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February 11, 2009

Lucky Seven makes custom caps that bear the logos of fictional companies featured in cult films and television shows. Founder Jay Jay Burridge is a self-proclaimed seventies kid, who spent much of his childhood wearing a Star Wars cap. Burridge, who is an artist by trade, founded the London-based company as a hobby, and turned it into a successful online business.

Lucky Seven's caps are all made to order. On the company’s website, customers are invited to design their own caps by choosing either a mesh or army style cap, a colour combination from an extensive palate, style of captain's laurels, and the preferred fictional company's crest. Want to declare your loyalty to the promise and opportunity of Blade Runner's Off World Colonies? Done. Prefer people to think you shot J.R. because of your Ewing Oil cap? No problem. Every order is shipped in a Lucky Seven hat box, and caps are priced at GBP 30.

The company has cleverly focused on a very narrow niche—not just customized caps, or accessories featured in movies, but caps with logos of fictional yet memorable entities. Immediately recognizable only to likeminded fans, a Lucky Seven cap is both a conversation starter and an insider's status symbol. Which is the kind of added value that can help a small business grow. One to learn from!

Website: www.luckyseven.tv
Contact: info@luckyseven.tv

February 11, 2009

Perks and privileges are the new currency, as our sister site trendwatching.com likes to say, and we've already covered numerous examples. Just last week, however, Mercedes-Benz launched a new one that gives owners of its luxury cars a range of perks at select upscale hotels.

Through Mercedes' Destinations program, drivers of Mercedes cars are entitled to exclusive benefits at partner hotels, including complimentary use of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, welcome gifts and room upgrades. Participating resorts include the Calistoga Ranch in California, the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina, the St. Regis Aspen in Colorado and Vermont's Stowe Mountain Lodge, among others. There, in addition to room upgrades and free vehicle use, Mercedes owners have access to on-site hospitality credits for restaurants and spas and courtesy shuttles during their stay. Mercedes-Benz vehicles at each property range from an SL 63 AMG performance roadster to the flagship S-Class sedan and new BlueTEC SUVs, all equipped with GPS-based in-dash navigation systems.

“Our customers choose Mercedes-Benz vehicles because they want an exceptional and luxurious experience when they travel by car,” explains Lisa Holladay, manager of Mercedes-Benz brand experience marketing. “Our new Destinations program extends that luxury experience by offering exclusive customer benefits through select, hand-picked properties that are quite extraordinary."

In this era of perkonomics, there's nothing like status, convenience and free love to make consumers feel valued—and, maybe, return some of that love to you. What perks could *your* brand offer to set itself apart...? (Related: More luxury loos, now for members only — Zipcar lands hotel partner.)

Website: www.mbusa.com
Contact: www.mbusa.com/mercedes/#/contactusOverview/

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

February 10, 2009

Breaking a bad habit is never easy, but a little support can help. Much like Green Thing, which we wrote about back in 2007, Green Groove is a site that aims to help consumers create and stick to a plan to eliminate their unsustainable ways and embrace new, greener habits.

Green Groove's goal is to help consumers make "a phased withdrawal on catastrophic climate change." Toward that end, the Idaho-based site invites visitors to take three initial steps to create their own, personal withdrawal plan. First, they choose their desired plan type, length and level of difficulty, including whether it's just a personal plan or one that incorporates a household or family. Next, the site guides visitors to select specific weekly goals in four categories: auto, diet, home and lifestyle. Within the "home" category, for example, weekly goals might include replacing one old lightbulb with a compact fluorescent, or hang-drying at least one load of laundry. Third, visitors are then invited to put their weekly goals into the order they'd like to follow in accomplishing them, thereby creating their step-by-step action plan. A downloadable "Goal Tracker" widget is available both for Mac and PC, as are "Green Groove Participant" and "Green Groove Certified" website badges for those who are in the midst of or have finished their plans.

With all the many external demands on consumers' time and attention today, the need for support in making lifestyle changes seems greater than ever. Deliver that help in bite-sized portions, and you may just win some lasting support yourself! (Related: Nagging service for dieters — A public incentive to stick to one's goals.)

Website: www.greengroove.org
Contact: support@greengroove.org

Spotted by: Phillip Farris

February 10, 2009

We've written about pay-what-you-want restaurants and magazine subscriptions, but we hadn't yet heard of a similarly priced hotel. Sure enough, though, the new Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen hotel just last week launched a promotion that lets guests choose the rate they want to pay.

Rooms at the 538-room economy hotel, which opens this week in the heart of Singapore, are typically priced starting at SGD138 per room including free wifi. Through March 15, however, the pay-what-you-want competition runs during a designated portion of each day, as announced on the hotel's site. Interested consumers need only sign up as members and make a bid for the price they'd like to pay during one of the announced promotion times. If they're one of the first to bid, they can win a night at the hotel at exactly the price they offered. Bids have gone as high as SGD100, and the first promotional rooms sold out within minutes of the contest's launch last Wednesday, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Through a separate competition, meanwhile, members at the Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen—which is owned by French Accor Hotels—can also compete to become the best "Virtual General Manager" at the hotel by trying to fill an empty virtual hotel with as many friends as possible. Prizes in that competition include a free night at the hotel, while the grand prize winner receives four nights at the hotel along with round-trip airfare to Singapore for two.

Ever since Radiohead's decision to let consumers choose their price for its In Rainbows album, pay-as-you-want schemes have become a trendy way for brands to be generous and attract a whole lot of goodwill and attention. One to try out in your next promotion....?

Website: www.paywhatyouwant.com.sg
Contact: H6657@accor.com

February 9, 2009

Swedish furniture giant IKEA has already spawned at least two feeder businesses, as we've noted before: Bemz, which sells slipcovers for IKEA sofas and chairs, and Parts of Sweden, purveyor of various add-ons. Now consumers have yet another ready-made way to make IKEA furniture their own thanks to a new line of decorative surface coverings.

Sydney-based Grippiks sells adhesive sheets in a variety of bright colours and patterns for use on the surfaces of many models of IKEA furniture. Grippiks Surface Accents are pre-cut to just the right sizes for some of IKEA’s most popular items–including its Billy, Benno, Expedit and Effektiv storage solutions, Lack tables and Malm drawers. Made from a plastic-based film that grips surfaces using micro suction rather than sticky adhesive, the sheets are easy to position, reposition and remove without bubbles or sticky residue. They work on almost any smooth surface—including timber veneers, melamine, fiberboard, plastic, acrylic and corrugated board (unvarnished timber or plywood and brushed surfaces are the main exceptions), and feature a satin finish that's both durable and easy to clean. A Grippiks sheet for—for example—a 90cm Lack coffee table is AUD 14.95, and Grippiks ships anywhere in the world.

Whether it's shipping services for eBay users or applications for the Facebook world, there's no shortage of opportunities to feed—or feed off of—some of the world's biggest businesses. Help them or their customers, and help yourself! ;-)

Website: www.grippiks.com
Contact: www.grippiks.com/form/contact_us.html

Spotted by: Martina Meng

February 9, 2009

Regular Springwise readers are already familiar with the benefits consumers can enjoy when they team up and buy as a crowd. Now, a site focusing on new and expecting parents provides a way to bring those advantages to buyers of baby and children's goods.

CrowdSprout lets groups of consumers interested in purchasing the same item band together to get a better price. Consumers begin by bidding on an item, thereby placing themselves in a buying group and committing to making the purchase if enough other buyers join. Product categories on the site include car seats, carriers, diaper bags, furniture, high chairs and strollers; for each product included, the merchant lists a reduced price, the minimum number of buyers needed and a deadline. Consumers then spread the word about their planned purchase, with the goal of increasing that group's size. Once enough buyers have joined the group, they then make their (reduced) payment through CrowdSprout and receive the item they wanted. If, on the other hand, the minimum number of buyers is not achieved in time, no one pays and the group disbands.

Whether it's to buy a stroller or a soccer team, crowd clout is making vendors sit up and listen. Those who don't may just find themselves getting crowded out... ! ;-) (Related: Shoppers team up for better deals — Furniture shopping with the crowds — Crowd clout meets eco persuasion.)

Website: www.crowdsprout.com
Contact: feedback@crowdsprout.com

Spotted by: @sweetbeets

February 6, 2009

The web has spawned new ways to track just about everything under the sun—from our finances to the foods we eat—so why not our sex lives too? Indeed, Bedpost is an online application now in private beta that helps consumers do just that.

Bedpost is an entirely personal application, password-protected from the prying eyes of others, and stresses that it offers absolutely no social networking features. Rather, it is a way for consumers to keep track of the sexual encounters they've had by logging in and entering some key details after each one. Users begin by creating a profile for the partner involved in their most recent encounter and then clicking on the calendar to indicate when the encounter happened. Then, they enter not just the time it happened, but also how long the encounter lasted, some descriptive tags and a star-based rating of the experience. The site then records all that information and presents it in a map of activity for the month on the user's dashboard. For a historical view, Bedpost tracks summary statistics including frequency, average rating, and totals for the month and year so far. "Solo sex" tracking is also available.

As Bedpost notes in its privacy section, sexual data is potentially second only to financial information in its sensitivity. Will consumers be willing to trust a third party with that information—and will the benefits make any risk worthwhile? Time will tell. In the meantime, Bedpost is seeking donations as votes for the project's long-term viability.

Website: www.bedposted.com
Contact: feedback@bedposted.com

Spotted by: David Licona

February 6, 2009

Technology-enabled hotels seem to be popping up all around the globe, and recently one of our spotters alerted us to a new one in Germany that's aimed specifically at budget-oriented youthful travellers.

Similar in many ways to New York City's Pod Hotel and Parisian Mama Shelter—both of which we've featured in the past year—Superbude is a hotel, hostel and lounge located in the heart of Hamburg. Both double and quadruple rooms are available in the six-floor hotel, with the option of adding extra beds, and a defining design colour for each prevents them all from looking the same. Rooms all feature flat-screen TVs and connections for a variety of tech gadgets, while cordless Skype phones are available for rent at a minimal charge. Superbude also boasts a private theater, Nintendo DS and a Wii sports room, and the self-serve kitchen features three packed fridges from which guests can choose and pay for only what they'd like to eat. Superbude's prices begin at EUR 59 for a double room.

When targeting young travellers, low budget and high connectivity would have to be a winning combination, particularly when presented with a bright, playful style. One to emulate in a tourist destination near you... ? (Related: Hotel offers each guest a favourite book, on Kindle — High design, low touch hotel — New no-frills chic hotel chain opens in Amsterdam.)

Website: www.superbude.de
Contact: info@superbude.de

Spotted by: Franziska Luh

February 6, 2009

Industry-specific social networks are something we've written about before, including FohBoh, which is dedicated to restaurateurs. Recently, though, we learned of another such vertical community that's dedicated specifically to designers, makers, purveyors and others involved in children's clothing and accessories.

Based in New Zealand, Skout Trade Fair is an online community that aims to help those in the children's products industry find each other and connect. To maintain the narrow industry focus, membership on the site is by invitation only, and only members can view its content. Participants can also lose their membership for engaging in unethical practices. Once granted membership, though, participants can join business forums, connect with other members, list events, upload photos of their work, join groups and contribute to blogs. A service called Skout Guide Dog is even available for mentoring, market research and consulting at a rate of NZD 85 per hour. Finally, members can also advertise on the site or join Skout Trade Fair’s Kid Products Directory for NZD 45 per year.

Skout is built using the Ning platform—which stands ready and waiting to help you create a community of your own for the vertical of your choice. Time to bring the shop talk online! ;-)

Website: www.skouttradefair.com
Contact: louise@skout.co.nz

February 5, 2009

Alternative advertising approaches appear frequently on the pages of Springwise, including the efforts of Curb, Samsung and Brand Girl that we covered just in the last week. Aiming to make it easier for brands to find such opportunities, DOmedia is an online marketplace and community designed specifically to support the alternative advertising industry.

Ohio-based DOmedia, which launched into beta in late 2007, bills itself as a sort of matchmaking service for media buyers and media sellers. Listed in its media database, for example, are opportunities to advertise on college student notebooks, on phone kiosks, on golf carts and in restrooms. Media buyers can search through the listings on DOmedia for opportunities they like—searching by geography, advertising category or venue, for example—using its campaign management tools to save, share and organize the ones they identify. Media sellers, meanwhile, can use the site to promote their inventory. Members of the site can also use the DOmedia community to share thoughts on alternative advertising campaigns, comment on industry trends, ask questions of other industry professionals and promote best practices. Finally, the online DOmedia library provides a glossary of terms, new technology spotlight and DMA rankings, among other information. Listings and searches through DOmedia are free; eventually, the company plans to offer paid subscription services as well, according to an article in Advertising Age.

As traditional advertising continues to struggle, alternative approaches will be sure to expand. No shortage of opportunities making all the right connections!

Website: www.domedia.com
Contact: contact@domedia.com

Spotted by: Ozgur Alaz

February 5, 2009

We've written about a few different recycling efforts to counter the forces of "fast fashion" and give used clothes another life. Welsh clothing brand Howies, however, is taking a different approach to the discarded-clothes problem by designing items to do a better job of withstanding the ravages of time in the first place.

Howies' Hand-Me-Down line includes jackets and bags that have been designed specifically to last for 10 or more years. To achieve that durability, the company crafts its products painstakingly, and using very high-quality components. Its GBP 400 jackets, for instance, are made from organic tweed and organic ventile—an extremely tightly woven cotton fabric that's inherently water-resistant and uses 30 percent more yarn than conventional fabrics. With 24,000 strands of cotton, it takes 16 hours just to prepare the machine that will weave the fabric, the Hand-Me-Down site says. The company's line of bags, meanwhile, includes a GBP 195 backpack, a GBP 185 messenger bag and a GBP 125 satchel crafted from heavy waxed canvas, die-cut leather, and rust-proof aluminium zips and hardware.

Of course, whether consumers actually *want* to use the same jackets and bags for 10 years or more remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it's a compelling twist on sustainability, and Howies' emphasis on product stories and the unique features of its Hand-Me-Down products only add to their (still) made here appeal. One to watch, learn from and maybe even emulate—elsewhere in the fashion world or beyond...?

Website: hmd.howies.co.uk
Contact: info@howies.co.uk

Spotted by: Danielle Bellomo via PSFK

February 5, 2009

There's nothing like the convenience of shopping online; then again, there's also nothing like the instant gratification of bringing home a purchase from the store. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that Sears is dabbling with some experiments to combine the best of both worlds.

MyGofer, for example, is a new, warehouse-style store concept that aims to offer both the convenience and selection of an online store and the immediacy and low prices of a discount retailer—a middle ground between Wal-Mart and Amazon, as it's put by the Chicago Tribune. Shoppers at MyGofer, which will first open this summer in Joliet, Ill., will be able to browse and order products online, much the way they would at any e-retailer. Once their orders are ready, however, consumers can simply drive to the store for curbside pickup, without ever having to go inside. In-store pickup will also be available. To create the new MyGofer store, Sears will close an existing 85,000-square-foot Kmart later this month, according to the Tribune. Roughly 80 percent of the new store will house merchandise, with the remainder serving as a showroom, the paper reported.

In what's reportedly a separate experiment, Sears is also testing a concierge service—somewhat confusingly, also under the MyGofer name—at a Kmart store elsewhere in Illinois. Through MyGofer.com, shoppers can order from more than 50,000 Kmart products online—including groceries and prescriptions—and then pick them up in-store or have them delivered.

Information about both efforts is scarce on the Sears site, but job sites—including Sears' own careers section—do currently feature a mile-long list of MyGofer job opportunities. Still convinced that online is on and offline is off, and never the twain shall meet? Check out our sister site's OFF=ON briefing for some alternative inspiration. Offline, you're on again! ;-)

Website: www.mygofer.com
Contact: service@mygofer.com

Spotted by: Maria Dahl Jørgensen

Just in case you missed it, we've included our previous edition below.
And don't forget—you can access everything we've published in our idea database, which is
conveniently organized by industry.

Online practice dispenses self-help physio advice
Lifestyle & leisure

Patients can often self-manage their recovery with the help of some
expert advice. That's the premise behind a new physiotherapy practice
that focuses purely on dispensing self-help guidance online.

More low-impact branding from Curb: snow tagging
Marketing & advertising

Curb -- the media agency that specializes in campaigns using natural
materials -- called to let us know that they’d added another novel
medium to their offerings: snow tagging.

Restaurant lets patrons reserve a specific table
Food & beverage

Madrid restaurant chain Wagaboo is following the lead of airlines
and theatres, allowing customers to pick and reserve a specific table
online.

Mini loans in minutes
Financial services

Technology makes the world move ever faster, and a British startup
aims to bring that velocity to the world of financing: Wonga offers tiny,
instant loans through online-only applications.

Touch-screen Coke machine for interactive vending
Food & beverage / Marketing & advertising

Developed in conjunction with Sapient, Samsung's uVending touch-
screen technology brings a whole new level of consumer interaction
to automatic vending.

Tuning into a personalized radio tribute
Lifestyle & leisure / Entertainment

Launched in November 2008 by two British radio presenters,
Fauxshow creates personalized radio shows that put a recipient in the
spotlight.

Media agency focuses on low-impact advertising
Marketing & advertising / Eco & sustainability

Curb creates branded sand sculptures of all sizes; burns patterns and
logos into wood using magnifying glasses; and offers a ‘logrow’
service to cut logos as big as 30m wide into turf.

High-five the panda to connect online
Lifestyle & leisure

After meeting and greeting in the real world, users who want to
connect online can whip out their Poken keyrings and 'high five' them
to exchange details by RFID.

Wind-energy mapping tool now covers the world
Eco & sustainability

When we last wrote about the FirstLook mapping tool for new-energy
entrepreneurs, it covered only the United States. Now, the wind-
mapping service has expanded to cover the whole world.

ING application for G1 phone points to nearest ATM
Financial services / Telecom & mobile

ING's Wegwijzer tool for finding ATMs is the (Google) phone equivalent
of asking a human for directions and having them point to what you're
looking for. No map-reading necessary.

Bixi brings urban bike-sharing to North America
Transportation

Bixi follows the standard bike sharing principles: users take a bike
from a stand, ride it to where they want to go, and drop it at another
stand when they're done.

Music by Groove Armada, distribution by Bacardi
Entertainment / Marketing & advertising

Six weeks before Groove Armada will release their new EP through
traditional download stores, the first track appeared Bacardi B-Live,
where registered users can download it for free.

Blogger helps connect consumers and brands
Media & publishing / Marketing & advertising

Partner manufacturers will send samples of their latest products to
WIN it gIRL, who will review them on her blog, getting readers involved
through contests, giveaways, etc.

Favour-granting site helps friends help each other
Life hacks

People seeking a babysitter, job referral or help moving a couch, to
name just a few examples, can all use FriendlyFavor to ask for help,
as can people with favours to offer.

The nutritional low-down on fast-food restaurants
Food & beverage / Telecom & mobile

For each of the fast-food restaurants on Fatburgr, the site lists the
calories, fat, carbs and fibre content for each menu item, and users
can sort the list by any of those criteria.