uncluttered white spaces

A few things we can learn from fashion & Victor Churchill

Rennie — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:19:35 +0000

We can all learn a lot from Fashion. Fashion brands exist based on their ability to connect with consumers emotionally. Fashion has nothing to do with price and more about marketing than product, it has everything to do with the need to associate at an emotional level.

As the saying goes, people “do not buy the soda”, they buy the can… so make the connection to the can important. Look at Beer, what is more relevant, the taste or the social connection to a greater existence than ourselves. A network of friends, mates, partners, clubs, bars, nightclubs and home bars.

Victor Churchill is a butcher. The brand and the people understand the engagement and emotion created by fashion brands and they have applied this to their retail store. The meat is good but it is after all just meat. More than likely no better than any other good butcher.

They just do the “experience” better than anyone else and as a result, people want to be involved and a part of something that makes them feel good. At any price.

Hats off to the coolest butcher shop of all time.

Ben Rennie

http://www.victorchurchill.com/come-inside/

Re-blog or share via:

Create your own Infographic powered by Google.

Rennie — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:37:41 +0000

The Google Public Data Explorer makes large datasets easy to explore, visualize and communicate. As the charts and maps animate over time, the changes in the world become easier to understand. You don’t have to be a data expert to navigate between different views, make your own comparisons, and share your findings.

The tool helps visualize data within a changing world as the charts and maps animate, develop and evolve with the developments in the world. Being a research or data expert is not the pre-requisite for this tool, as anyone can draw their own conclusions, share a unique perspective, and publish their results. Embedded charts and links are updated automatically making sharing the latest available data that much easier. Explore the data sets which includes a monthly U.S. trade and food services retail report,unemployment in Europe, and global energy consumption.

Explore the data via PSFK

Re-blog or share via:

Foursquare launches new tool for business.

Rennie — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:32:33 +0000

Foursquare, a location-based social network, plans to distribute a free analytics tool and dashboard in the coming weeks that will give business owners access to a range of information and statistics about visitors to their establishments.

Tristan Walker, director of business development at Foursquare, said that the latest features were intended to help local merchants run their stores by giving them more information about their customers.

“We’re trying to give businesses more retention with current customers and the ability to add new customers with specials,” said Mr. Walker.

Foursquare is a service that allows users to share their location with a group of friends from “checking in” to a restaurant, business or other venue when they arrive. The company encourages the businesses to recognize Foursquare users in some fashion, such as a bar awarding free drinks to their most frequent customers.

With the new tool, businesses will be able to see a range of real-time data about Foursquare usage, including who has “checked in” to the place via Foursquare, when they arrived, the male-to-female customer ratio and which times of day are more active for certain customers. Business owners will also be able to offer instant promotions to try to engage new customers and keep current ones.

“If a restaurant can see one of its loyal customers has dropped off the map and is no longer checking in, the owner could offer them incentives to come back,” said Mr. Walker.

There will also be a Staff page available to each business that will allow employees to interact directly with customers using social networks.

Foursquare recently partnered with 30 small businesses to test the tool, and it plans to gradually roll it out to another 900 businesses in the coming weeks.

Via Robbo_KT on Twitter (Thanks)

Re-blog or share via:

A peek into the future as materials and manufacturing advance.

Rennie — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:15:09 +0000

A design that shows a peek into the future as materials and manufacturing advance. Our ability to manufacture lighter frames with increasing strength of materials will allow us to make shapes that today would structurally fail.

With new advancements in materials and manufacturing techniques, modern or futuristic products are becoming minimal, presenting simple though attractive products. The futuristic bicycle by Wisconsin-based designer John Villarreal features an identical bike design that removing all extra parts from the body and wheels not only looks gorgeous but seems to promise a comfortable ride. Featuring a lightweight body, possibly finished in carbon fiber or power coated aluminum, the futuristic bicycle also integrates LED lights on the handlebar and at the rear to ensure safety at night. And hubless wheels simply give it a trendy, futuristic look.

Re-blog or share via:

Is Bottled Water Really That Bad? Yes.

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:47:14 +0000

In February, I wrote an article in relation to bottled water. You can read it here to get up to speed. The article recieved all sorts of feedback from constructive and educational (Thanks Ando_F), to boring with no purose through to inspiring and supportive.

Following, I decided to cease using plastic bottles and paper cups for my coffee . I chose to use an Alluminium water bottle that goes with me everywhere, and a coffee mug which hangs from my back pack 24/7 to support my addiction to coffee.

Online education, touching my heart have gone 30 steps further creating this infograph on the “facts about bottled water”.

My daughter yesterday went to the shop at our local surf club for a drink and came back with a bottle of water. My daughter is 6 years old and she looked at me and said, “I asked for some water dad and the lady just gave me this, I didnt know what to do”. “I will put it on my medside and use it for my night bottle”.

I can not recall once telling my Mia about our plan to stop using bottled water. Kids just follow their parents lead, they listen and follow. Education plays an enormous role in making the right choices. So does creating an example and action.

I spoke at a function in Melbourne last week and opened up with the line. “I believe that today, more so than at any other time in history, individuals can create change more so, than the largest companies in the world”. It is a big statement and after the event, a girl who was listening on the night came strolling across the room and made a point of informing me I was wrong. “it takes a group of people” she informed me . We then discussed that all groups are started by someone willing. 1 person.

On her departure that night, she came up to me and informed me that she will be implementing a plan to reduce the environmental footprint at Melbourne University in 2010. I believed her.

What are you going to do?

Ben Rennie
Infograph via Online education (CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW)

Re-blog or share via:

What are people really buying online?

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:10:47 +0000

What people buy online differs substantially from what they buy in-store. According to a study by the US Census Bureau, the bulk of sales are still in-store. There are, however, several categories in which online sales dominate each product marketplace. These include: books and magazines, clothing, and electronics. Below, Permuto have broken down the sales for each category, to show the percentages of both online and in-store sales as a part of the total marketplace, as well as a comparison of the two in absolute terms.

Via permuto.com

Re-blog or share via:

Ponoko Design Challenge. Get your entry in now.

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:30:47 +0000

This is simple, to win a $100 voucher from Ponoko, leave a comment below telling us:

How you would like to use Ponoko?

The best idea as voted by the Ponoko and uncluttered white spaces marekting teams will win a $100 voucher for the site. Simple.

So start leaving your comments and share this event with your friends.

“With Ponoko you can turn your product ideas into real things in 3 steps”:

(1) Upload your designs;
(2) Select your favorite materials;
(3) Click to make.

You can make garments, jewelry, coasters, clocks, lamps, chairs, toys, Christmas ornaments … all sorts of things. Just select from a range of more than 60 funky materials like 100% pure merino wool felt, plastics, timbers, leather and card. It’s up to you!

More than 40,000 user generated goods have been made so far – see what others have made here:

http://www.ponoko.com/showroom“

Re-blog or share via:

We think you should visit :: The LXD on Facebook

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:14:14 +0000

Yesterday we featured the TED appearance by The LXD and it had us so captivated that we thought we would bring you more.

John Chu is calling the Legion Of Extraordinary Dancers (or LXD) “the next evolution of dance” and he’ll be featuring them in an epic online series that will combine a scripted story and the type of gravity-less dancing. Two trailers have already been released about the project. We will keep you informed.

http://www.facebook.com/thelxd

LXD “Moments” Trailer from Jon M. Chu on Vimeo.

Yes

[/pro-player]

Re-blog or share via:

From the Bull:: On Being unreasonable

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:44:04 +0000

Being unreasonable…

A small number of people have suggested to me that I have made a career out of being contrary and at times unreasonable. This always makes me smile and nowadays I accept it as a compliment. Like a friend once told me, “you don’t get a nickname like The Bull from baking scones on a Sunday afternoon!” Seriously, most times I respond to this by enquiring whether I have made a valuable difference and left the business in better shape as a result of my involvement. Most times this truncates the discussion. The bottom line is that I believe it is important to pursue the truth in any business situation because uncovering it allows better decisions and choices to be made.

Usually this doesn’t involve confrontation, but sometimes it does. It’s actually not a bad thing to ruffle people’s feathers if they stand in the way of forward progress. Sure it’s best to find a diplomatic way to get difficult matters solved but if you can’t then you should be prepared to strap on a hard hat and push for the truth, no matter where it leads and how difficult it might be to get there. Let’s be clear – the goal is not to annoy people or make them angry. It is to do the right thing when you need to, irrespective of potential criticism or fallout.

Great leaders understand this point. They are responsible for the prosperity of their group and know that some decisions they take will make some people unhappy. This is unavoidable. Leadership is unfortunately not a popularity contest and for that reason most leaders walk a lonely path.

The great ones surround themselves with people who think differently to them and challenge their beliefs and actions when required. They don’t want their own views repeated back to them as company gospel; rather they want their people to express themselves freely and stand their ground on issues that they believe in, even if they know it will be unpopular to do so.

Poor leaders, on the other hand, surround themselves with people that pander to their whims and needs. They want people to think exactly the same as they do and they covertly discourage contrary discussion. They like being the boss for all the wrong reasons and typically have an attitude that screams, “I’m the boss damnit and when I want your opinion I’ll give it to you.”

A few years back I recall a heated discussion with a CEO I was working with. He was a minority shareholder and as CEO had overseen a major performance decline over the past few years. Desperate for help he called me in. Early on he became increasingly agitated by my probing questions and after a few days it became clear to me that he valued his own interests way ahead of the company’s. At one point, frustrated by my relentless probing for the truth, he blurted out, “I think you should remember who you’re working for!” I calmly responded that, of the two of us, it is NOT me who has forgotten who he is working for. Ouch!

What would you rather be remembered for – doing small safe things and coasting through life? Or putting your heart and soul into doing big things even if you risk failure, attract criticism and have to butt heads from time to time? If the cost of this approach is to be occasionally referred to as contrary and unreasonable then it’s a small price to pay for the forward progress you can make.

Have a great week!

About the Author: The Bull. The Bull is a Melbourne based entrepreneur and businessman who writes for uncluttered white spaces. The Bull works with organizations both large and small on strategy, business, coaching and performance management and is regarded as one of the leading experts in retail in Australia.

Re-blog or share via:

Sony Music deliver a blow to CDs

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:27:35 +0000

Sony Music delivered a knockout blow to CDs, announcing recently that on May 1, it will cease sending promo CDs to critics and journalists, and instead only provide them with digital previews. Sony is the second-largest music company in the world, and the first major label to do digital-only promotions–hopefully it’s not the last.

This is only a toe-in-the-water attempt at ending all CD production for good, but it’s still a good indicator of where the industry is eventually heading.

Over the last decade, overall CD sales have plummeted 48% in the U.S., declining steadily almost every year. Meanwhile, digital sales continue to rise, growing 27% in 2008 and 8.3% in 2009. Digital downloads now represent 40% of all music purchases. What’s wrong with major labels, right? The business model seems obvious: Go digital.

Unfortunately, CDs are far from finished. Why? Because digital revenue has failed to compensate for declining CD sales, and more importantly, compact-discs still account for 80% of all album purchases–the labels’ bread and butter.

So it’ll likely be a while before we’re 100% digital, but Sony’s move will definitely encourage other labels to follow suit with promos.

Re-blog or share via:

The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers | by TED

Rennie — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:23:33 +0000

Lets transcend into a place, less about business, and more about evolution or more to the point, the evolution of dance. The LXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) electrify the TED2010 stage with an emerging global street-dance culture, revved up by the Internet. In a preview of Jon Chu’s upcoming Web series, this astonishing troupe show off their superpowers.

Imagine two rival factions — one good, one evil — squaring off in an epic battle … an epic dance battle. Welcome to The LXD, a new online adventure in which heroes and villains combat each other with dance superpowers. With stunning choreography, dancers float over the ground like marionettes or crush the laws of physics beneath their feet when they perform breathtaking aerial maneuvers and transcendental step sequences.

“No special effects. No wires. Real people. Real powers. “

John Chu

Source: TED

Re-blog or share via:

Meet Google. A company whose motto is “Don’t be evil”

Rennie — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:27:25 +0000

Meet Google. The noun that became a verb. The world’s favourite search engine, and the company whose motto is “Don’t be evil…”

Hungry Beast has created an interesting and engaging Info-Graphic on their view on Google and the companies mission. A look a their acquisitions, insight into the class action law suits and the issues surrounding privacy breaches.

Maps and Earth have also had its fair share of issues. Whilst we will are sitting on the fence on this, after all, we use google “a lot” however we are slowly replacing the platform for search with Ecosia, (covered my Mel Mueller last week).

What are your thoughts on this video? What are your thoughts on Google?

Via abc.net.au/hungrybeast

Re-blog or share via: