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The pro photography scene might be in for a revival, thanks to a Yorkshire-based studio with a razor-sharp focus and web-based approach. Their name says it all: We Shoot Bottles. The studio takes photos of everything from gin to fabric softener. As long as it’s in a bottle, they’ll take a professional shot of it for GBP 30 or less. It’s all done remotely: clients send bottles to We Shoot Bottles' office, where they're shot at high resolution by a professional photographer. After a bit of re-touching to get rid of scrapes and scratches, a cut-out path is created for the client to either use in print or web design, allowing for professional-looking white or coloured backgrounds. Finally, the images are uploaded to the Bottle Bank, where clients or their designers can access them. Or, if preferred, a cd-rom can be sent through the post. Everything on offer is straightforward and to-the-point, from the studio’s process and copy–a single-page site says everything in around 150 words—to pricing. In contrast to most traditional studios, prices are disclosed upfront—appealing to time- and money-strapped solopreneurs who need professional services at start-up prices, and saving the studio the hassle of preparing individual quotes. We Shoot Bottles was launched earlier this year as a side project for Red Photography Ltd. One to expand on in other regions, and for other product categories? Website: www.weshootbottles.com Spotted by: Marty Webster |
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Consumers in the market for a new children’s playhouse have a wide variety to choose from, with pint-sized properties ranging from thirty-dollar cardboard versions to uber-premium, custom-built chalets. A new product from the Netherlands takes the market one step further, allowing kids to become designers by creating their own one-of-a-kind playhouses. The qb playhouse is completely customisable, giving children the option to pick their own colours and patterns for doors, windows and siding. Those seeking to be entirely unique can upload a pattern, drawing or text of their own design. qb playhouses are available in three unorthodox shapes—Original, Tree and City—and are constructed using sustainable wood. Definitely not at the low end of the market, the houses are priced from EUR 1,499 to 1,799. Enrolling children as co-designers is a sure way to draw attention amidst an avalanche of toys. One to expand to other children’s products and services? (Related: Bedding designed by (and for) kids.) Website: www.quubi.nl Spotted by: Judy McRae |
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Earlier this month, we wrote about Everyday Models, the company that lets consumers rent out various aspects of their lives for advertising purposes. Zeroing in more narrowly on the online profile is Bomeiti, a service from Catalist Group that lets social media users choose the ads that appear on their pages—and then earn rewards for their selections. Through partnerships with social media providers, Bomeiti gives users of social networks and other such sites the ability to customize the online advertising that gets served on their personal pages. Users begin by specifying their preferences and interests; advertisers and agencies, meanwhile, specify the corresponding characteristics of the consumers they'd like to target with their ads. Bomeiti then matches ads to user tastes and displays the relevant ads on the appropriate users' pages. Users are rewarded with points for the ads that are shown on their pages and can donate those rewards to the social causes of their choice. Bomeiti's service provider partners are currently all Chinese, and include Cityne, Mipang, ShanghaiNing, Yobo and Neocha. As with the ad-sponsored snailmail provider we featured this week, there are benefits to advertisers in letting users select the ads that their friends will see. With more control for social media users and better targeting for advertisers and service providers, Bomeiti offers a potential new model for advertising in the world of social media. Only time will tell if it will take hold; in the meantime, one to watch! (Related: Paying consumers for promoting products they love.) Website: www.bomeiti.com |
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Much the way parents love to show off their children, so dog owners tend to enjoy flaunting their canine companions. Tapping into that universal desire, a new contest from the Virginia Lottery promises to spotlight select players' dogs on upcoming versions of its tickets. Virginia's new Lucky Dog contest, which runs through May 26, is offering 20 dog owners the chance not only to win prizes of up to USD 10,000, but—perhaps even more motivating—the opportunity to have their dog's photo featured on the Fall 2009 release of the Virginia's Lucky Dog II Scratcher ticket. Players begin by uploading their dog's photo—head-and-shoulders shots against a plain background are recommended—along with the dog's name. They then enter a special 14-digit Dog Park Entry number from the back of any non-winning Lucky Dog ticket, the current versions of which feature photos of Virginia Lottery employees' own dogs. Contestants will be judged by "a distinguished panel of dog lovers at the Virginia Lottery," who will subjectively determine the 20 winning photographs based on image quality and compatibility with ticket artwork. All types of dogs are eligible, including those who live outside Virginia. An online gallery displays some of the photos that have been submitted so far. Winners will be announced June 30. Whether jet-sized or bite-sized, there's no denying gravanity's power. If it can motivate consumers to stop smoking or to play the lottery more often, it can very likely motivate them to buy... the product of *your* choice?! ;-) Website: www.valottery.com/promotion/luckydog/ |
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Both ShortTask and Amazon's Mechanical Turk enable Internet-connected computer users to earn money performing quick tasks for organizations far and wide. Now, a new project aims to bring similar income opportunities to those in the developing world using the ubiquitous mobile phone. Targeting the more than 2 billion literate mobile phone subscribers in the developing world, txteagle aims to help alleviate high unemployment levels in many rural areas of countries like Kenya with a crowdsourcing approach that offers new ways to earn extra money. The service connects corporations with small tasks to be completed—currently, the most common ones include software localization and translation into local dialects for companies like Nokia—and native people who can complete them in minutes by cell phone. Tasks are sent to multiple phone users by text message—"translate the phrase, 'address book' into Giriama," for example—and answers are accepted as accurate when the majority of users provide the same response. Compensation is determined by the number of times an individual’s response agrees with the consensus; penalties are imposed for wrong answers, while "don’t know" responses make no contribution. Over time the system learns a particular user's expertise, and can actively select the most appropriate tasks for them. It can also weight answers from long-term and historically accurate users higher than others, making it necessary to involve fewer other individuals when those users respond. Payment is made either to a bank account connected with an individual's phone number—accessible at any post office or local kiosk—or via airtime credit transfers. The txteagle service is currently deployed in Kenya via Mobile Planet and Safaricom, and will soon be launching in Rwanda through MTN Rwanda and in the Dominican Republic through Viva. Additional partnerships in Africa and South America will be announced later this year, txteagle says. Also in the works is a version of the service that uses the commonly found Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) protocol instead of SMS. One to partner with, try out or otherwise get involved in...? Website: www.txteagle.com Spotted by: Susanna Haynie |
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An iPhone application developed for 7-Eleven Sweden combines a store locator with coupons for a free coffee and biscotti. After downloading the app, users plug in their phone number and receive a unique coupon code on their iPhone. To claim their coffee, they just show the code to a 7-Eleven clerk; no purchase necessary. The coupon is only valid once, and free coffee in April will be followed by free ice cream in May. The application, developed by Stockholm-based digital agency Lonely Duck, was downloaded 2,500 times in the week it launched—a considerable number given the size of the Swedish iPhone community, and enough to place it in the top 10 of free app downloads. 7-Eleven hasn't launched the app in other markets yet, but it's a smart example for other iPhone-loving retailers to follow: don't just help (a relatively affluent group of) consumers find your store, but give them a good reason to visit and spend money while they take you up on your generous offer. Website: www.7-eleven.se Spotted by: Robert Olzon |
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A new lightweight electric bicycle with eco-iconic looks is firmly targeting would-be bicycle commuters who are put off by the thought of turning up to work in need of a shower. Gocycle, set to launch this month, was designed by former F1 design engineer Richard Thorpe, using an injection-molded, lightweight magnesium alloy that's stronger than plastic, at a fraction of the price of carbon fiber. The bike’s chain is completely encased—so no grease on trousers—and side-mounted wheels allow a flat to be changed in a matter of minutes. Gocycle also disassembles into a soft bag or white hard case for portability and easy storage in small apartments. For a bike of its size and weight, Gocycle’s most innovative feature is the micro-sized electric motor in its front wheel hub, which switches on with the push of a button. An in-frame battery pack holds 20 minutes worth of power; more than enough to help cyclists up a hill without breaking into a sweat. Supporting its drive to get people to switch from four wheels to two, the company offers a Gocyle-to-Work scheme for companies who wish to provide their employees with a healthier and greener commute. One to bring to urban cyclists—and their employers—across the globe? (Related: Full-service bike station for commuting cyclists.) Website: www.gocycle.com |
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It wasn't long ago that we covered the Best Job in the World contest from Australia's Tourism Queensland, and now another popular destination has appeared on our radar for its own promotional innovation. Specifically, Tourism New Zealand has been using a mobile recording studio to collect international visitors' impressions of the region and then upload them to YouTube. More than 100,000 people have viewed video "raves" posted on Tourism New Zealand's Have Your Say channel on YouTube, which now includes more than 1,400 clips of travellers from Australia, the US, UK, Japan, Germany, Canada and beyond expressing their thoughts and feelings about the country. The organization kicked off the effort in December as part of its "What Do You Say, UK?" campaign, focused on promoting word-of-mouth endorsements of the region among British travellers. Since then, Tourism New Zealand has been working closely with regional tourism groups along the way as it sent a fully equipped mobile recording studio—set up in a converted shipping container on the back of a 10-tonne flatbed truck—to about 40 towns around the nation. Within minutes of filming, each video diary is edited and posted on unpaid media channels, including the Have Your Say site and Tourism New Zealand’s consumer website; visitors can also post the videos directly onto their Facebook profile pages. The recording studio's mobile effort is scheduled to wrap up at the end of this month, after which time Tourism New Zealand will use select raves in future advertising campaigns. Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton explains: "Social media is used by people from all walks of life to connect with people back home while they are travelling. Add to this that word-of-mouth is one of the most effective marketing tools to promote a destination, and the 100,000 views milestone shows that the [effort] has really proven its worth." Indeed, the effectiveness of traditional mass-media ads is already debatable during the best of times, but during a recession? The cost of a mobile studio for a few weeks could seem like a bargain! ;-) Website: www.tourismnewzealand.com Spotted by: Raymond Kollau |
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After all the attention cupcakes have received over the last few years, one could say they've had their share of time in the proverbial sun. We covered Fru Fru and Sprinkles back in 2007, but recently we were alerted to a new alternative: Tennessee T-Cakes. Billed as "the ultimate Southern confection," Tennessee T-Cakes are diminutive delicacies with a big, romantic story behind them. They resemble cupcakes in size and shape, but feature a texture more like that of a brownie and a dusting of powdered sugar in place of the heavy frosting. Available by the box with prices starting at USD 10.95 per dozen, T-Cakes come in four variations—Key Lime, Luscious Lemon, Chocolate Truffle and Original—with Raspberry and crunchy Brittle coming soon. The closely guarded recipe for Tennessee T-Cakes dates back to ante-bellum Tennessee and a young belle's culinary talent—reputed to have won a Civil War captain's heart. The world will never tire of interesting new desserts, just as it will never tire of a good story to go with them. Need some directed motivation? Find an old or little-remembered delicacy from your own region, upgrade and adapt it to modern tastes, and garnish with some skillful storytelling and a heaping helping of (still) made here appeal. Next, breathe deeply, for you will soon savor the smell of sweet success! ;-) (Related: Bakery focuses on bite-sized treats — Upgraded popsicles, Mexican style.) Website: www.tntcakes.com |
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They keep popping up: online-offline hybrids that combine electronic mail and snail mail . Latest to appear on our radar? Quabb, a German company that offers both a free and a paid option for sending postal mail. Users write their letter online or upload a scanned image of a handwritten text. Choosing the 'Freibrief' option, they can send it for free, accompanied by a printed ad (similar to previously featured Gratis-Post). When using Freibrief, 'Quabbers' choose their sponsor from a list to ensure a good fit between advertisement and recipient. Which, theoretically, should improve an ad's rate of success. Alternatively, users can pay as they go for each letter they send: EUR 1.19 within Europe or EUR 2,39 worldwide, which includes postage, a colour print and an envelope. Non-registered users pay EUR 1.59 / 2.79. Quabb prints the letters and ensures their delivery. Providing added convenience, the company archives a digital version of each letter in the sender's personal mailbox. Quabb can also be used to send faxes—founder Daniel Giersch views his venture as a one-stop-solution for communication. The service is currently available in Germany and Switzerland. How about niche versions that provide additional benefits and cost-efficient mailing options for specific audiences? Schools, doctor's offices, landlords, children, iPhone users... As long as it continues to be a communication channel for consumers and businesses, opportunities exist for entrepreneurs who can provide smart ways to handle postal mail. (Related: Snail mail sent directly from any app to any country — A paperless alternative to the postal system.) Website: www.quabb.com Spotted by: Martina Meng |
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There are few things more exciting to us here at Springwise than seeing good ideas come together, and that's exactly what we had occasion to spot earlier this month. Zipcar—the car-sharing innovator we've covered on numerous occasions already—just announced a partnership with Zimride—also no stranger to our pages—to bring an integrated ride-sharing system to college and university campuses. Debuting a few weeks ago at Stanford University, the integrated service combines Zipcar's car-sharing program with Zimride's Facebook-based carpool matching system to make it easier for college students, faculty and staff to seek, offer and share rides. Zipcar already operates car-sharing programs at more than 120 US colleges and universities. To share a ride, members reserving a car can now automatically post the date, time and destination of their trip to the Zimride campus community online. Zimride's route-matching algorithm takes over from there, finding and notifying users looking for such a ride. Zimride members, meanwhile, can now find a local Zipcar to share through a customized campus Zimride website or Facebook application, making it possible for them to carpool even if they don't own a car. Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith explains: "We chose to partner with Zimride because their innovative and scalable platform is a great foundation for building a national network of rides. Zipcar fills the car ownership gap for the Zimride model, since people most likely to ride-share are those that are least likely to own a car." The two companies aim to roll out the integrated service to many more campuses in the coming months. Every Zipcar takes 15 to 20 privately owned vehicles off the road, while Zimride has enabled 20 percent carpool adoption and savings of more than 500,000 lbs of CO2 and USD 200,000 in vehicle operating costs, the companies say. Add to that the fact that there are some 13 million faculty, staff and students on more than 2,500 parking-strapped campuses nationwide, according to the US Department of Education, and the potential impact becomes clear. How long before something like this comes to large companies, urban areas and the rest of the congested world...? Websites: www.zipcar.com — www.zimride.com
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It seems fair to say that most small business owners are perpetually in search of two things: 1) new customers, and 2) budget-friendly deals. Aiming to help them get both is Bizual, a new online community and B2B exchange aimed specifically at small businesses and freelancers. Currently in invitation-only beta, Bizual begins by asking members to create at least one offer exclusively for the other members of the site—a discount, a free sample or something else that's not available to the world at large. Other business owners in search of such a product or service can then take advantage of that offer, thereby getting a special deal themselves while providing the offer creator with a new customer. The offers that are voted most popular get elevated to the top of the list, but members can also search by location and keyword; in addition, they can browse or take what the site calls a "lucky dip." Members can leave feedback for each other on the site, and a rating system provides reputation rankings. UK-based Bizual is free to use during its beta period, but will switch to a subscription basis after that time, with account levels ranging from a free package to an unlimited one for about USD 99. Increasing numbers of consumers are becoming sellsumers every day, as our sister site notes in this month's briefing, making the appeal of a site like Bizual even broader than before. It's a win-win for everyone involved; one to try out or localize for your neck of the woods...? Website: www.bizual.com |
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Taking a firm stand in the face of globalization, A Vida Portuguesa has tracked down Portugal’s unique brands and opened a store dedicated to products that have resisted the urge to keep up with changing times. At the store, located in a former soap factory in Lisbon’s traditional-yet-hip neighbourhood of Chiado, customers can find over 1,000 products that have maintained their original packaging, that are made by hand, or that represent traditional Portuguese craftsmanship. Soaps, pencils, mugs, jewelry, notebooks, coffee, tea, blankets and even toothpaste—everything on stock holds a fragment of the nation’s collective memory. Some items are widely available and familiar throughout Portugal, while others were almost impossible to find and buy before the store opened. A Vida Portuguesa appeals both to nostalgic adults delighted to find the brands of their youth, and to younger generations attracted by old-fashioned products and retro packaging that provide an alternative to mainstream brands. It’s a testament, once again, to the enduring appeal of (still) made here, a trend that rewards brands for staying true to their local roots and identity. Time to starting collecting, curating and selling forgotten and enduring favourites in your neck of the woods? And if there's a similar store in your city, please leave a comment and let us know! (Related: Mastic fantastic, now in New York.) Website: www.umacasaportuguesa.com Spotted by: João Coelho |
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If contests can be used to fill a job or promote a region of the world, why couldn't they launch a car? That's apparently the thinking at Nissan Canada, which recently kicked off a competition to select 50 people to win a free 2009 Nissan Cube. Indeed, Nissan Canada's hypercube contest is a unique social media campaign to promote the company's new Cube vehicle, which launches in May. Rather than embark on yet another mass-media advertising campaign, Nissan and Capital C—its creative partner in the effort—have chosen to tap the creativity of Canadian consumers. Specifically, back in March they invited up to 1,000 Canadian musicians, DJs, dancers, programmers, designers, bloggers, podcasters, poets, writers, storytellers and artists—"anyone who considers themselves creative, hip, interesting or unique"—to explain via survey and Twitter why they should be selected to audition for one of the winning 50 spots. From that initial group the top-scoring 500 individuals were selected to audition via Facebook, Twitter and the hypercube site using photos, videos, illustrations or other media to demonstrate how they personify the Cube brand. (Current examples can be found here.) Due to wrap up in mid-May, auditions will be evaluated by a panel of independent judges based on uniqueness, creativity, personality, enthusiasm, survey responses and peer voting. Consumers can register to vote on the hypercube site, and the 50 winners of the brand-new Cube will be announced in mid-June. Although not a contest, Ford's Fiesta Movement is similar in its attempt to leverage the power of social media by selecting a group of frontrunners. In Ford's words: "Over 4,000 people applied to test drive the Ford Fiesta on the American road long before its launch here. But only 100 were chosen to be the Agents of the Fiesta Movement. [...] Our 100 agents are spending six months behind the wheel of their own Fiesta, sharing their experiences, and completing monthly missions to show you what experiencing the Ford Fiesta is all about, way in advance of the U.S. launch in 2010." With advertising clutter and consumer skepticism at the heights they are, it's no wonder clever marketers are turning to alternative methods to break through the din. The contests will continue to come fast and furious, we expect—why not try one out for your net-savvy brand? (Related: Scion drives into Second Life.) Website: www.hypercube.ca |
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