SparkBlog by The Hartman Group

Breaking news! CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) parodies itself!

According to "new" research by CSPI, the popcorn at movie theaters is loaded with fat in the form of “artery-clogging coconut oil!”
 
In what the objective scientists refer to as the “Godzilla of Snacks,” the consumer can expect to find as much “60 grams of saturated fat…That’s equal to three McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with 12 pats of butter.”
 
All of this might seem interesting if not for the fact that (a) they first reported these findings 15 years ago, (b) it is increasingly unclear why we should be concerned with saturated fat and (c) many people are actually trumpeting the benefits of coconut oil.
 
As ardent cinema fans, we would be the first to admit there’s no getting around that sinking, logy feeling you get when you snarf down a bucket of oil-drenched goodness. And the calories are enough to fill the stomach of the great Tanzanian Wildebeest.
 
But other than those few extra calories, there is simply no credible evidence to suggest that movie theater popcorn is any more dangerous to our lives than a good old-fashioned PB&J sandwich. But hey, debunking the CSPI is nothing new.
 
But cinema fans need not worry, for if there’s anything the CSPI’s 15-year cycle of parody has taught us, it’s that nothing has changed. We still devour our fat-laden goodness, only with increasing confidence from the real scientific community that the boogeyman doesn’t exist.
 
And for those who can’t wait for the sequels (SPOILER ALERT), the next villains will be cinnamon buns, Chinese food and, of course, the parade of evil fast food villains (i.e., The Hamburglar).

Weekly Six: Bar codes, color wheels and punch art

In Japan, Even the Barcodes Are Well Designed
D-barcode specializes in turning barcodes into something fun and memorable.

iPhone App for the Environment
GoodGuide iPhone app scans bar codes for environmental and heath ratings

Graph Media Activities With a Wheel Chart
Hand-drawn "media wheel" shows what media people consume when and where

The Worst Cities for Walking
Transportation for America released a new study on which U.S. cities are most dangerous for pedestrians.

Hole Punch Art
A self-portrait created with holes of 10 different sizes.

And for the "wow" factor: Video Remix
[via Kottke]

We do not live in public

Currently the socialmediasphere is abuzz about Tumblr’s decision to reconfigure its entire site (or “Dashboard”) to accommodate Justin Johnson’s video-crafted marriage proposal to Marissa Nystrom. And, of course, she said yes.

Marissa, will you marry me? from justin on Vimeo.

Now, no doubt, an infestation of lifestyle journalist hacks will descend upon the “story” to document our life in these most curious of social media times. But Ondi Timoner’s pleadings aside, we’d like to interject a healthy dose of reality with the following proclamations:

1. We don't live like this: The last time I checked, many—though not all—of us live in houses or apartments, that’s how and where we distinguish our private space from public. True, we have cell phones and now waste the time that used to get wasted on comic books and sitcoms with things like Facebook, but we still live in private. Hey Ondi, I saw your film, but the more interesting thing is that when you and Josh were living in that giant tunnel pretending to be artists, nobody even cared…because they didn’t know! They were in their homes! Get it?
2. Nobody I know ever lives like Justin and Marissa: As others wiser than we have pointed out, the marriage proposal looks much more like life in a Zach Braff film (i.e., Garden State) than the everyday reality of mere mortals such as ourselves. Our friends have real life problems like broken cars, diabetes and divorce and tend to focus on much more important things than spending 6 years documenting their relationship with a $2000 video camera and a suite of editing tools.
3. It is a sad world when the notion of love becomes a commercial to lure the clueless marketing types further into the imagined world of social media.

Remember, social media is like advertising, if you would just quit looking and listening, maybe—just maybe—they’d go away.
 
Bottom line? Like wow man...

For once, truly game changing innovation: Sixth sense technology coming soon

Some have been blabbing on about the much-touted “sixth sense” technology for some time now. Well, the startling news is that it’s finally here, and it was announced last week that it is going to be open source.

Keep in mind that the technology right now seems primitive and not fully scoped out, but given two years of open source development this could prove mind blowing. As shown in the embedded video, need to know the time? Well, imagine simply using your finger to draw a circle on your wrist and an image of a clock appears. So very cool.

Airport board rooms going foodie

Evidence that no place is too hurried, transient or mainstream for food trends to make their presence. And of particular interest as this one is not only "foodie" but "local" as well. This from an Alaska Airlines statement:

An Afternoon of Epicurean Delight

Drop into the Seattle Board Room Thursday, November 19, between 2 and 6 p.m. for a special culinary event, featuring àMaurice Cellars and Chef Scott Lents from Kirkland's bin on the lake Wine Bar & Restaurant. Anna Schafer from àMaurice will be pouring a selection of wines and Scott Lents will offer a selection of delicious appetizers.

(Yet, clearly, there are some places where going gourmet just doesn't seem, well, appetizing. We probably won't be making a special trip.)

A Decade in Review

Everything you need to know about the first decade of the 21st Century.

via Kottke

Innovating innovation

Wanna think way "out of the box"? Don't forget these guys at your next innovation session.

outside the box from joseph Pelling on Vimeo.

Via AdFreak

The surprise and delight of sustainable packaging

While it’s the intrinsic contents or use of a product that determines a purchase, consumers within the World of Sustainability (who make up 88% of our population) view sustainable packaging options as “simple” measures that all manufacturers can take. It's a minimum requirement for all products, even if the products themselves don’t resonate as sustainable. As consumers become increasingly engaged with sustainability behaviors and the social life of products, earth-friendly packaging is the first price of entry for manufacturers attempting to create a more environmentally responsible halo.

Packaging enhancements also present unique opportunities to surprise and delight consumers lulled into low expectations by commoditized sizes, shapes and designs. Ecolean, a packaging alternative dubbed as "A Lighter Approach to Packaging," seems to do just that with its innovative, "Wow" design and modern approach.

Via The Dieline

"Lightweight packaging is our answer to the demands of the liquid food industry and consumers asking for modern and clever packages. By using a minimal amount of raw material we create a lightweight package which combines low environmental impact with consumer convenience. Saving resources is saving the environment. That is why lightweight packaging has become a heavyweight argument."

Ecolect writes, "Ecolean bag weighs 40-45% less than a carton package and 60-65% less than a plastic bottle of the same size. Even if the mixed material is not really good for recycling, the packages could be remanufactured as mixed plastics and used for products such as pallets, trays, or artificial wood."

But, how does Ecolean fare in the eyes of the consumer? Since awareness of packaging is so personally tied to the daily lives of consumers in terms of use and disposal, it follows that individuals understand sustainable packaging primarily in terms of its back-end environmental impacts (what happens to the packaging after they use the product at home). Front-end issues, such as energy used in production, are much less understood. For example, a discussion about energy savings gained through use of aseptic packaging, like Ecolean, is unknown to most sustainability consumers. Because front-end issues are largely invisible to consumers, when asked about preferred packaging characteristics of the products they buy, back-end issues, such as recyclability and being biodegradable are of greater importance, followed by attributes such as reusability and compostability. Though, when digging deeper, many of the issues of biodegradability and compostability fall further along the adoption pathway in the World of Sustainability.

Below are 6 attributes of sustainable packaging and how they resonate with today's consumers:

• Recyclable: Packaging made from paper, glass, metals, and plastic that can be recycled by consumers through conventional (curb-side) recycling are preferred.
• Minimal packaging: Packaging that features less head space, fewer layers, and less content
• Made from recycled materials: Products made from recycled materials go one step further than simply being recyclable.
• Re-useable: Items that can be repurposed connect to environmental sustainability pathways through notions of decreased waste.
• Biodegradable: While many consumers do not understand the technical aspects of biodegradation, they have vague notions that certain “things take a long time to break down.” Most consumers consider plastic materials the worst offender because they perceive them as never fully degrading.
• Compostable: As composting is an activity further along the adoption pathway in the World of Sustainability, most individuals are only vaguely aware of compostable packaging. Even for consumers most intensely involved in the World who view compostable packaging as the most sustainable option available, it is only “nice to have” — a value-added attribute, and not a purchase driver.

New idea for generational marketing

Slo Pokes and Walnettos to Freshen Up and Cry Baby Gum, generational gift baskets of old time candy favorites is sure to deliver sweet memories of childhood, or at least an old-fashioned sugar buzz. The Candy Crate packages up "favorite nostalgic candy assortments from past decades ~ 1940s-1990s."

In order to market effectively to a generation, folks claim that one must find a way to grab their attention, find something that resonates with them. Do this by understanding how the motivation of your consumers correlate with the underlying values of their generation. When you know this you are able to customize your message to cater to the generation when it comes to your products and services. You can then present the message with your products, services, and communication to their needs and desires.

Of course, every generation ultimately will pass through the same life stages, from youth to old age. As the younger generations find their place in society as consumers, employees and parents, it becomes more and more important for businesses to acknowledge this soon-to-be-powerful demographic. Build brand loyalty with them now, and you may reap the results for the rest of their lives.

Weekly Six: Packaging and innovation from the cool to the creative

12 of the World's Coolest Packaging Designs via Fast Company

Collage of the cool via Superficial Gallery

Anti-theft lunch bags via Think of The

NASA invention for kids: Applesauce on the go via Ambalaj

Meaty Packaging via Lovely Packaging

Credit card-sized Pocket Light folds flat via Dvice

Enjoy!

P.S. BONUS

There's an app for that: Plastic surgery ala iPhone