Archive for December, 2007
Posted by: in Uncategorized
 In a bizarre move, the United Nations is partnering with Marvel Comics (creators of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and more) to create a comic book set in a fictional war-torn country where superheroes will work with the U.N. to save the day. I’m not joking.
This is not the first time superheroes have been used as propaganda tools. According to MSNBC, superheroes were used frequently in World War II propaganda when, “superheroes were shown taking on Germany’s Nazi regime. Marvel’s Captain America, together with other characters such as Superman, were shown beating up Adolf Hitler.”
The U.N. says the comic books are meant to instruct children, “the value of international cooperation and sensitize them to problems faced in other parts of the world.”
The comic book will be distributed for free to 1 million schoolchildren in the United Says. Once the new Justice League of the U.N. and superheroes works their magic on U.S. schoolchildren, they’ll be called upon to influence kids in other parts of the world through comic book versions translated first into French then other languages.
What’s next? Will the U.N. will start doing air drops of their propaganda comic books? Is it just me who thinks this is the strangest move the U.N. could possibly make to improve their image? I can see the tagline now, “Don’t make the U.N. angry. You wouldn’t enjoy it when it’s angry.”
What do you think? A waste of time, energy and money or a brilliant, out-of-the-box branding tactic? Obviously, my vote goes to the former.
Share This
Share This
 No Comments »
Posted by: in General News
 San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will be the first U.S. utility to purchase electricity generated by wave power. PG&E’s new contract will use electricity in its new contract would come from a wave project planned by Canada’s Finavera Renewables Inc. for the waters off the coast of Northern California’s Humboldt County, according to the LA Times.
The PG&E Corp. subsidiary said power from the 15-year deal would be delivered beginning in 2010 and would provide a relatively meager boost to the grid — just 2 megawatts, or enough to power about 1,500 homes. But the company said the power deal was a significant milestone for a promising technology that could be a major source of renewable energy for the state. - LA Times
The move by PG&E to embrace this emerging technology shows that the market is there for innovative renewables. In California, new laws require utilities to obtain 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010. Wave power has the potential to capture more energy in less space than wind and solar power systems.
Finavera’s “wave park” would include eight bobbing buoys set up roughly 2 1/2 miles off shore from Eureka, Calif. The up-and-down motion of the Pacific Ocean would power a pump that creates electricity, which would be delivered to a PG&E substation via an underwater transmission cable. - LA Times
There are still concerns about the impact of this technology on the region’s fishing industry, wildlife and outdoor recreation but Finavera has been conducting tests off the coast of Oregon and is involved with wave energy projects in Portugal, Canada, the United Says and South Africa.
You can check the launch of Finavera’s Aquabouy 2.0 Wave Power Generator over at Inhabitat.
See how it works (Finavera Renewables video)…
Via LA Times
Share This
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Posted by: in General News
San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will be the first U.S. utility to buy electricity generated by wave power. PG&E’s new contract will use electricity in its new contract would come from a wave project planned by Canada’s Finavera Renewables Inc. for the waters off the coast of Northern California’s Humboldt County, according to the LA Times.
The PG&E Corp. subsidiary said power from the 15-year deal would be delivered beginning in 2010 and would provide a relatively meager boost to the grid — just 2 megawatts, or enough to power about 1,500 homes. But the company stated the power deal was a significant milestone for a promising technology that could be a major source of renewable energy for the say. - LA Times
The move by PG&E to embrace this emerging technology shows that the market is there for innovative renewables. In California, new laws require utilities to obtain 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010. Wave power has the potential to capture more energy in less space than wind and solar power systems.
Finavera’s “wave park” would include eight bobbing buoys set up roughly 2 1/2 miles off shore from Eureka, Calif. The up-and-down motion of the Pacific Ocean would power a pump that creates electricity, which would be delivered to a PG&E substation via an underwater transmission cable. - LA Times
There are still concerns about the impact of this technology on the region’s fishing industry, wildlife and outdoor recreation but Finavera has been conducting tests off the coast of Oregon and is involved with wave energy projects in Portugal, Canada, the United Says and South Africa.
You can check the launch of Finavera’s Aquabouy 2.0 Wave Power Generator over at Inhabitat.
See how it works (Finavera Renewables video)…
Via LA Times
Share This
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Posted by: in General News
Think the green market is dominated by youth? Think again. A survey from AARP and Focalyst has found that forty million boomers are thinking about the environment when it comes to brand selection:
The green thing isn’t just for kids… a new report out from AARP Services and Focalyst on boomers and how social consciousness is alive and kicking when it comes to how they spend their money. According to the survey results 40-million boomers vote with their wallets and buy environmentally safe brands. Referred to as “Green Boomers,” this large segment is often more demanding of quality in the products and services they buy, more attuned to advertising, both positively and negatively, and exhibit higher brand loyalty than other boomers. - Jill Greenburg, AARP
Boomers have a significant impact on today’s ever-greening economy with consumer behaviors that include buying organic foods, locally produced goods, using energy-efficient fixtures, investing in renewable energy and contributing to community efforts for the environment. And it’s not just wealthy boomers…
What’s driving the trend? It’s likely a combination of factors but one thing is certain, the trend is growing. And with more than half of the 79 million boomers on board with environmentally responsible spending they represent a huge part of the green economy. Perhaps it’s just true that with age comes wisdom and going green just makes sense.
More:
Via EL
*In another study, Focalyst found that more than 80 percent of baby boomers are online…New Study Shows Baby Boomers are Online (PDF)
Share This
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Posted by: in Uncategorized
 Snapple is introducing a new logo and package design. The whimsical brand that held a special place in consumers’ hearts is being refurbished, and a new high-class logo and package design provide the first tangible evidence of this branding about-face.
I’ve to agree with Armin from the Brand New blog in that the new logo and design are modern and clean. Had they launched for a brand other than Snapple, I may not have a problem with them, but the new look just doesn’t seem to fit the Snapple brand image.
For me, the Snapple brand has always seemed to represent the anti-corporate drink for people who were “too cool to drink some other brand.” In fact, over the years, Snapple became a cult brand with a strong and loyal following. Introducing a new logo and package design that screams upper-crust as opposed to against-the-grain doesn’t seem to be an appropriate fit.
I can’t image the new logo and package design will injured Snapple sales significantly, but I do think it will confuse loyal customers in terms of their established expectations for the brand.
What do you think of the new Snapple logo and package design? Do they seem like an effective representation of the brand’s existing image or do feel a disconnect?
Share This
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Posted by: admin in Today
Australian shares outlook - Higher after Wall Street finishes flat - CNNMoney.com
|
No Comments »
Posted by: in General News
As an environmental journalist I often find myself writing about ideas or projects that I know will become the focus of scrutiny and criticism. These articles get a stream of passionate comments. That’s not possible! they’ll state or It will never work! What are they thinking?
But I write about them anyway.
I do this not because I’m oblivious to the possibility that these ideas might fail in the real world or because I lack adequate knowledge about what makes a project feasible. I write because in the new ideas, in the new projects and in the new visions are the makings of success, no matter how many ‘failures’ these endeavors may find along the path.
I’ve never met a successful business person who has never failed. Starting a business is at best an educated bet and at worst a tough learning experience. It’s also what I would call a win-win because even in failure, something is gained by the wise. The truth is that in business, as in life, it’s better to try, even when failure is an option.
Failure is always a possibility. But allowing this to deter you from pursuing your dreams or from starting a business or from presenting an idea is in itself a failure of a much larger scale. It is with that belief that I write about new ideas, no matter how absurd or far-fetched they might seem, because it’s not the critic who counts but those who face failure as only one of many possible outcomes.
As part of the ongoing b5media Apprentice Challenge the remaining b5 biz bloggers have been asked What one blog post or article might I advocate to our small business owner, Kay, that’ll help her move forward at this point? My answer is There is No Effort Without Error and Shortcoming.
______________________________________________________________
*The b5media “Apprentice Challenge” is in its final weeks…check out the great blogs who are still in the running: Record-keeping Solver, Biz Chicks Rule, Greener Assets, Leadership Turn, Small Business Boomers, Successful Blog, Yielding Wealth, Home Biz Notes
Share This
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Posted by: admin in Today
LANCASHIRE HOLDINGS Investor Day - Final - Insurance News Net (press release)
|
No Comments »
Posted by: in General News
 The holidays are about giving and when this is applied in a business setting the collective results can make a world of difference. If you are wondering how to give back from the success of your business think about 1% For The Planet, a growing network of companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of over 1,500 environmental organizations worldwide.
There are over 600 members in the United Says alone including Via Viva, Totally Organic, Purely Shea, N’East Magazine, Native Energy and many more great companies and individuals.
How it works: Members of 1% For The Planet can contribute 1% of sales to any of the environmental organizations listed on the internet site. Member companies donate directly to their desired nonprofits—not through 1% FTP. We do this to encourage independent, personal relationships between member companies and the groups they support. These relationships are a real positive for businesses, enabling them to get involved and affect change firsthand.
Why give? In the words of playwrite Thornton Wilder: “Money, if you’ll pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless you spread it around encouraging young things to grow.” And that’s the idea of 1% FTP, to help good things grow by encouraging corporate giving.
The list of non-profits is growing steadily but today include important organizations like Worldwatch Institute, World Wildlife Fund, Wild Aid, The Sierra Fund and The Nature Conservancy, among many others.
This holiday season, and throughout the year, think about giving 1% For The Planet to make it go around for the environment and keep the earth in business.
Share This
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
|
| |
Entries (RSS)