RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And our last word in business today is blue is the new black.
The Spanish village of Juzcar - like many places in Spain - was suffering from economic hard times. But then a stroke - or a paint stroke - of good luck.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
In 2011, Sony Pictures picked the little town of about 250 people to promote "The Smurfs 3D." Promoters painted the entire village, everything - from the church to the town hall - bright blue, just like those little cartoon creatures.
MONTAGNE: They promised to paint it back to its original hues, but then residents got used to the blue and the more than 200,000 tourists it drew. Visitors came to soak up the blue ambience and buy the Smurfy merchandise.
GREENE: The residents of Juzcar realized that being blue could be a good way to stay in the black, and so they voted not to repaint.
MONTAGNE: Yesterday, the village hosted a special showing of another Sony movie, "The Smurfs 2."
And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.
GREENE: And I'm David Greene. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.