If you're trying to open a new business in NYC, you've pretty much spent all your startup capital on your lease, so you'd better plan to do your marketing up low-budge style. For inspiration on how to combine low-budget local marketing and utter hilarity sure to pique your demographic's interest (provided they have, you know, a sense of humor and an interest in the contradictory), observe the brilliant campaign of a new restaurant opening in my neighborhood.

I've noticed some folks working in the storefront on the northeast corner of 100th Street and Lexington Avenue over the past few weeks without much curiosity, until last week, when they raised the hilarious banner pictured above, reading "WWW.NAMEOURPLACE.COM WIN $1,000."

But I didn't actually remember to check out NAMEOURPLACE.COM (despite the gratuitous caps lock) until I got the intriguing and curiously designed postcard pictured at right a few days later. In case you're a human who can't read the image, it says:

!!NAME OUR PLACE!!

A newborn burger bar & vegetarian place is opening on the corner of 100th St. & Lexington Ave. We want you to come up with the name and we will give you $1,000 Dollars.

WWW.NAMEOURPLACE.COM

Well. A burger bar and a vegetarian place, all in one restaurant! I had to see what that was about, so I strolled on over to nameourplace.com to find out more. Alas, aside from the same winning color scheme you see on the postcard, delightful money clip art, and the headline "HOLY HAMBURGER!" the website provides only more unanswered questions.

Do the restaurant's owners equate being "A new Burger Place and eco-friendly brand" with being vegetarian? Do they really think an identity that's "a high concept over cliché" can be had for a measly $1K? What is a "Burger Continental"? Burgers for breakfast? And who chose the Winnie-the-Pooh capitalization style as part of this high concept brand?

Anyway, I must say that for all my cheekiness, this marketing campaign has me hooked. I'm definitely going to check this place out when it opens—that is, if they at least offer veggie burgers as part of their "eco-friendly brand." I mean, how awesome does this dining experience sound:

Enjoy the experience of old fashion style, the warm colors and the lovely music in spanish harlem. You can sit on the bar and refresh yourself with a pint of beer while watching your burgers grilling or just sit in a table and sip your milk shake away. Try to be as creative as you can.

I mean, except for that last sentence. I think they're referring to the naming contest there, not your milkshake-sippin' style.