After being a tramp on my own, we finally started a true agency on sustainable innovation: Studio Spark

2011: Tweeduizend en elf. Het ziet eruit als een jaartal op magere beentjes, maar als je't even anders bekijkt, heeft een elf wel vleugels. Daar willen wij alvast van uitgaan, want 2011 wordt de start van ons kersverse bureau Studio Spark.

Studio Spark is het nieuwe bureau van Bart Jansen, Tom Duhoux en Stefaan Vandist waarmee we organisaties helpen hun duurzame innovaties te ontwikkelen en te vermarkten. We zijn alvast gestart met leuke projecten in onder meer de vakantie-, landbouw-, evenementen-, verf- en retailsector. We hebben alledrie een heel ander pad bewandeld de afgelopen jaren, maar het was onze gemeenschappelijke visie rond duurzaamheid die ons heeft samengebracht onder één dak.

Om ons bureau en onze aanpak te leren kennen, neem gerust een kijkje op onze kraaknieuwe website: www.studiospark.eu

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Studio Spark develops and markets sustainable innovations together with its clients. We don't see sustainability as a field full of restrictions, but as an opportunity for innovation, differentiation and positive growth. We work from an integrated and triple point of view: ecology, economy and buyology. From now on, you will find Stefaan Vandist bloggin on www.studiospark.eu

From grey to green in seven steps

From Dark Grey To Bright Green in seven steps

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Copenhagen (COP15) ended in a minor tone. It became Nopenhagen.

Somehow, it is not a big surprise.

Always believed that the environmental crisis will not be solved in the land of efficiency (rules and regulations, measures and things...), but in the land of effectiveness (the land of harmony, interdependence, creativity and innovation) Different approach. Different brain. Different thinking. But of-course, necessity is the mother of all innovation, and it is a pity that it is not stimulated via new measures, so new markets can flourish.

The presentation above shows that the pathway to green in big companies processes more or less trough similar steps. From the land of efficiency to the land of effectiveness.

Maybe creatives should finally take-over from policy-makers. Maybe that's where it should go.

E-co2.be: increasing fuel-efficiency with tire pressure control

E-co2 does nothing but taking care of your tires. On site.
It is a service they offer to fleet managers.

The benefits are:

- More grip, more safety
- Longer life for your tires
- Less flat tires
- Less fuel consumption
- Less pollution

They have a very simple website with a calculation tool, that shows how much money and CO2 can be saved. Imagine you have 10 cars, driving 40.000 kilometers a year, gusling 100 Euro's a month of fuel. That saves 840 Euro's a year and 1,84 tons of CO2.
They're looking for Leasing companies that want to add "tire pressure control" into their service packages. 

The Creative Sustainable Opportunity

The Creative Sustainable Opportunity

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Tomorrow, I'll have a talk at the Salon Entreprendre 2009 at Tour et Taxis in Brussels.

I'll use my 20 seconds-a-slide talk (Pecha Kucha-format indeed) to show entrepreneurs how to benefit the creative sustainable opportunity. Powered with some inspiring examples, i'll do my best to demonstrate it as an opportunity for disruptive innovation, differentiation and positive growth. Feel free to have a preview above

Responsible Business Summit 2009: 11-12 May, London

the 11th and 12th of May, I will probably attend the Responsible Business Summit in London.

It seems like a big moment as there is a list of 40 speakers of both big international companies (Nestlé, Cadbury, BASF, ...) and organizations that are well known for their credible CSR reputations (Innocent, Timberland, Bodyshop, Green & Blacks ...)

I hope I'm not paying a lot of money for a greenwashing circus (what is SUEZ doing there?) but besides that, I believe it's a good occasion to collect new insights, models and learn from best practices, tactics to gain boardroom buy-in etc...

Some items on the program seem promising:

• The Business Ethics Imperative: Can responsible business  save the reputation of capitalism?
• How to reduce carbon footprint and save money
• Banks and responsible business
• Avoiding Greenwash
• Convince the board to invest in corp. responsability
• ....

You can find the program, brochure and subscription form here

State of Green Business, 2009

In the latest edition of this highly-acclaimed annual report, Joel Makower and the editors of GreenBiz.com® answer the question: How are U.S. businesses doing in their quest to be greener and more environmentally responsible? It updates the GreenBiz Index, a set of over 20 indicators of progress, tracking the resource use, emissions, and business practices of U.S. companies: carbon, materials, energy, and toxics intensity, clean-tech investments, e-waste recovery, paper use, employee commuting, and more.

Eco-bounty: 12 eco-subtrends that any marketer can act on today

At trendwatching.com, the Marsch’ trendbrief presents up to twelve categories in which brands can participate in the epic quest for a sustainable society.

It is a valuable framework in which you can map and overview all what’s eco-innovation and opportunity to build triple success.

Some of these opportunities exist despite the current recession; others are fueled by it, not in the least because of new rules and regulations. Downturn-obsessed brands who lose their eco-focus will find themselves left out in the cold when the global economy starts recovering.

Bridging the Brand-Agency Devide

Marketing budgets go down, and the disconnect between the offer of the marketing industry and what brands are looking for, seems to keep growing, according to FUTURELAB.
On top of that, people tend to question 'the old marketing school' (which is largely based on messaging, buying people's attention and producing fake brand personality devices).

But as people who love our job, we're lucky.
Futurelab surprises us with some free research reports and provocative presentations on:

- Bridging the Brand-Agency Devide, and
- Reconsidering the Advertising Industry

The nice thing is that they do not only provide sharp and insight-full analysis 

(that might hurt sometimes), but offer some smart advice too, to both the advertiser as the agency side. It reminds me of Joseph Jaffe's free chapter "fixing the agency mess", of his well-known book "life after the 30-second spot". But besides that, I believe this is very useful and fresh material for smart and flexible agencies that are willing to keep pace with the post-mass-media-era.

You can download presentations and reports on the publication page of their website.

the triple-E model

The Triple E Model

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: sustainability trinity)

The triple P-model (Profit, people, planet) is grown into a kind of principle or symbol for the philosophy of responsible entrepreneurship. Sometimes it is referred to as the 'triple bottom line'.

The angle point of William Mc Donoug and Michael Braungart is based on eco-effectiveness (doing good) in stead of eco-efficiency (doing less bad) is interesting and inspiring and delivered the triple-E model (Equity, Economy and Ecology).
More or less, it is the same as the tripl-P model. But they see it as a tool. They see it as an instrument that any entrepreneur can use to discover opportunities for positive growth. Because it is an business opportunity, and not an obligation, they call it "the triple-topline"

A new company is about to be born

Strategic Planning with a triple top-line.
More to be announced soon...

Al Gore engages the US to get carbon neutral in 10 years

His powerfull speach seems to be the result of the 'four e' model as shown

eBay: sometimes the best Green Marketing doesn't look Green

The agency I work for (Duval Guillaume) , has just won eBay as a new client.
eBay is seen as a good example of a market(ing) concept with both a commercial, environmental and cultural outcome. (triple bottom line, but consider it as 'top line' in this case)

In its book 'Green Marketing Manifesto', John Grant points out that the success factors of eBay are mainly cultural oriented (but with large environmental benefits):

(1) eBay breaks the uniformity of consumer culture back down into something folksy

(2) eBay gives a second life to products that otherwise probably would get trashed

(3) eBay encourages people to treasure consumer objects. It associates unique objects with unique descriptions of unique people

(4) eBay is one of the most successful startups in the last 20 years as It created a second-hand market place where one (especially in the US) barely existed

(5) Post-advertising brands like eBay, Amazon, Linux etc… did not craft images to build their success. They share an enthusiasm with their participants and just work great.

(6) What eBay has done is introduce advantages over buying from other sources (price, efficiency, reassurance…) but more than that, eBay is a game mechanic. Here is a key lesson for product-service systems: develop something more compelling than shopping.

(7) Beyond making second-hand markets more efficient, eBay created ‘thriving niches of collecting’. Items like ‘classic guitars’ are a booming collection market. People can now buy with confidence, knowing they can sell on

Africa Works: a view on Benetton's newest cause related campaign

This is a remarkable example of cause related marketing with an integrated mix of

fashion advertising + Music + celebrity endorsement + micro-financing (such as Kiva)

The story is as follows: Youssou N'Dour (famous singer in Africa with his own club in Dakar and pioneer of Afro-pop) has a kind of allergy towards charity (You don't have to give Africans fish, you should give them fishing gear), and that's what makes him a strong believer of Micro-financing.
That's why he founded "Birima", his own micro-financing project. Photographer James Morrison made a series of photography of Africans who do business with the support of Birima.
Benetton sponsored Birima with one million Dollars to use the imagery in its campaigns.

What makes Birima and Benetton a good match?

- First of all, Benetton has a history of using advertising in a completely different way, to
communicate the company's values by tackling controversial political issues.
Today, they need to take the next step to a more engaging and participative kind of marketing
that demonstrates its values instead of portraying them.

- On top of that, Benetton is about united colors, and Africa is close around the corner on that

subject.

- Youssou N'Dour's song Birina is an ad in itselves that attributes attention to both Benetton
and the micro-financing project.

Some advantages of cause-related-marketing

- It allows you to look good/green without claiming it. But even though, you associate yourselve
with a subject/ field of significance.

- It is flexible. You can go and find a cause that is popular at that moment. (you can look for
memes and hits!)
- Marketing is in it's "Why-era" (why should I buy from you?)

Some disadvantages

- Apart of the cause-benefit, there is still the cost of PR and advertising

- Association with a charity can get worn out, at the same speed of image advertising

How companies think about climate change: A McKinsey Global Survey

A McKinsey Quarterly survey finds that most executives think climate change matters for their companies. Although few have taken action, they are optimistic about the possibilities.
Most flattering conclusion is that the bigger the company, the more they see tackling climate change as an opportunity for innovation and benefit.
The report is simply accessible after registration, here. It is based upon the responses of 2.192 executives around the world.

27 percent of them CEOs or other C-level executives. The data are weighted to reflect the proportional representation of segments in the total population.

Found via www.greenwaycommunique.com

Google announces RE < C

Today, Google announced RE < c :
Think renewable electricity cheaper than coal.

Google is planning to start $10s of millions in investments in R&D, with the anticipation of $100s of millions of investment in the coming few years.

The target: 1 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity at or below the cost of coal-generated electricity. Their initial targets are solar, wind, and "advanced geothermal.
It's important to point out that this, like all of Google's seemingly philanthropic efforts, is an investment scheme, not a giveaway. Google wants to turn its gold into more gold, and investing in these technologies is a fantastic way to do that. That's not to say that they aren't doing a "good" thing...in fact, this makes far more sense to me than purely philanthropic efforts.

Read more here at Ecogeek

The achievements of Anita Roddick

Anita Roddick, the founder of the Bodyshop was the original mass-market green and ethical entrepreneur, and the first woman to combine sexy with sustainability.

Read more on her achievements and the business strategy of the Body Shop on Wordchanging.com

Earth Rewards, generated by purchases

Previously, we talked about Ello Mobile's cause related business model that provides consumers a nice and convenient way to contribute support to charitative social and environmental projects. (Clients decide to what project their spendings go)

This is a similar construction with credit cards, launched by General Electric, "My Earth Awards"

Every time you use your Earth Rewards Card, a portion of your net purchases will go to offsetting the emissions created by your purchases and activities. For example, spending $25 contributes enough to offset the emissions associated with running a typical refrigerator for a month. Spending $500 offsets the emissions from driving almost 1,500 miles in an average car, etc...

It all adds up

Spend $750 on your Earth Rewards Card every month and you can completely offset the 10 metric tonnes of direct emissions the average American is likely to produce in a year from travel and home energy use.

Being part of life

Apart of these comparisons between financial value and ofsetts, they come up with general "slice-of-life" behaviors like "going to the hairdresser", "going on holiday", "buying food" that all are initiated by spending money.

Check out their communications, offset projects and, GE's own efforts here

Save rainforests with every phone call you make

Belgian Ello Mobile is a mobile operator that was established with the sole aim of giving away 100% of its profits. Ello is a mobile virtual network operator – it uses an existing network. Instead of offering bargain-basement cellphone plans, the company offers its customers the chance to contribute directly to a cause with every call they make, and every text message they send.

Again, consumers are fed up with charity related campaigns, but more then ever they appreciate fun ways to participate

According to Serge Van de Zande, co-founder of Ello Mobile who keynoted at the Vlerick Colloquium in Ghent in Marsch, he knows

Consumers become more and more indifferent towards "price and promo-related telecom campaigns"

While:
- 8,6 Million people in Belgium own a Mobile phone, and Telecom marketing weight that relates

to promo and price is very heavy
- 6 out of 10 does the effort of giving a yearly donation to a charitative initiative
- Engagement is hot, preferably in a pleasant and easy way to consume

On top of that: Global awarenes did enter the mainstream of consumerism, and is a niche anymore for a few neo-hippies.

How easy is Ello Mobile?
Customers can currently pick one of six projects, from protecting the jungles of Sumatra to providing mobile schools to street children in South America. Another six projects will be added over the next few months, all of which have been selected by an independent panel of experts. Ello understands the need for charitable organizations to be completely transparent, and will share full profit and loss statements with its customers. To minimize costs, the company is entirely web-based, and works with a small administrative staff. Profit margins are forecast at 24-33% for the first three years, and are targeted to climb to 41% after 2009.

Tommy Telecom

Meanwhile, just launched in the Netherlands, Tommy Telecom is also forging a link between social causes and mobile telecom. Albeit with a very different approach. Tommy's customers are required to structurally donate time or money to a recognized cause. Which means their customer base is 5 million Dutch citizens.

Like Ello, Tommy Telcom is a virtual mobile provider, operating on KPN's network. Unlike Ello, Tommy offers cheap cell phone plans. For EUR 5 per month, members can call other members at no charge, and non-members at EUR 0,15 per minute. Here, the goal isn't to give away profits, but to offer socially engaged consumers a reward for sponsoring causes and an extra incentive to keep donating. And of course the scheme will also encourage members to ask their friends and family to sign up too, so that all involved can call more people for free.

Whether you make it easy or rewarding for your customers to be good, turning existing consumer behaviour into a way of contributing to a better world is innovation we applaud.

http://www.ello-mobile.be/

Advertising Giant JCDecaux launches a big city bike network in Paris

Just publisched on Springwise, this is probably the largest City Bike Scheme in the world!

This weekend, Paris placed over 10,000 bikes in just 36 hours, launching an ambitious bike sharing system. Dubbed Vélib' (velo + liberté), the program aims to lead a 'revolution in the way Parisians move around the city', reducing pollution and keeping the people of Paris physically fit.
Customers can pick up a bicycle from one of 750 self-service points. If no bikes are available, renters are directed towards a well-stocked point nearby. After identifying themselves and providing credit or debit card details, users can take out a bike. A day pass costs EUR 1, allowing users as many rides as they like, provided each trip is less than 30 minutes. An additional half hour is EUR 1, with prices climbing for additional time used; the pricing model is aimed at encouraging quick turnover. Bikes can be returned at any service point. Once all 1,451 are in place (end of 2007), the nearest service point will never be far off — one every 300 metres, which means they'll be 4.4 times as densely distributed as metro stations.

The number of bicycles will also be doubled, bringing the total to 20,600.
The sturdy grey bikes come with a metal basket on the handlebars and are heavier than standard bicycles, built to withstand heavy use. In line with the program's green image, Vélib‘ maintenance staff get around town on 130 electrically assisted bicycles. A barge with 12 stops along the Seine will pick up bikes in need of major repairs. Cleaning staff drive electric vehicles and use rain collected on the roofs of JCDecaux offices. Like a similar scheme in Lyon, where 10 percent of the city's population has a subscription to the local sharing scheme, Vélib‘ is operated by outdoor advertising giant JCDecaux, which is footing the bill in exchange for exclusive rights to 1,628 Paris billboards.

For short journeys, shared bicycles are faster, cheaper and easier than public transport. With fuel prices still on the rise and increased concern about the environmental costs of driving, planners from other cities should head over to Paris to test Vélib‘ in preparation for launching their own bicycle sharing program. And if you're in outdoor advertising, take a cue from JCDecaux's model! (For more examples, see our previous coverage of urban bicycle schemes.)

- Website

- Images on Flickr