on TV make you say, "Gee whiz, I wonder what that tastes like? Maybe I'll like it more than the coke I had for lunch"

Sure, for a new product, advertising is vital....but for the same cola that I've been drinking all my life, and which I see all around me every day, I dont need any reminders.


It's not always just the minimum wage kid out there either. Depending on the volume of the store, you might have two, but a store that has two is much more apt to be able to support two people out there. In any case, it's not necessarily just having the person out there that does you in. It's having the person out there. Let me explain.

the corporate people want the shakerboarder (that's what they call 'em) out there all day, every day. That's also an extra body you can devote to prep work literally sitting outside. In the morning, or around lunch, it's a lot more efficient and cost efficient to bring them in and help pound out prepwork. Additionally, stand alone stores (ie: not ones in a mall or such stores that have abnormally high traffic) are pretty slow in the morning. You end up playing the "I wonder how high our labor percentage is going to be right now?" game until it picks up, sometimes not until some time when dinner hits. Sometimes, devoting yourself to having a shakerboarder outside, on a very unexpectedly slow day, can sink your labor goals by themselves.

That's unfortunately the problem. They want you to hit or beat your labor goals. In order to do that, sometimes you need to NOT shakerboard as well. Corporate people don't care, though. Sometimes they're insidious people, too. There will be some median workers working at the offices downtown, and if they don't see you with a shakerboard, they feel it's their duty to pass on that information as well. You can get busted by such acts.

The profit margin for Little Caesars is pretty large, but it's also smaller than most other places due to the fact that the pizzas are only 5 bucks. The power comes from the amount of product they push. I worked/ran a few stores. I'd say, on average, the average store would gross you about a thousand per day. That might be conservative, seeing as how a bunch of stores are super megastores that rake in the cash on a basis that would blow your mind for a stupid little pizza place. As McDonalds' profit comes on the back of french fries, so do Little Caesars' profits come from crazy bread. That 2 dollar bag of bread costs (depending on the price of cheese at the time) runs you about 18 cents to make. Excluding tax, that's a 1000% markup. (FYI, depending on the price of cheese, the profit per regular round pizza is about 2 to 3 dollars).

As to your query on the innundation of commercials, I think they're for the generation growing up. They haven't been saturated with Coca Cola goodness yet. Even then, that would quickly change, in my opinion. Many marketing people believe repetition is what does it. I think the quality of commercials is a vastly underrated trait when it comes to marketing. That's just little old me talking, though.

[Omegaman]

Car dealerships can be a scary place. It's like walking into the lion's den. You need someone there to comfort you and tell you that everything is going to be OK.

That, my friend, is the apes' true purpose.

Very pleased to know it's working .....heh heh heh