Electric and hybrid vehicles are typically eco-iconic in their own right, but a new program from Ontario's Ministry of Transportation aims to give them additional recognition via special license plates as well.

The Canadian province hopes to have one out of every 20 vehicles driven in Ontario electrically powered by 2020. As part of that effort, it is encouraging the purchase and use of electric cars via several incentives. First, vehicles purchased after July 1, 2010, can qualify for rebates of between CDN 4,000 and CDN 10,000. Even more eco-iconic, however, is that drivers of such vehicles will be given special, green license plates from the province starting next year. Said license plates will qualify them to use Ontario's High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes until 2015, even if there is just one person in the vehicle; give them access to provincial recharging facilities; and allow them to use designated parking spots at the University of Toronto and private companies such as Wal-Mart Canada. Particularly interesting from a crowdsourcing perspective is that the province's green license plate design was chosen through public voting from among four competing alternatives.

If there's anything more gratifying than simply reaping the benefits of an environmentally friendly vehicle, it's having that ethical purchase decision recognized and rewarded, for all the world to see. How long before every DMV under the sun has its own version of the green license plate...?

Website: news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2009/11/new-green-licence-plate-selected-by-ontarians.html
Contact: nicole.lippa-gasparro@ontario.ca

Spotted by: Monica Watkins

It's no secret that cities love to promote Christmas shopping as a festive way to boost the local economy. What we hadn't yet spotted, however, was a city selling its very own holiday gift wrap, which is what Manchester is doing this season.

Created by graphic designer Peter Saville—whose work has graced the city since he designed for and directed Factory Records—the wrapping paper's vivid colours match Visit Manchester's multi-hued logo. Produced in a limited edition of 5,000 rolls, the gift wrap is sold for GBP 2,99 through Visit Manchester's online shop, as well as at the city's Tourist Information Centre, Manchester City Art Gallery’s shop, exhibition centre Urbis, Visit Manchester’s Christmas market stall, and—with a nod to Saville's musical roots—at local record store Vinyl Exchange.

It's an innovative launch by Manchester's city marketers, and one that their colleagues in other cities will no doubt follow next year ;-)

Website: www.visitmanchester.com
Contact: www.visitmanchester.com/contact_us.aspx

Spotted by: The Scout

Credit card debt is an all-too-familiar topic for all too many consumers. While the US government is working on its own solutions to that problem, Chase Card Services recently rolled out a new set of tools designed to help its customers manage their debt better.

Chase Blueprint offers free tools consumers can use to pay down balances, manage everyday spending and pay off major purchases. Going well beyond simply helping users analyze their spending, Blueprint is fully integrated into customers' accounts, enabling them to create customized payment plans—changeable without penalty—and track their progress on every statement, literally spelling out "sofa" or "new laptop". The offering's Full Pay feature, for example, allows customers to decide which expenses they want to pay in full every month and set those purchases aside so as to avoid interest charges by paying them in full each month. Blueprint's Finish It tool, meanwhile, gives customers the flexibility to create a plan to pay down their current balance faster, allowing them to choose a goal payoff date. Chase does the math, calculates the monthly payments, sets up the plan and charts customers’ progress toward achieving their goal on each monthly statement and online.

Available to the 20 million or so users of the Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire, Slate and Ink cards, the new Blueprint service is the result of a customer survey indicating that consumers want more control over their finances. Gordon Smith, CEO of Chase Card Services, explains: "Given today's economic environment, the kind of flexibility and control that Blueprint offers is especially important. Blueprint enhances Chase's partnership with our customers by helping them better manage their finances—setting them up for long-term success. This strengthens our relationship with our customers and helps make Chase their card of choice."

Indeed, with its focus on the challenges currently faced by many credit consumers, Blueprint is one part proactive perk and one part sympathy for those heavily burdened with debt. The lesson? Never forget that tough times are an opportunity to show you care!

Website: www.chase.com/blueprint
Contact: www.chase.com/ccp/index.jsp?pg_name=ccpmapp/shared/assets/page/email

In 2006, the US counted 37.3 million aged 65 or older. By 2030, the US Administration on Aging expects the number will have increased to 71.5 million. With this burgeoning market clearly in mind, Marbles: The Brain Store is urging the residents of Chicago to "outsmart their age" with a range of products to help maintain mental agility. The company has launched four retail outlets in the region in just over a year.

The stores offer over 200 products categorized by the brain function they target: memory, critical thinking, coordination, visual perception and word skills. Products range from books and board games, to puzzles and computer software, all of which, claims Marbles, are reviewed by a board of scientists, physicians, psychologists and therapists. The website bolsters their scientific pedigree with independent research showing ongoing mental activity can help prevent Alzheimers and a 'Brain Health Barometer' that customers can use to assess the state of their brain.

According to the Alzheimers Association, the number of worldwide sufferers is predicted to nearly double every 20 years. If Marbles' products can help plug mental holes, the company will fulfill a need in society as well as a gap in the market. The company isn't planning to franchise yet, but invites people to register their interest; product pitches are also welcome. (Related: Brain gyms for baby boomers — Health and wellness shop focuses on seniors.)

Website: www.marblesthebrainstore.com
Contact: info@marblesthebrainstore.com

Spotted by: Jonathan Pirc

We've seen several innovations at the intersection of wine and technology, including Aromicon's "virtual taste search engine," which we featured just last week. Dutch startup 94wines is now bringing a new technological twist to the table, so to speak, by offering a line of numbered and colour-coded wines that can be personalized with digital content.

Launched a week ago, 94wines offers a line of French wines in which each variety is indicated by a number and a bottle colour rather than a name linked to its maker, vintage or region. Consumers begin by taking a short quiz of six questions regarding their likes and dislikes. That, in turn, produces their personal WineID, which can then be used to guide their choices from among the company's series of wines. The use of numbers and colours makes wine preferences easy to remember, while personal ID profiles allow friends to see each other's preferences for gift-giving purposes.

Perhaps even more interesting, however, is that—much the way Enthusem allows consumers to create printed greeting cards with digital attachments—94wines customers can attach electronic content to any bottle of wine. Upon placing an order, they simply upload a text, photo or video file (one is allowed per bottle of wine), which 94wines stores on its server. 94wines then converts that content into a QR code, which it attaches to the bottle. (QR codes are included on all 94wines bottles, so if consumers don't upload their own content, the company includes a standard message instead.) Recipients can view the attached content using their mobile phone's camera or by entering the code at 94wines.com. There's also a free 94wines application for iPhones that includes an advanced QR reader along with the WineID test, an overview of the 94Wines assortment and the ability to view the profiles of friends. Per-bottle pricing at 94wines ranges between EUR 5.99 and EUR 9.99, with no extra charge for personalization.

Another shining example of the OFF=ON trend, 94wines currently delivers primarily within the Netherlands, with delivery elsewhere in Europe by request only. One to partner with or emulate for personalization-happy oenophiles in other parts of the world...? (Related: Wine tastings via Twitter — Selling wine by sms — Wine tastings, smart cards included.)

Website: www.94wines.com
Contact: info@94wines.com

Spotted by: Angelique Brinkman