Smoothie Operator

During my second winter season at the smoothie shop, I remember that we were putting on a giant gift card promotion. It was probably just like any other retail promotion–gift cards galore for holiday shoppers, bright and colorful posters hanging in the windows, and colorful buttons and other “flare” for the smoothie workers to wear on their hats and aprons. I think it was all meant to add a little extra joy to the bustling mall shops during the holidays, but for me it sort of just felt like more unnecessary stuff. Call me humbug.

One of the fixtures that corporate sent out that year was a giant replica of a holiday themed gift card. It was a four-foot tall, 6-inch thick rectangular model of a gift card, featuring the bright holiday greens, reds and blues in the same design as our gift cards. It was made of a very light plastic, and had a plastic “snow” base to support it, making it look like the card was sticking out of a mound of snow.  Also a part of this promotional display item was the “mound of snow” on the top, which was molded in just such a way as to hold small stacks of real-sized gift cards on top. The point, I think, was for customers to walk in and see the display, choose a gift card from the top, and take it to the counter to load it with tons of money. Very cute idea, yes, but also a little over the top.

The worst part about it all was that this display was in no way stable. The plastic “snow” on the bottom did nothing to make the four-foot tower steady. Every time the door of the shop swung open, the display would sway a little.

One day, a woman walked into the shop, looking frazzled, shopping bags on both shoulders and holding on to a small child with each hand. The children were squirming and whining as she made her way to the counter.

“I need a gift card,” she said wearily.

At that moment the woman let go of one of the small hands to reach into her purse for her wallet, thus freeing one of the whiny children from her grasp. The child wasted no time and stumbled excitedly toward the biggest, most colorful item within reach–the giant gift card model in the middle of the lobby. Now, the odds of the display stand withstanding the force of a fifty-pound child running toward it are slim to none…and in fact, the display was no match for him. In one swift movement, the kid pushed against the display, and in a flurry of color and plastic, the stand slammed to the floor, sending fifty giftcards flying into the air as it went. The first kid starting screaming. The horrified woman raised her hands to her mouth, freeing the other child to rush over and start gathering gift cards as though they were candies that had fallen from a pinata.

A few workers and I helped reassemble the display, as the woman apologized profusely. We smiled, sold her a gift card, and wished her a happy holiday. This happened a few more times during the season, whether from an excited child, an unsuspecting customer or a worker who moved a little too quickly with a mop. Although I think I would have designed such an item a little differently (or not at all…) I can’t say that it didn’t provide a little holiday entertainment.