I must say, since getting an iPhone, a day doesn’t go by where I don’t discover (or at least imagine) a new way to use the crazy thing. Sure, it may just be flicking a virtual zero-carbon Zippo lighter for cheap effect at a concert. Then again, it may be ...
It’s official. Disposable cars have arrived.
There’s something about full-size cars stacked in a dumpster that really makes a guy stop and ponder. I imagine that was the idea behind the display I saw at Nanaimo’s Galaxy Motors on the weekend. As a nifty take on the ‘cash for clunkers’ program, this piece of street art ...
New World Organic Granola sending 50 cents a bag to Haiti Relief.
Last year I wrote about Burnaby-based New World Foods, a solid local contender in the organic granola category. A few days ago I got an email from their Vice President, Rajinder Bagga, asking me to spread the word about their fundraising drive for Canadian Red Cross Haiti Relief. They are ...
Authentic Aboriginal Program: A great idea with zero support?
I’m hoping that I will be lambasted by irate backers of BC’s newest Aboriginal Marketing Certification program, pointing me to the obvious websites and supporting information I missed. I really am. When I read yesterday’s Globe & Mail article showing off the new ‘Authentic Aboriginal’ logo and certification program I ...
Is ‘Granville Island’ Brewing now serving up Localwash?
Next time you reach for a frosty British Columbia ‘microbrew’, you may want to take a closer look at the fine print. Yesterday it was announced that Granville Island Brewing was bought by Creemore, itself a sub-brand owned entirely by Molson Coors. Big brewers taking over small brands is nothing ...
‘Local-Washing’ BC Wineries get caught red-handed. And there’s a lesson for all businesses here.
Newspapers, blogs and on-line articles were alight last week with the rapidly-maturing story of how large wineries got caught selling wine made from imported grapes in the ‘BC Wines’ or ‘Canadian Wines’ section of the liquor store. The three winemakers, including the Ontario companies that make Peller Estates and Jackson ...
Which rocks more: A greener CD package or a digital download?
I recently completed a very fun project, the CD and package design for The Bent Nails, a band I have been involved with off and on for more years than I care to admit. I have always rather detested the classic ‘jewel case’, so I was eager to find a ...
Want 600 horsepower? Take the engine out of your car.
It’s a daring leap of logic that could delight motorheads and granola crunchers alike. By taking the motor out from under the hood and putting electromotors in one or more of the vehicle’s wheels, engineers can now burn rubber without burning carbon. In 2008, a company called PML Flightlink unveiled ...
How can a small brand take a big idea to the next level? Let’s look at The Beaumont Organic Winery.
I love seeing a brand start out with a great idea. An idea so strong and genuine, that with just a little ripening, it could set a new standard for its category. On a recent trip to the Okanagan, I discovered just such an opportunity. The Beaumont Family Estate winery ...
WAL-MART gets out the Big Green Stick
Recently the world’s biggest retail footprint launched the Wal-Mart Sustainability Index, their new scorecard for vendors. It’s a 15-question checklist designed to provide Wally World with the information it needs to give it’s customers the straight goods on the ‘green-ness’ of the products they consume. According to sources, this list ...