Compostmodern

GREEN SALON #3 / COMPOSTMODERN

Last month I went down to San Francisco to go to AIGA’s Compostmodern event. It was an enriching trip. I heard some great talks from amazing speakers like Saul Griffith, Ph.D., Allan Chochinov, Emily Pilloton, and Dawn Danby and even got to speak with some of them one on one. On April 8th I have been collaborating with others in the AIGA to put together our third Green Salon where we will be showing via webcasts these speakers once again. Not only that but we got a tremendous opportunity to have Algalita Marine Research speak at the event. Have you ever heard of the Island of Trash? Check out this video.

Eating our trash?

Please come to the event next week if are intrigued. It will be interesting, informative and entertaining. Click here to register. I would love to see you there.

Clean Coal

The World Without Us

I just finished a great book called The World Without Us by Alan Weisman http://www.worldwithoutus.com/index2.html

While this book is not directed at the sustainability movement, it includes a great deal of the information and data that supports the effort. It brings to light how much we as humans have effected the planet and how long lasting our effects will be on the earth if we were suddenly removed from its’ surface. There are passages in the book that are beautifully moving with detail and imagination about what the world will look like without us.

“As pavement separates, weeds like mustard, shamrock, and goosegrass blow in from Central Park and work their way down the new cracks, which widen further. In the current world, before they get too far, city maintenance usually shows up, kills the weeds, and fills the fissures. But in the post-people world, there’s no one left to continually patch New York. The weeds are followed by the city’s most prolific exotic species, the Chinese ailanthus tree. Even with 8 million people around, ailanthus—otherwise innocently known as the tree-of-heaven—are implacable invaders capable of rooting in tiny chinks in the subway tunnels, unnoticed until their spreading leaf canopies start poking from sidewalk grates.” Alan Weisman

The book introduced a few new things to me like the island of trash in the pacific and the planned nuclear waste storage center in Nevada. Another concept that it cleared up for me was clean coal. The name itself seemed counter intuitative when I heard it for the first time. Clean coal? Really? The way Alan Weisman describes it, it proves to be counter productive and putting off the inevitable. Clean coal does not change our need to move away from the carbon it produces. We cannot hide the waste beneath the carpet so we look better. The new ads the Coen brothers put together for Reality Coalition has the right take on this problem.

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Pepsi

You have probably seen this document before, but I find it fascinating. There was a supposed leak of Pepsi’s ideation document supporting their new logo. Pepsi spent millions of dollars on their re-brand and it looks like the Arnell Group spent a huge sum of it to come up with this document. Attached is the document.

pepsi_gravitational_field

At first I thought it was a joke. As I read the document, I realized it was not a hoax, but completely misdirected. It is amazing the amount of time and energy that went into this document to sell the idea of Pepsi’s new logo. The Arnell Group used this to deliver an ego boost to the Pepsi executives so they could be justified on the money they spent for the logo. The general public was never meant to see this document and it is a shame that it has.

While I’m not much of a soda drinker, I was beginning to think that Pepsi did a good job with the re-brand. I did not think (like most) that the logo was designed to mimic Obama’s logo. The similarities are few and far between. I’m also not sure it is better than their former logo. What I did think they did a good job with was the packaging. It is simple and clean, causing it to stand out in the visual chaos of the soda pop aisle. For once, I thought Pepsi was not following in the tracks of Coca-Cola.

Now all I can think about is how egocentric and out of left field this logo is. Maybe Pepsi can do something to change my mind in the future. It is going to take a great deal to overcome my feelings about them, because as it goes in branding:

Perception > Behavior > Reality.

The Long Tail Brand

There is a lot we can learn from the success of internet based companies. One concept in particular, applies well to creating a strong brand, the Long Tail. The Long Tail is a phrase coined by Chris Anderson in October 2004 in Wired magazine (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html). It is created by a market of unique products. These products do not appeal to masses but instead to distinct tastes. What makes them distinct also makes them different. Differentiation is pivotal to creating successful brands. By creating companies and products in the Long Tail you have already solved one of the challenges of creating a strong brand. Here is some background information on the Long Tail from wikipedia:

The Long Tail

“The concept of a frequency distribution with a long tail — the concept at the root of Anderson’s coinage — has been studied by statisticians since at least 1946.^[2] The distribution and inventory costs of these businesses allow them to realize significant profit out of selling small volumes of hard-to-find items to many customers, instead of only selling large volumes of a reduced number of popular items. The group that purchases a large number of “non-hit” items is the demographic called the Long Tail.” To read more go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Tail

As individuals in society we are looking to find networks where people have the similar tastes, values and shared experiences. We want to to be a part of a community united by common thoughts where we feel ourselves, and have the freedom to be ourselves. As these unique ideas, thoughts and tastes become popular they pull away from the Long Tail and land themselves in the masses. Individuals following these ideas, thoughts and tastes become lost and no longer feel unique and part of their own community.

This is where the great long lasting brands step in. Brands like Apple manage to straddle the Long Tail and the masses very well. Apple appeals to individuals that have tastes similar to Apple’s brand and business approach, like the design industry (the Long Tail and long term buyer). Apple also uses product innovation like the iPod, to appeal to a mass audience (one hit wonder).  At the same time, they have not alienated or lost either market. Quality, innovation and design becomes the great equalizer. Brands that actively and visibly communicate their desired qualities have a much better chance of succeeding no matter where they start on the tail.

“As they wander further from the beaten path they discover their taste is not as mainstream as they thought, or as they had been lead to believe by marketing, a lack of alternatives, and a hit-driven culture” Chris Anderson

Our networks that are gathering are creating their own markets that do not pertain to the mainstream. As companies realize the can make money on these smaller markets they will increase spending in the Long Tail. In the physical retail space people want one-stop shopping Wal-Mart style. It is lower value and they can live without the perfect fit for the sake of convenience. The opposite is true of the internet world. It is already seen as convenient and more personal. You can always find what you want. This combined with our economic climate and the sustainability movement will cause the physical retail world to react. Will we see the Wal-Marts disappear? Doubtful, rural areas have become dependent on them like the general stores of old. But we could see urban areas revitalize the butcher, baker and candlestick maker in a similar vein. In our information age, local companies and products can begin to tailor to the Long Tail interests. If they are communicating their brand well, they can build success on the local level but also interest on a global scale. There are some great opportunities for companies that appeal to a smaller niche that have never existed before.

Gas is Winning People Back

This article from The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/01/green-revolution-slows has an interesting outlook to the green movement in 2009. As hurt as we all were by the high gas prices of last Summer, people are quickly jumping off the renewable energy band wagon for the current low gas prices. It is no wonder big oil have been sucessfull for so long. People are willing to abadon new ideas for the quick and easy solution We paid upwards of $4 a gallon during the summer. Out of that frustration, momentum towards alternative energy grew. People changed their habits so as not to hurt their pocket books. Those habits and ideas are quickly forgotten when there is an easier and cheaper alternative. As nice as it is to have these lower gas prices I hope it does not last.

Green Washing

We all know how much green washing has infiltrated our lives. You see it everywhere. Businesses are using marketing and branding techniques to capture the “green” audience and make a profit. All in the name of the environment and sustainability. In the end these businesses will only hurt themselves for the quick buck. What these businesses fail to understand is that the socially conscious consumer might purchase their product or services once based on trust. If the consumer’s trust is not reinforced they will not only lose that customer, but that customer will also tell all their peers and friends.

A great example of this is a deli and coffee shop in Downtown Seattle. In the last year they recently re-branded their look (which worked perfectly well to the begin with) to appear green. They changed their colors from yellow, red and black to shades of green and incorporated a leaf into their logo. I had never eaten there, but had noticed these changes from the outside. They are well known for their roast beef french-dip style sandwich. I had some extra time one day between appointments and decided to get a drink and a snack. They had a nice space and I enjoyed a comfy few minutes before moving on to my next appointment. As I left, I looked for a recycling bin to leave my glass bottle. I could not find any form of recycling anywhere. I took the bottle with me to recycle elsewhere.

How could an establishment that claims to be “green” not offer recycling? I have not researched their food or business practices. They might be doing something tremendous for the environment that far outweighs recycling. In the end it does not matter. What matters is how you present yourself and how you follow through with your actions. This is how we judge companies and organizations. You tell us what you are about. We try your product or service. If it does not match with what you presented to us, then you have broken your promise to us.

This deli did not need to change their approach in branding. They are well known for a particular product. If anything, they should utilize the recognition they have and promote their great product even more. Promise what you do best. This will gain your customer’s trust. Once you have their trust you can reinforce it with other messages. The trust circle will grow greater with everything your organization does. Consumers like to buy things that support their tastes and beliefs and gravitate towards companies that promote these things. If you organization believes in sustainability or being green, you better make sure to back it up. Examine everything you do with green goggles. The companies that do this honestly will be the companies that grow and flourish. They are building from a foundation of trust created by promises that can be delivered upon.

Green washing will not last because it is not a sound business decision. In today’s time you cannot survive on tricks, gadgets and manipulations. Stick to talking about your business honestly. Then you will not need to lie or promote wishful thinking.

Mini Cabrio Brand Innovation

Innovation is a key component to creating a successful brand. This can done in different ways. A company’s product could be innovative and create a market place for itself like Google. A company’s marketing and communications could be innovative like Nike’s Just Do It campaign. Nike’s campaign changed how we interact with brands. This Mini Cooper ad below, incorporating web and print, is an example of great brand innovation.

All the components are technology that most people have access to, but they are putting them together in a brand new way. If you like this hands-on experience with their car would you not be more likely to buy it? They are attracting not only car lovers but technology and design aficionados, and generally cutting edge people. What a wonderful association for your brand.

Original source is from AdGrabber. http://www.adgabber.com/video/print-ad-puts-3d-cabrio-in

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The Wumps in Us.

Cover of The Wump World by Bill Peet

I am sure you are curious about the name of this blog. A few of you might know the children’s book “The Wump World” by Bill Peet. I was lucky enough to read this book when I was a teenager. I instantly fell in love with it. It quantified my own feelings about environmentalism at the time in a grandiose way. As most teenagers, I was drawn to the dramatic. I now read this book to my kids and they love it.

It tells the story of a small simple planet called Wump World. The only occupants, the Wumps, are a species of hooved and happy animals whose routine consists of eating grass, drinking stream water and experiencing lazy days. The conflict arises when a fleet of space ships touch down. Out step blue aliens that proclaim ownership of the planet. These aliens are the Pollutians. They have lost their own planet to their industrious and destructive nature and had to find a new home.

You can guess where the story goes from here. The Pollutians build their new empire as the Wumps hide underground.  They destroy Wump World and leave after finding another planet to inhabit. The innocent Wumps return to the surface only to be devastated by it’s condition. There is hope in the end. The Wumps discover a small plot of park and the green begins to push through the concrete jungle.

This is a great story on so many great levels. It is told so that even a young child understands it. As humans we are not that far from the self-indulged, industrious and all consuming Pollutians. We can also empathize for the defenseless Wumps and the destruction that has been done to their habitat. In the end it is not as simple to say the Pollutians are evil and the Wumps are good. The Wumps went into hiding before the Pollutians can see them or connect with them. They do not know they are hurting the Wumps at all. Would they care if they knew? Who knows, but both sides could have benefited from the confrontation.

As humanity, we must make decisions that fall between these two extremes. We should not be wasteful consumerists, but also cannot be blanketed in innocent ignorance of righteousness. We have to find ways to be industrious for the benefit of ourselves and our world. Let’s use or industrious nature to create innovation. With better solutions, we build awareness and a belief system supported by our individual communities.

This blog will use Wump World as an inspiration. I will talk about branding and how it relates to developing your business and personal brand. What business are you in and does it fit with your ideals as a person. Does it effect your world and community? I will discuss design and communicating your brand through images and messages in a sustainable way. I will also post on other intriguing news and thoughts about sustainability and social responsibility. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to let me know one way or another.

Corbet