Of Mascots and Marketing

Preston Street BIA in a brilliant marketing stroke invented Luigi, a mascot for their signage during the reconstruction years.
He was certainly popular. People got out of their cars to take their picture with him. Bluesfest goers gathered round the signs for group photos.
The volunteer T-shirts at last-year’s Italian festival said Luigi’s Security or something similar. Perhaps coincidentally, I noticed this Luigi doll on a doorstep.
Yet, the street seems strangely lonely now,  without his face on banners and signs.
I think he should be given new life. He adds personality to the street.
In a related vein, I saw in the paper that Vancouver’s Chinatown held an online poll to select a mascot. They choose a cutsey panda bear for their mascot.