Giant panda causes a stir at Shanghai mall
A mall in Shanghai planned to promote itself using a panda mascot - but they did not plan for the sheer size of the animal.
There are few things that get a conversation started better than an animal mascot can. Whether it's for a sports team, a local business or restaurant, a giant animal costume grabs the right kind of attention and can do wonders for profits.
This was likely what a mall in Shanghai was thinking when they planned to have a giant panda represent them as part of their new marketing campaign. After all, there are very few people who can resist the charms of a giant panda.
But there was one big problem: the panda's costume was too big to fit into the lifts at the mall! A video filmed by a bystander shows an aide trying to help the animal into the lift by pushing it from behind. There seems to be hope when it gets some of the way in after it bends its back, but it's still not the perfect solution.
Eventually, the panda has to be helped onto a nearby escalator. A moving staircase proves easier transport than a cramped box. It was surely an extraordinary sight for shoppers to witness.
You have to wonder: how did the person inside the oversized mascot suit feel? The costumes are known for being incredibly hot and all the extra work of trying to get into the lift could not have made it easy to stay cool.
After all this effort, the results of the marketing stunt had better be spectacular.