Gas Station Boudin

Five years ago, we took Hannah, Mallory, and our niece Hailey to the big boat show that happens every January here in Portland (I think we also brought our nephews, but I digress). At one point I left the group at the “KIDZ BUILD UR OWN SAILBOAT” area so I could check out the driftboats. A photog snapped this photo of Stacey and the girls. I don’t think they even knew it was happening.

Imagine our shock a year later, when the first tv spot came on and featured the photo (the image above is a photo I took of a paused ad from this year—confused yet?). The spot changes drastically every year, but ALWAYS includes this photo. There is also an ad that runs in The Oregonian, again featuring the Boat Show Ladies.

The second year of Boat Show Ladies, I convinced Stacey to call the show promoters, not to complain but to ask for passes to that year’s show. The people were moderately pleasant, and we ended up with passes, but the conversation and process leading up to getting tickets in hand was one that would have been more in keeping had we asked for bone marrow to be donated. We never asked again.

We haven’t been back to the show since then. I’m not exactly in the market (one day…) and that first year was more about getting the kids in front of something interesting during yet another dark, rainy Portland winter day. But seeing these spots every year is a nice little diversion for our family. And a reminder that I happen to live with three women who are used as marketing material by a huge, regional boat show. Score.