Huxley Quayle von Blog

This is what creativity is all about.

I came across Ferenc Cako a while ago. Here is a live performance from Seoul. Spellbinding video to watch. This should get just about anybody's creative juices flowing.

Enjoy.

A great way to spend 2 minutes

I ran across this site, www.twenty120.com.

What you'll find is a really cool collection of two minute short films from avant-guarde directors. Lots of creative inspiration here.

My fav is Mother's Day, by David Lobser.
 

Who would have thought selling people something they can get for free would be so huge?

We read this last week on the Fast Company website and thought it was an incredibly interesting look at the bottled water market and the power of branding in general. 

Message in a Bottle

Wednesday, 21 November 2007 

Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on ipods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. A journey into the economics--and psychology--of an unlikely business boom. And what it says about our culture of indulgence. 

The largest bottled-water factory in North America is located on the outskirts of Hollis, Maine. In the back of the plant stretches the staging area for finished product: 24 million bottles of Poland Spring water. As far as the eye can see, there are double-stacked pallets packed with half-pint bottles, half-liters, liters, "Aquapods" for school lunches, and 2.5-gallon jugs for the refrigerator. 

Read the whole article at Fast Company

Some really cool animation.

How long before we see this in an ad? I bet two months.
MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

An interesting take on consumer choice.

Barry Schwartz, speaking at the TED conference, argues that in today's world we have too much choice. He goes on to argue that the insane number of choices we have in just about everything we do and buy, has led to less satisfaction, not more. What can brands do about this? As we see it, creating a strong brand can help decrease the amount of choice people have, and therefore give them more satisfaction. After all, even though there are numerous MP3 players on the market, is there really any choice outside an iPod? Anyway, it's an entertaining talk.

 

Eco Labels affect consumer purchase

Eco-labels Impact Consumer Behavior

by: David Wigder

Eco-labels influence consumer behavior in two ways. First, they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale. Second, they enable consumers to comparison shop based on green. Over the past few years, there have been many new eco-labels launched by governments, manufacturers and retailers. Many of these labels are listed on Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices site.

Interestingly, the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Databasereport determined that not all eco-labels have the same impact. In fact, consumers indicate that they are more likely to make eco-friendly purchase decisions if the eco-labels are also widely recognized and trusted brands in of themselves. Familiar labels for programs like the EPA’s Energy Star have a more significant influence on consumer behavior than others.

While such a finding reinforces the value of eco-labels, it does challenge the notion that CPG companies and retailers should necessarily launch proprietary labels to differentiate themselves on green.

Like all brands, eco-labels take significant time and resources to build. Moreover, given the sensitivities regarding greenwashing, for-profit entities may have to overcome a higher hurdle than government or a non-profit organization given the appearance of conflict if proprietary labels adorn their own products.

 

As such, Marketing Green recommends that product companies and retailers focus on disclosing product information about environmental impact to differentiate themselves in the market rather than trying to define new green labels. Disclosures provide consumers with information that can inform purchase decisions rather than certify a product’s greenness. This is what HP has done with its launch of Eco Highlights labels on its products.

Marketing Green also recommends that retailers simultaneously push for industry-wide labels. While some retailers may consider proprietary labels as a competitive differentiator, it is likely that broadly recognized labels will accelerate consumer adoption while reduce the cost to support them. 

 

Moreover, retailers should differentiate themselves by sourcing more green products. Arguably, this is one of Wal-Mart’s strategic priorities today. Greater variety combined with recognized eco-labels will likely drive more sales as well as consumer loyalty.  In the end, this approach is likely to have more impact for both business and the environment.

by: David Wigder

Eco-labels influence consumer behavior in two ways. First, they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale. Second, they enable consumers to comparison shop based on green. Over the past few years, there have been many new eco-labels launched by governments, manufacturers and retailers. Many of these labels are listed on Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices site.

Interestingly, the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Databasereport determined that not all eco-labels have the same impact. In fact, consumers indicate that they are more likely to make eco-friendly purchase decisions if the eco-labels are also widely recognized and trusted brands in of themselves. Familiar labels for programs like the EPA’s Energy Star have a more significant influence on consumer behavior than others.

While such a finding reinforces the value of eco-labels, it does challenge the notion that CPG companies and retailers should necessarily launch proprietary labels to differentiate themselves on green.

Like all brands, eco-labels take significant time and resources to build. Moreover, given the sensitivities regarding greenwashing, for-profit entities may have to overcome a higher hurdle than government or a non-profit organization given the appearance of conflict if proprietary labels adorn their own products.

 

As such, Marketing Green recommends that product companies and retailers focus on disclosing product information about environmental impact to differentiate themselves in the market rather than trying to define new green labels. Disclosures provide consumers with information that can inform purchase decisions rather than certify a product’s greenness. This is what HP has done with its launch of Eco Highlights labels on its products.

Marketing Green also recommends that retailers simultaneously push for industry-wide labels. While some retailers may consider proprietary labels as a competitive differentiator, it is likely that broadly recognized labels will accelerate consumer adoption while reduce the cost to support them. 

 

Moreover, retailers should differentiate themselves by sourcing more green products. Arguably, this is one of Wal-Mart’s strategic priorities today. Greater variety combined with recognized eco-labels will likely drive more sales as well as consumer loyalty.  In the end, this approach is likely to have more impact for both business and the environment.

by: David Wigder

Eco-labels influence consumer behavior in two ways. First, they introduce green as a considered attribute at the point of sale. Second, they enable consumers to comparison shop based on green. Over the past few years, there have been many new eco-labels launched by governments, manufacturers and retailers. Many of these labels are listed on Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices site.

Interestingly, the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2007 LOHAS Consumer Trends Databasereport determined that not all eco-labels have the same impact. In fact, consumers indicate that they are more likely to make eco-friendly purchase decisions if the eco-labels are also widely recognized and trusted brands in of themselves. Familiar labels for programs like the EPA’s Energy Star have a more significant influence on consumer behavior than others.

While such a finding reinforces the value of eco-labels, it does challenge the notion that CPG companies and retailers should necessarily launch proprietary labels to differentiate themselves on green.

Like all brands, eco-labels take significant time and resources to build. Moreover, given the sensitivities regarding greenwashing, for-profit entities may have to overcome a higher hurdle than government or a non-profit organization given the appearance of conflict if proprietary labels adorn their own products.

 

As such, Marketing Green recommends that product companies and retailers focus on disclosing product information about environmental impact to differentiate themselves in the market rather than trying to define new green labels. Disclosures provide consumers with information that can inform purchase decisions rather than certify a product’s greenness. This is what HP has done with its launch of Eco Highlights labels on its products.

Marketing Green also recommends that retailers simultaneously push for industry-wide labels. While some retailers may consider proprietary labels as a competitive differentiator, it is likely that broadly recognized labels will accelerate consumer adoption while reduce the cost to support them. 

 

Moreover, retailers should differentiate themselves by sourcing more green products. Arguably, this is one of Wal-Mart’s strategic priorities today. Greater variety combined with recognized eco-labels will likely drive more sales as well as consumer loyalty.  In the end, this approach is likely to have more impact for both business and the environment.

The Shock Doctorine

A provocative short film by the authojr of No Logo, Naomi Klein. Watching it, one can't help but wonder if new technologies aren't having a shocking effect on the ad industry, with clients and agencies willing to listen to anyone who shouts out "social media"!

It also leaves the question open about whether one could shock a community of people, a target audience in old world agency terms, in order to change their perceptions about an issue or brand.

Have a watch.

Want to weather the recession? Think old.

Boomers ready to spend: Ipsos Reid
by Terry Poulton
Dodgy economy notwithstanding, boomer-age Canadians are ready, willing and - as the country's wealthiest demo - able to spend their money.

That's the clear message of an Ipsos Reid survey set for release today at the 2008 conference of the Canadian Newspaper Association and Canadian Community Newspapers Association, says Ipsos SVP of public Affairs John Wright. "The research shows that at a time of ever gloomier economic forecasts, this is a group that needs to be reached out to, as it represents tremendous potential for growth."

But there's a downside. The survey of 1,980 Canadian adults aged 44-62 - one of the largest polling samples of this demographic in recent years - found that while eight in 10 boomers self-identify as having "big buying power," four in 10 feel advertisers ignore them.

Wright agrees with the respondents' complaint. "For decades, advertisers have chased younger audiences to gain loyalty and market share," he notes. "In today's economic conditions they might be better off to refocus on a group that combines maturity with money and a desire to spend it."

CNA president/CEO Anne Kothawala is on the same page: "Clearly, there's a disconnect between who advertisers think they should be marketing to and who actually has the resources and intention to spend. In other words, fistfuls of ad dollars are missing the boat."

According to the Ipsos Reid survey, taking a vacation (39%) tops the list of boomers' spending priorities in the next 12 months, followed by purchasing home electronics (35%), furniture (31%), mutual funds or investments (31%), appliances (24%), a car (23%) and a computer (23%).

Cool bike. Cool music.

I found this on Cool Hunting website. A neat video about Simon Pace, drummer for Blonde Redhead and his love of Moto Guzzi bikes and design.

Great song too.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1426749166/bclid1428686961/bctid1428676019

Yet another to make HQvB insanely successful.

In celebration of the M1's 30th anniversary, BMW quietly introduced a new model at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este last weekend. An aggressive, low-profile sports car, aspects of the design hark back to the original M1.

I've been driving BMWs for over 10 years, so I love the brand. But holy hell, this takes it to another level.