Lunchmeat Underpants
New Stuff and Inspiration
Angry Voicemail
Next time a customer calls to complain, instead of cringing, thank them. It could be your next viral video. This one has almost 3 million hits on youtube.
Retail isn't dead. It's reincarnating.
State Farm says retail isn’t just for selling. They are using retail space as a platform for learning. The picture above is their new ‘Next Door’ Community Café in Chicago where they offer financial coaching, classes and community space. The public is invited to use the space for anything from teaching yoga classes to open mic nights. Here’s where the learning part comes in. While State Farm is helping people work toward their financial goals, they are also learning more about what consumers want and need, and how it can help. A research analyst is planted on site and tasked with turning observations into actionable insights for the company. Financial coaches use an iPad app designed to guide conversations with consumers toward a deeper understanding of their unmet needs. In qualitative research, recruiting is usually time-consuming and tricky. The ‘Next Door’ concept takes it right out of the equation.
You can learn more about the how retail is reincarnating in The Future of Retail, published by IDEO.
"Let's start with a poem."
I went to hear a talk with the founders of Nature’s Path last week, husband and wife, Arran and Ratana Stephens. The thing that struck me the most is that Arran started the talk by reciting a poem. And he concluded it by singing a song his father wrote. In the advertising world, that just doesn’t happen. Ever. Dozens of business books talk about brand ideals and core values. But when a CEO shape shifts into a traveling bard before your eyes, that speaks louder than a thousand flow charts on brand positioning by some MBA. For over an hour, he and Ratana bestowed the crowd with words of wisdom. Here are a few I scratched down:
“A success is a failure that never gave up.”
When a reporter asked Arran why he thought he had a chance to compete with the big cereal companies like Kellogg’s and General Mills, he replied with two questions of his own. “Have you heard of Goliath? Have you head of David?”
“If we abide by the bank’s covenants, we do so out of fear. If we abide by our own covenants, we do so out of pride.”
“She can make a nickel scream.”
“GMO stands for God Move Over.”
Hard to read?
“It’s tough when something simple becomes so hard, isn’t it?”
Great ads make you feel something. These ads, from the Brazilian Rehabilitation Society from Parana, make you feel frustration, lack of control, confusion and exhaustion. Along with a side serving of nausea from the color combinations. Intentional, of course. Simple and smart. Made by Guarda (Chuva). via Osocio
Paper cuts
We posted work from renowned paper sculptor Peter Callesen years back, and just happened to stumble across his site again today. There’s all sorts of new, and quite impressive work on there. Head over and take a spin around the site– you will be wowed by what you see.
Wax Tailor
We quite enjoy a good stop motion video, and this video for Wax Tailor‘s “Time to Go,” is a fun little piece. The track is from WT’s new album Dusty Rainbow from the Dark.
Interactive Lexus print ad
Pretty neato. Lexus is calling this “new technology” CinePrint, but it’s really just putting an iPad behind the print ad. Still, it’s one of the cooler automotive print ads we’ve seen in a while.
Hot tug
So, the name sounds a little dirty, we know, but the product is fantastic. Think combo tug boat and hot tub. Amazingness. See more on the site.
This should be a Friday post
You’re hands are busy, you’re doing things, but you have a beer and you don’t know where to set it. Well, thank God, now you can use your belt buckle. Check out The Beer Buckle. It’s the next Snuggie.
Our new transportation to work:
Pretty cool concept- we hope their kickstarter works for them and soon we’ll all be tooling around on these bad boys. They’re green, and FUN.