Comments on: Friday Free Business Idea: Homeless Helper

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 05:53:41 +0000

Bumvertising was and actual company in Seattle. The guy would give each homeless person a care package and a few bucks to include his website address on the bottom of their sign. The dog poop idea is being used to clean up yards here in Salt Lake City by a couple of entrepreneurs. I can’t remember the name of them though.

In all, why not just start a sandwich board company and pay the homeless to stand at businesses and intersections?

The idea of labeling homeless Bums sucks though.

Turning It Over

By: Damon Z

Damon Z — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 03:36:31 +0000

Hum Bum Advertising, Marketers shall not rest until a square inch of ad space is left ad free.

How about using homeless people to represent your competitor’s brand? Ralph Lauren should fit them with Tommy Hilfiger gear from head to toe and watch his rival’s sales dwindle.

In the words of Mongtomery Burns “Exxxxcellent…”

By: Jason H.

Jason H. — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 21:05:32 +0000

Mike,

Bumvertisements. LOL

How about PPB (Pay Per Bum) and BumRank–rank by how many BumLinks u have…

Noah,

Somehow I see this image of you holding a sign that says, “Homeless, will work for Burritos”.

By: Berry

Berry — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 07:35:00 +0000

Heck, buy the homeless guy some slacks and a polo shirt. Give him the sign. Pay him. Check up on him. If he does good, hire him again… thing is I bet Jason is right. They may be making more than $5 an hour or whatever.

Matt J’s idea… heck someone should do that…probably are… they have those online games where you wander around and build and buy stuff. Virtual online worlds- whatever… anyway, build a bum of an avatar and wander around asking for whatever the currency is.

By: Noah Kagan

Noah Kagan — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:43:14 +0000

Mike, Thanks for the comment.

1- I am not sure how many brands want to be represented by homeless people.
2- There are tons of franchises that do doggy doo-doo pick-up right now. Strange but true.

By: Mike Sabat

Mike Sabat — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 23:32:49 +0000

Here’s two ideas.

1. I may have stolen this one.

Bumvertisements. You obviously know a bum when you see one. I consider anyone holding a sign on the street a bum. Why not pay a bum to hold an advertisement for, lets say, Monster.com. Ironic advertising.

2. I see millionaires on my block walking behind their dogs picking up shit in a plastic bag. I think that every dong owner would be willing to pay fifty cents or a dollar if a homeless guy picked up the shit instead. i think you could easily make 500 a week just walking around Manhattan. And the COGS is 0.

By: hollyster

hollyster — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:52:41 +0000

I think it’s pretty clever =)

By: Noah Kagan

Noah Kagan — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:12:59 +0000

Chartreuse,

Hi Five!

By: chartreuse

chartreuse — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 22:02:18 +0000

You guys have been watching Too many Borat movie trailers

By: Matt Jaunich

Matt Jaunich — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:34:53 +0000

I’ve had a similar un-PC idea for an online bum: an internet bum would be a pan handling avatar who accepts Pay Pal contributions and credit cards. He could even buy ads on other sites, in the vein of ads on like NY Times.com that take over the screen and won’t go away unless you close them. A whole story could be created around these characters. There could even be youtube videos that feature their stories etc.