The Purple Goldfish Project has crossed the halfway mark

Doubletree Hotels becomes #500 in the Project and a milestone is reached

Did you ever think that you would use ‘greater than’ and ‘less than’ when you learned the concept in Kindergarten and 1st grade? I never thought I’d have a good use for the > sign . . . until now.

We are currently standing closer to the finish line than we are to the start on the marathon to catch 1,001 purple goldfish. HOORAY!!!

We’re sitting on 507 examples and hoping for a nice run of crowdsourcing to keep the momentum going.

Which brands have made the cut?

(HERE IS THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF THE FIRST 501)

Click on the links for the following numbers in the Project:

1-76 77-139 140 – 202 203-255 256-323 324-383 384-445 445 -501

[A] ABT Electronics #391, adidas #204, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital #476, Aqua Pools #80, Acura (Bridgewater, NJ) #97, Advantage Cleaners #322, AJ Bombers #152, Alaska Stock Images #440, Alligator Lounge #205,Amazon #51+165+441, American Express #297+415, American Girl #112, America’s Tire #412, Amica Insurance #428, Anne Perschel #350, AOL #257, Arby’s #227, Arigato Sushi #355, Audi #133, Apple #147+237+370, Aveda Spa & Salon #160, Avis #490

[B] Bank of the Islands #244, Bar 89 #230, Bar Breton #477, Baron Funds #73, Baskin Robbins #484, Beaver Creek Resort #129, Bed Bath & Beyond #85, Ben & Jerry’s #4+13, Bergdorf Goodman #329, Besito #238+239, Bespeak Presentation Solutions #270, Best Buy #474, Bigelow Tea #378, Bill Coleman Entertainment #267, Bistro Montage #226, Blimpy Burger #281, Bloom Processing #217, Blues City Memphis Cafe #292, Blue Ridge Soap Shed #266, BLT Steakhouse #182, BMW (Circle NJ) #72+150 (Bridgeport CT) #190 (Darien, CT), Blue Salon #326, Bob Magruder #298, Bob’s Discount Furniture #126+398+399, Body Evolution #343, Bolt Bus #278, Bona Bros #356, bosc Marketing Muscle #139, Bose #421, Brandeis University #242, Bridgeton Hotel #89, Broadview Hotel #442, Brock University #346, Bruster’s #419, Busse Automotive #331, Hotel Burnham #141, Butler’s Dry Cleaning #405

[C] Cafe Ibis #409, Cafe Luxemborg #496, Calise’s Delicatessan, Campus Advantage #464+465+466+467+468, Canyon Cafe #159, Capital Grille #122+438, Capitol Photo Interactive #274, Caribou Coffee #2, Carnival Cruise Line #64+208, Carter’s #27, Cartridge World #249, Chaffin’s Plumbing #360, Chegg #235, Chicken Delicatessan #127, Chick-fil-a #125, Chipotle #301, Chobee #261, Chocopologie #406, Citizen’s Bank #33, Classic Barber of Greenwich #157, Classic Shine Detailing #82, Clayton’s Automotive #372, Clement Marketplace #209, Coca-Cola #186, Comcast #381, Conference Call Unlimited #339, Cosi #32+206, Costco #216, Courtyard by Marriott #57, Croc’s #184, CuisinArt Resort & Spa #284, Cum Laude #243, Customer Connection Co. #420

[D] Dancing Elephants #247, Danny Meyer #403, Dave Carroll #340, David Yurman #327, Dedrick’s Pharmacy and Gifts, Del Frisco’s Steak House #118, Del Taco #451, Delta Shuttle #361, Demas #173, Denny’s #7, Descend Salon #394, DIAGEO #413, Diamond Cabs #81, Discount Tires #408, Disney #12+149+171+228, Distinctive Homes #254, Domino’s #237, Donna Spears #325, Doris & Ed’s #318, Doubletree Hotels #5+#16+30+276+500, Dr. Drysdale #197, Dr. Greg Preston #169, Dry Cleaning Factory #90, Dunkin Donuts #338

[E] El Bandito #400, endless.com #181, Enterprise Rental Car #105, Entertainment Weekly #264, Enviro Express #84, ESPN Zone #334, Ethan Allen #102, etsy.com #188, Equinox #259, Exclusive Resorts #119

[F] Fairfield Granite #59, Fairfield Inn #387, Fairmont Copley Plaza #288, Fairfield Lumber #448, Fat Cat Pie Company #231, Father & Son’s #43, Fjeldheim #268, FIG #473, Fiji Water #462, Fillmore San Francisco #37, Finger Nail Salon #28, Firebox.com #70, Fiskars #353, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Foam + Wash #121, Ford #155, Fort Wayne International Airport #176,Four Seasons Hotels #192+218, Four Seasons Kuda Hara #304, Fresh Direct #359, Friendly’s #75+418, Fromagerie Rumson #163, Frontier #222, Fuddruckers #280, Functional Fitness #263

[G] Gallery Furniture #62, Gans Ink #501, GAP #55, Garden Catering #471, Good Giving #21, Google #46, Graegle Hardware #354, Grand Central Racquet #63, Grateful Dead #310, Great Harvest Bakery #383, Green Dragon Herbals #255, Grooming by Debbie #104, Ground Round #53, Gumba’s #336

[H] Hard Rock Cafe #26, Harley Davidson #178, Heights Restaurant #31, Heineken #307, Herman Miller #158, High Voltage Tattoo #151, Home Warranty #201, Horizon Air #78, Hotel Erwin #287, Hotel Gansevoort #282, Hotel Max #285, Hotel Monaco #290+395, Hotel Murano #185, HUB Plumbing & Mechanical #324, Hotel Vitale #194, HSBC #145, Hyatt #10+146

[I] IKEA #41+147 + 191, Ikedas #35, Insomnia Cookies #29, ITHF #240, iTreadmill #371

[J] J-six #207, Jansport #435, Jason Deli #199, Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar #313, Jesse’s Toys #212, Jet Blue #19+352+375+414, John Allen’s #68, John’s Barber Shop #77, John’s Pizzeria #316, Joie de Vivre Hotels #492, Josh Early Candies #225, Julien McRoberts #253

[K] Kid City #88, Kimpton Hotels #109+#110, K-Mart #366, Krispy Kreme #18

[L] La Mela #470, Landers Chrysler Jeep #347, Landmarc Restaurant #495, Land’s End #128, Langhorne Hotel #24,Las Ventana al Paraiso #236, Le Foret #494, Lenscrafters #312, Les Schwab #17+156+302, Lexus #1+23+48+69+200+348+367+427+434, Lightspan Digital #311, Lisloughrey Lodge #286, Listel #99, Little Nell #98, liveGLOCAL #432, Los Cabos #87,Louisiana Lagniappe #469, Louisiana Territory #379, Lou Mitchell’s #83, Lowe’s #491, Lovefilm.com #108, Lozano Car Wash #130, LUSH #189

[M] Macy’s #328, Maroni Cuisine #223, Mario’s Barber Shop #47, Martin + Osa #86, Max Motor’s #224, Marriott #410, Martin Guitar #60, Maxwell House #183, McDonald’s #8+44+100+114, McLellan Marketing Group #136+137+138, Mealey’s #214+215, Mermaid Inn #429, Metropolis Performing Arts Center #332, Midwest Airlines #142, MIP #168, Mitchell’s #450, Moe’s Southwest Grill #269, Mount Gay Rum #488, MTA #260

[N] National Car Rental #330, Native Eyewear #58, Neiman Marcus #475, Netflix #445, New Belgium Brewery #162, New Horizons #499, New Jersey #132, NINJA #111, New York Sportimes #463, Nordstrom #314+430+436, Northwest Airlines #106, Nurse Next Door #437

[O] Odwalla #198, Ogori Cafe #203, Ola Granola #291, Olive Garden #279, 1-800-Pet-Meds #479, Opus Hotel #289, Orbitz #482, Oscar Mayer #362, Oxford Stuff #135, Outagamit Airport #180, Outback #294, Overstock #166

[P] Pacific Cafe #143, Palomino #489, Pampered Hand Salon #396, Panera #45+#50 + #154, Paradise Music #251, Paste Magazine #34, Patriot Bank #61, Paul Dunay ‘Facebook Marketing for Dummies’ #309, Peabody Hotel #113,Pepperidge Farm #134, Peet’s Coffee & Tea #299, PHD #219, Peter Millar #446+461, PGA Tour #483, Pixar #470, Philadelphia Cream Cheese #485, Pizza Express #363, Pizza Shuttle #221, Plaza Cleaners #123, Port Columbus Airport #179, Porter Airlines #300, Pot Belly Sandwiches #480, Prince #385, Principled Profit #248, Publix #96+117, Puente Aereo #433, Purchasing Power #196

[Q] Quinta Real #305

[R] Ralph’s #167, Redbox #380, Redeye Grill NYC #79, Reef Sandals #277, Reno – Tahoe Aiport #177, Rich Life Marketing #256, Rimsky Korsakoffee #229, Rita’s Water Ice #384, Rite Aid #364, Ritz Carlton Hotel #443, Rod Oglesby Realty #153, Roger Smith Hotel #174, Russell Speeder’s Car Wash #321

[S] Sage Valley Country Club #120, Saladworks #425, Salute #401, Sam Adams #487, Sanderson Group #246, Schering Plough #373, Scooter’s Coffee #342, Scrub a Dub #6, Sears #365, Seaworld #344+345, See’s Candy #417, Sephora #101, Shelter Harbor Inn #481, Sheraton #411, 6pm.com #407, Skin Perfect #265, Skooba Design #389, Sky Lake Hospital #187, Slay’s on Main #172, SNY #296, Snip-its #404, Sonic #459, Southwest Airlines #93, Speck #175, Splash Car Wash #67+453, Sports Illustrated #497, Sportsvite #282, Staples #241, Starbucks #9+20+36+40+351+376, Stew Leonard’s #91+124+431, Subway #39, Success Tutoring #276, Sun Chips #335, Super Food Town #71, Susan Wendy Salon #357, Sushi Time #164

[T] Taos Resort #423, TD Bank #49+76+92+454+455+456+457+458, TGI Friday’s #213, Tiffany #232, Thai Basil #306, The “21″ Club, Thomas Boston #445, Thomas J. Walsh Contracting #250, Timbuk2 #392, Tim Coffey #65, Tipsy Parson #388, Tom Quick Inn #210, Tom’s Shoes #3, Tony’s #382, Tory Burch #393, Town Fair Tire #452, Toyboat Desserts Cafe #144, Toys R Us #15, Toyzam #115+131, Trader Joe’s #42+161+320+374

[U] Umpqua Bank, United Airlines #386+422+439, UPS #211+486, USAA #56, US Postal #14

[V] Velocity #174, Via Rail #341, Village Market #233, Vinny’s Deli & Pasta #424, Virgin America #358, Viva Zapata #447, VW (New Country Greenwich) #193

[W] Waldorf Astoria #402, Warrug #262, Wayzata Dental #369, Wawa #317, Wegman’s #116, Wells Fargo #38, Westminster Hotel #74, Whole Foods #11+22+258+315, William Austin’s Antiques #308, Wilson’s #333, WineLibrary.com #170, Wordsmith Writing #390, W South Beach #283

[Z] Zane’s Cycles #460, Zappo’s #107+195+319+349+397+493, Zea Rotisserie & Grill #478

Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra) – Here is an interview I did with Jeff Hayzlett on behalf of MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group) about ‘The Mirror Test’:

Here are 4 purple goldfish that I poached from Jeff’s excellent book, ‘The Mirror Test’:

#498. The 21 Club

‘We were at the 21 Club and Tami saw the waiter deliver a captivating drink to another table. “What’s that?” she asked . . . No one knew and so we decided to ask the waiter when he came back. Minutes later the waiter appeared again, but before we could ask, he set the same cocktail down in front of Tami with a flourish, “Kir Royal: Champagne and creme de cassis” he said. “Compliments of the house.”

#499. New Horizons Computers

I needed a way to add a little more value to the experience and make a lasting impression on customers. I settled on presenting every person who “graduated” from our training programs with a fun diploma and picture of their group in front of our company sign as a keepsake. Later I added a few other items like free chili dogs on Fridays.

#500. Doubletree Hotels

Do you know how much I love the warm cookies they serve at the Doubletree? (I eat them with a big glass of whole milk – if you are going to do it, you have to go the whole way.) I think about them when I’m at other hotels – how’s that for a lasting impression?

#501 Gans Ink

Gans Ink uses Tootsie Rolls; they put some into cases of ink they send to print shops. I have seen people race each other like a roller derby to open the case of ink for the Tootsie Rolls. Think that helps spread goodwill?