Sidewalk Life

Nothing For Sale

This marketing idea reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when George and Jerry pitch their idea to NBC: a show about nothing. 

Of course, the show never really was about nothing.  And neither is this cleaning product from Arm & Hammer.  The tiny bottle shrink-wrapped to the big one is filled with liquid concentrate cleaning agent.  (The big one in the picture is empty). The user adds his own water from home.

This is a good idea actually.  But it is a bit startling to see an empty bottle for sale on the retail shelf.  And more shocking to see how little cleaning agent is actually used in detergent. It makes you think about how much water we are shipping around the world at huge expense and environmental cost. I imagine this is an interim packaging solution for Arm & Hammer.  Putting the tiny bottle of concentrate on the shelves by itself might be a bit too big of a leap for consumers to make. 

Better to condition them that changes are coming and gradually make them more comfortable with buying less. There is also a practical reason to sell the big empty bottle along with it.  Most people buy a new bottle after they've thrown out the old one.  So if you did want to buy the concentrate you'd need to have saved your old bottle at home before heading to the store.

Last Years Model

I really like the idea of going against throwaway gadget culture. 

I'm not sure I like the idea of trying to make it cool.  Seems slightly hypocritical. 

Build a Supermarket out of Straw and Sheep

The folks at Tesco are planning to build a one-of-a-kind store in Slovakia out of sheep's wool, wood and straw. 

Let's hope they don't get a visit from the three little pigs.

Story found over at Evolving Choice.

If you can't recycle, upcycle

We talk about transparency and honesty as cornerstones of marketing in the 21st century.  Bear Naked has a new program that seems to fulfill those criteria, plus a couple more.

The granola pack cannot be recycled, but they ask you to save the bag and 'upcycle' it through their sustainable packaging project.  Their partner Terracycle turns the packaging into new products (like a shower curtain) and extends the life the granola pack keeping it out of landfill.  They are even willing to reward you for your efforts with a free t-shirt or shopping bag (for a $5 shipping & handling fee of course).

As their website says:

Over 10MM Bear Naked packages ended up in landfills last year.

In order to maintain the freshness and quality of our products without using artificial preservatives, the Bear Naked packaging is made from a multi-layered film that can not be recycled. But with your help, we are working towards reducing the number of bags that end up in landfills by collecting them from you and repurposing them into unique accessories and 'upcycled' products like umbrellas, shower curtains, and tote bags.

This ability to be simultaneously transparent about the negative side of their packaging, reinforce why their product tastes so fresh AND provide and incentive for the customer to help recycle damaging bags is quite an achievement.

Makes me like the granola even more.

The Story of Stuff

Annie Leonard breaks down the disposable society is this great video.  She explains how in "the materials economy" stuff is produced, disposed of and what happens in between.  Really educational and wonderfully illustrated.

A few key points she makes:

• you cannot run a linear system on a finite planet, indefinitely
• we are running out of resources, we're using too much stuff
• only 1% of the materials we use to produce stuff are still in use in 6 months after their sale date
• if everybody consumed at the rate of the US, we'd need four or five planets to sustain us
• each American produces 4.5 pounds of garbage per day

Here's her take on the purpose of advertising:

Hyundai Assures You You're OK

This is a really clever marketing idea from Hyundai - reduce the 'fear of what might happen' consumers are feeling in this market by offering a no-worries guarantee that you won't be stuck with bills you can't afford.  

Plus, The Hyundai Assurance program creates the added benefit for Hyundai of appearing like a company who cares.  As more people are concerned about the company behind the brand, Hyundai comes off as fair and decent company, earning them more credibility, status and probably customers in the long run.

I'm sure the offer is motivated by some hidden benefit like the industry struggle to keep cars moving off the lot even at a loss just to keep the factories going and prevent even more significant losses.  But it's still clever marketing.

Muji says 'Enough'

This message comes from Muji.com.  I don't know whether Muji has been reading The Underachievers Manifesto or Bill McKibben, but they certainly are saying something that is out of character for a retailer.  Page down on the Muji site and you'll see the rest of the message.

This is a different idea about "growth."  Finding satisfaction in restraint and compromise instead of "more" is straight out of McKibben's book Deep Economy.  If Muji really is taking a stance against consumerism (and it does seem consistent with their no label brand, but hard to believe coming from a retailer) this makes them a very early adopter of this new vision toward a sustainable economy and very unique in the market. 

Slow Money

Woody Tasch believes he knows why we're in this economic and environmental mess: investing today is too detached from our daily lives. 

“We live in a world of ever-depleting resources. Money is no longer the currency. Air and water and soil are the currencies of our future." 

Slow Money is not just a challenge to the Fast Money expectations of Wall St. and the investor class, but by investing in local, sustainable agriculture, he aims to reconnect people to their money, their food and the earth. 

His Slow Money investment approach promises only modest returns of 4-8%.  But the point is far richer.  It's to change the "cultural, industrial and economic systems that accelerate things like climate change or the mortgage-related debt crisis."  He envisions a new economy built on responsibility, environmental stewardship, and social good.

I don't know if investors will accept lower rates of return.  But I do know that ethics are increasingly important in people's buying decisions and that questions are being asked about the companies they invest with.