Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Creativity

Brand damage does interesting things to companies. In the last two hours I've seen a new Apple ad that talks about how green the new Macbook is. The Macbook being released just in time for the holiday's doesn't have PVC in it. This is the direct result of several interesting consumer campaigns asking for Apple to lead the industry in the elimination of toxic chemicals and upping their awareness and therefore innovation into decreasing the environmental and health impacts of the lifecycle of their products. Nicely played Apple. People will now see the latest Greenpeace guide to greener electronics rating and think wtf? I thought they were the greenest? and maybe just maybe dismiss the results that they are nowhere near leading the pack.

Another good ad campaign is run by the American Chemistry Council. I don't have a tv, so I don't get to see them as much, but I like to visit bars. Many bars have tvs. You get the idea. So these ads are really well done and talk about how important chemicals are to our world and safety and quality of life. These ads are doing wonders for their reputation, that people might even be forgetting about their less than stellar record. While giving a presentation the other day on the importance of understanding the lifecycle of products and the precautionary principle, a teacher said yeah just like those chemistry ads on tv.

Creativity is an interesting phenomenon. I read a lot of articles and books and magazine about creativity. I like understanding how the brain works and how to change your prespective in order improve what you do. Creativity provides an interesting and challenging path to how our world develops. I.e. misleading ads that mask the real actions of corporations.

While reading Businessweek (know thy foe) I found this really great article.

Renee

Monday, November 24, 2008

M.O.N.E.Y.

I'm not an anti-capitalist by any means of the imagination, but I do believe you shouldn't exploit people in order to get your share of the pie, we should be trying to make the pie bigger. I was born an entrepreneur and I will always be an entrepreneur. Yeah . . . I sold Iced Tea on the side of Rhode Island Ave in Coral Springs, Fl when I was 10. The way the economy looks these days, I might even do it again. I made bank, ya'll!

But I am kind of loving that congress hasn't given the auto industry a pat on the back and a full wallet. yet. They have refused over and over again to bend towards consumer needs and wishes for more energy efficient vehicles and instead pushed how every suburban mom needs a ginormous SUV to hustle the kids back and forth to pre-school. I have friends in south Florida that find an H3 essential to their . . Neiman Marcus shopping trips. And it's ridiculous.

So . . . good on you Congress. for this one anyway. And try not to fuck it up will you.

Renee

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Apopka, FL

So, my crazy worklife has slowed just a bit at the moment. Mostly, I'm taking the next couple weeks to do research on the various campaigns I've been running and get a good head start for next year. And learning more about things like why disinfectants are not more widely peroxide based since we all know that ones based on phenols and Quaternary ammonium compounds are pretty toxic.

I also decided that The New Yorker is too important to my quality of life to not renew my subscription, especially since they send notices with bigger and better discounts practically every week. I'm so easily swayed by good marketing. Damnit!

Anyways, I'm heading to visit the fam on Monday in Florida and I thought I should talk again about the situation in Apopka, Fl. The last time I visited there was probably in September. I did my own toxic tour of the area. Smelly, gross, and just disgusting that these people are being targeted by so many environmental harms.

Here is are a couple pictures I took during that tour:






The reason that Apopka has gotten any press at all is because of studies on alligators. They are increasingly being born with decreasing penis size. Our world's amphibian's are becoming the focus of many studies in the past several years that are linking our toxicity levels to developmental mutations. But in many cases we are leaving out the growing link between these animals reproductive problems and the growing developmental disorders of the people that live near these animals.

Here is an interesting article on the potential extinction of amphibians.

Happy Sunday!
Renee

Thursday, November 6, 2008

It Doesn't Matter

I'm back.

I know you missed me.

You may not be surprised that I want many changes in this country. That i have many ideals similar to our next president. Not all, so be prepared that I am as sarcastic to him as I have been to all those that have run our country in the last many many years.

What I feel now is what has already been expressed by:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Bsw0UG-U&feature=related

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf0x_TpDris&NR=1

I have no creative or unique things to say right now. Because we are not very different than what has come before. People are people.We will always be similar, we will always be alike and we should always stand up for one another because if we don't . . . well you may have a couple extra dollars but you don't have much else.

Renee Claire