An Atlanta condominium development project has deployed 100 mannequins to market its condominium residences, and symbolize the revitalization of its neighborhood. Check out the pictures and videos. [thanks, Ilya]

An interactive display in Lisbon’s airport advertises the N-90 in a way reminiscent of Minority Report: When passengers approach, the display swivels for optimal viewing, and captures and displays a photographic image of the passenger. It’s only a matter of time before such installations utilize biometric 3-D facial scanning technology to accurately determine your name etc. [thanks, David Polinchock]

Related interactive displays previously on SHARKRIDE –

Ralph Lauren interactive window

Billboard with Bluetooth podcast download

Cell Phone Operated Digital Mannequins

Lifelike Mannequins

About two years ago when I was researching potential business opportunities in China, I was most fired up about the idea of starting a marketing company that would offer restaurant, beauty supply, food products etc. discount coupons. My sources on the ground in China said that it wouldn’t work because the “Chinese are not used to it,” which is precisely why I was enthused about the opportunity — it’s a novel concept!

The real value would have been in collecting consumer data - via online forms, and there could even be small store fronts, where consumers could fill out questionnaires about purchasing behavior and preferences, and in exchange receive discount coupons. There is virtually no direct mail in China. Credit card penetration is extremely low. Consumer credit reporting is in its infancy. So, I think the opportunity to develop a consumer database in China is huge.

BTW, CellFire is an interesting company in America to watch - you can download coupons onto your cellphone. Also, I just checked up on my friends at Chompz, an In-N-Out delivery service for Stanford students I wrote about here, and they are still going strong, and have expanded into offering restaurant coupons.

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This week, I had dinner at the Fish Market in Palo Alto, and received a coupon envelop that guarantees I will have to go back soon, because the coupon inside the envelop is good for at least $10, and potentially up to $100 off! Of course, they don’t tell you what the distribution is of $10 - $100 coupons inside, and you don’t know how much the coupon is worth until your server opens it after your next meal, but that’s what’s brilliant about the concept. I could see a promotion like this working for a number of firms, including supermarkets, retail outlets like Gap etc.

[UPDATE 12-2-06: I went to the Fish Market tonight with hopes of redeeming the coupon, even though it expired 2 days ago. They originally told me that they would not honor it, but when the bill came, they generously gave me a discount above and beyond the stated coupon discount of $12 (I think the waitress overheard me say that I would write about it on SharkRide.com!  Or, she just liked me.).]