Marriott’s Strange New Innovation For Its Shower Doors

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I’m sure most people have, at least at one point in their life, used the condensation on a mirror or a shower door to doodle a picture or to write a message. Well, apparently Marriott wants to tap into this practice with a new innovation.

I’ll let Marriott describe its idea for you:

Here’s how it works: guests start their shower as usual, and as steam builds up it creates a canvas on the door. As the guests’ creativity starts flowing, they simply use their finger to write or draw whatever comes to mind – name of the next hit song, idea for an app or the framework for a new design – using the steam. Touch-sensitive technology built into the shower door then sends the fresh idea to the guest’s email, where they can share it via email or social to enable further brainstorming.

In case you’re thinking that this is just an idea…it isn’t – this has already been created and Marriott has even commissioned a video to show this in action (which has now been removed).

Marriott will be debuting this new shower door at its property in Irvine, Orange County California in a room it’s calling the “splash of brilliance room” and says that it will determine any future roll out based on usage, feedback and satisfaction scores.

I have to say that I find this a little pointless.

I’m as partial to a shower door doodle as the next person….but I’m not sure I’ve ever been in a shower long enough to both come up with a thought I’d like to note down and to be concerned that I was going to forget my idea before I got out.

Besides, am I the only person who works pretty hard all day and then actually likes to relax in a shower rather than brainstorm a new idea?

I like the idea that Marriott is being innovative but I’d prefer it if the corporation spent its time, energy and finances on doing more useful things … like making sure all its rooms have power outlets next to the beds or making sure that the executive lounges have healthy snacks and not just candy and cookies.

Or, if anyone from Marriott is reading this and doesn’t like those ideas, how about spending less money on innovations like this (i.e. ones that no one is really going to care about) and a bit more money on the salaries paid to the maids in housekeeping so that guests aren’t being guilted into tipping every time they check in to a Marriott?

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?