I went to New York City last summer. It was, as described, cluttered. More than anything, the posters made me feel small, and in reality, I do come from a small town. Yes, small town Vancouver – home of the outdoorsmen, and the natural aesthetic, which is pretty much as antithetical to a New Yorker as any city dweller can get.

After a week, one comes to see why people fall in love with that lifestyle; the vibe is addicting; the involvement in food, art, culture is ubiquitous. I couldn’t help but appreciate the subtleties, and really came to enjoy myself. However, there is a contingent of marketing yet unaddressed – the direct sales people on the streets.

Most people wouldn’t assume that there are Americans from various ethnic backgrounds waiting at the bottom of the Empire State Building to sell tickets for it. Or women selling handbags on the street, and bus tours, and city passes, etc. America has followed the example of Asia and to become more competitive, people are working harder to survive. If that means transforming New York’s streets from the locale of savvy businessmen to a that of a common marketplace, then at least capitalism is evolving people successfully.