Brands: Lost Meaning.

28 10 2010

Disturbing new research shows that the vast majority of consumers WOULD NOT CARE  if two thirds of brands disappeared in the future.

Congratulations to Havas Media for their new Brand Sustainable Futures global research report on consumers’ rising expectations of business and brands.  The report issued this week shows that:

  • Only 33% of brands are considered to be meaningful to consumers worldwide.
  • Only 29% of brands are perceived to be working hard to resolve sustainability issues.
  • 80% of consumers expect businesses to act responsibly.

The data is continued support to the need for businesses to accept the criteria and realities of how they are perceived and their expected role in society.

Havas Director of Global Business Innovation Sara de Dios Lopez commented on the research by saying:

“There’s a real opportunity for companies who shift from relying only on ‘what they do’, through their corporate facts and transparency initiatives, and start building relevant brand roles and engaging initiatives that capture ‘collective will’ and spur people into action.”

Read a summary of the Havas Media Report.


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Hilarious: Cheers to Yeo Valley

15 10 2010

WE LOVE THIS NEW VIDEO FROM YEO VALLEY – AN ORGANIC DAIRY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.


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Cheers to Anvil Organics: We Need To Talk

7 10 2010

Here’s a great video that Anvil Organics – a maker of eco-friendly clothing – has produced in association with their sponsorship of Farm Aid 25.  Let the earth talk to you…..


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The Clock Is Ticking: 3 Amazing Minutes

1 10 2010

Once again, bless the folks at The Girl Effect for all their efforts on behalf of girls living in poverty.  Their new video is breathtaking.

Pass it along.


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Get engaged with Green My Parents

30 09 2010

Green My Parents is a new campaign designed to engage teens in the movement to make their homes, lives and families more sustainable.  The movement is also encouraging kids to ask brands to support the causes they care about.

One kid proclaims “this is the moonshot of our generation, but we need your help”.

Read more about the campaign and watch another video at Sustainable Life Media and how it is focused in engaging brands and kids in a common purpose to help the planet.

Sign up for the movement at greenmyparents.com


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83% of people want to see more cause marketing. New report from Cone Research.

20 09 2010

Released last week, the 2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study reports significant new evidence supporting the rise in importance of cause related marketing.  Despite overall low consumer confidence and prolonged unemployment due to the recession, the one thing consumers are confident in is their belief in brands that support worthy causes.

Higlights of the report show that:

  • 88% of people say it is acceptable for comapnies to involve a cause or issue in their marketing.
  • 85% have a more positive image of a product or company that supports a cause they care about.
  • 80% are likely to switch brands, similar in price and quality, to one that supports a cause.

The report also highlighted the powerful role of linking moms and causes in brand purchasing behavior.

Of mom’s surveyed, 95% say cause marketing is acceptable and 92% say they want to buy a product supporting a cause.

You can get a free copy of the Cone Study here.


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Congrats to Nissan and TBWA/Chiat Day: Nissan Leaf

10 09 2010

Nice new spot launching the Leaf – the all-electric car from Nissan.


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If You’ve Got It = Spend It!

6 09 2010

In an edited excerpt of his new book Aftershock: Reshaping the World Economy After The Crises, Phillpee Legrain writes about the need to embrace new approaches capitalism and consumerism.  His point is that without consumption, there is no production, no income and no jobs.  And in plenty of markets around the world, there are millions and millions of people with unmet needs.  Responsible brands understand that they need to be serving those markets not only with sustainable products but with efforts that aid the public good.  The balance is essential for the retention and recruitment of new audiences of prosperous consumers.

“The aftermath of the crisis opens up huge opportunities to reshape the world economy for the better.  A fairer, richer, greener and more stable global economy is possible.  But to achieve it, we need to rediscover the virtues of open markets, open societies and open minds that go hand in hand with progress:  great opportunities for everyone to chase their dreams and fulfill their potentials.”

Read the article in Ode Magazine.


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PR Week: PR firms fail to meet sustainability communication needs.

3 09 2010

In an article written by Chris Daniels, PR Week shares the results of a new survey by Verdantix which highlights the gap between claims and reality about public relations firms which offer sustainability communication consulting expertise.

Read the article in its entirety below.

Most PR firms fail to meet the needs of clients when it comes to sustainable communications.

That is according to a new report from Verdantix, a sustainable business analyst firm, which evaluated 18 firms that claim to offer expertise in sustainable communications.

The report found a majority of the agencies–11 of them–need to seriously improve their offerings. “It seems like some agencies claim a practice, but there’s really not much there,” says Jim Nail, principal analyst for Verdantix.

In fact, the report singled out just two firms (OgilvyEarth and Cone) as leaders in sustainable communications. Four firms were characterized as being on the verge of leadership:  Context America, Ketchum, Edelman and Cohn & Wolfe.

The evaluations are based on interviews with key agency executives, publicly available information, and off-the-record interviews with 15 clients at firms with global revenues of over $2 billion.

PR firms face numerous challenges in relation to sustainable communication—particularly around the fact sustainability is often a complex subject that requires the guidance of third-party expertise, says Nail.

“Almost every agency we talked to has some relationship with NGOs, but they aren’t systematic about bringing them in. They’ll say, ‘Oh, we’ve done some sustainability work with this client so we know what we need to know,’” he says. “I don’t think that’s  sufficient.”

That sentiment was echoed by clients interviewed for the report, who felt big PR firms lack the required knowledge. In fact, six of the 15 firms engaged specialist CSR or sustainability consultants to provide missing expertise.

One of the few firms applauded by the report for its approach on bringing in third-party experts is OgilvyEarth, which has global sustainability advisers who help the agency develop regionally-based experts.

“We rely on our advisers to keep us honest, ensure our work is up-to-date, and to create additional contacts for us, because sustainability is highly networked,” says Seth Farbman, senior partner, worldwide managing director for OgilvyEarth. “If you don’t surround yourself with people who are deeply involved in sustainability, you’ll always be playing catch-up.”

The report found that PR firms also face a lack of client awareness about their sustainable communication offerings. When clients were asked to name a firm known for their sustainability work, no firm was mentioned by more than three companies. In terms of agencies that were top of mind, OgilvyEarth, Edelman, and Cone topped the list.

“That was probably the biggest disappointment for me—that our capabilities weren’t more well-known,” says Dave Chapman, partner at Ketchum West who oversees the agency’s sustainability practice.

He says even before receiving the report, it was an issue Ketchum was addressing. “When this report was being done, we didn’t have a [Web] page that was dedicated to our sustainability point of view and capabilities, but we do now. We didn’t have an Intranet site where we put a lot more information about process for our own internal sources, but we do now,” says Chapman. “We soon hope to be nipping at the heels of Ogilvy and Cone.”

The report also gave the 18 firms poor marks in terms of demonstrating the kind of transparency around sustainability reporting they espouse to clients. “I was shocked to hear they’re not walking the talk,” says Nail.

Edelman was the first PR agency to issue its own CSR report, in 2005, but hasn’t had one since. Chris Deli, global head of CSR and sustainability practice for Edelman, says the agency has made a financial commitment to complete its second full report later  this fiscal year.

The investment into CSR reporting will help put its own policies under a microscope, as well as help inform Edelman’s client work, says Deli. “We’ll be looking not only at our social and environmental impact on a global level, but also what our individual offices are doing.”


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Deloitte: The Gap Between Aspiration and Action

30 08 2010

A new survey of corporate business executives by Deloitte identifies the gap that still exists between sustainability vision and execution.   While most business leaders surveyed indicated knowledge of the benefits of developing a relationship between sustainability and the business, much more work needs to be done to make it a fundamental part of the operational, cultural and strategic performance of the company.

Thanks for Deloitte for making this research available to business leaders everywhere.

Read the Deloitte Executive Summary Here.


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Brands and Branding For Good.

29 08 2010

“There must be a better way to make the things we want, a way that doesn’t spoil the sky, the rain or the land.”
– Sir Paul McCartney

Coming to South Africa in October is a conference entitled Brands and Branding for Good.

Congratulations to the organizers and the roster of speakers representing a wide range of global brands including IBM, McDonald’s, Nike, and Dell for coming together to understand and demonstrate how brands can work for the public good.

Learn more about the Brands and Branding For Good Conference here


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Nice Work: GE & Pentagram Use Iconography For Energy Use Education

29 08 2010

We all know the power of icongraphy in design.  The visual short-cuts that convey meaning and guide navigation instantly and intuitively.

Kudos to legendary design firm Pentagram for working with General Electric to develop this simple yet powerful energy use calculator.

Visit the home energy use guide here.


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Peter Clarke: 5 Branding Commandments for the Post-Crash Economy

29 08 2010

A very inspiring article by Peter Clark on 5 compelling branding commandents for marketers and agencies moving forward.  His straightforward summary of branding principals for a post-recession era reminds us that consumer’s expectations for brand behavior are forever changed.

Peter’s commandants are:

1.  Simplicity

2. Transparency

3. Responsibility

4.  Sustainability

5.  Affordability

Read the 5 Commandments Article Here.

Grass Image:  Dennis Wong


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Counter-Intuitive Intelligence: Recession = Responsibility

29 08 2010

This article from Brandweek demonstrates that the recession has affected not only consumer wallets, but also brand perception. Kudos to the folks at Landor Associates, Penn Schoen Berland and Burson-Marsteller for their new consumer survey demonstrating that transparency and corporate responsibility have become far more important to consumers in a tough economy.

The survey measured consumer perceptions of corporate social responsibility practices and ranked companies that are the most responsible. It found that despite the recession, 75% of consumers believe social responsibility is important, and 55% of consumers said they would choose a product that supports a particular cause against similar products that don’t.

“[Corporate social responsibility] can be the olive branch between struggling industries and consumers in cases where consumers are experiencing the highest expectations and the biggest let downs,” said Scott Osman, global director of Landor’s citizenship branding practice, adding that the industries with brands that have performed poorly, are the ones in which responsibility is valued most.

While 38% of respondents plan to spend the same or more on products or services from socially responsible companies, more than half of consumers are unsure about the meaning of CSR. And those who do know what the term means, define it as “giving back to the local community” (20%), and as “self-regulation and accountability” (19%).

Additionally, the survey found that 70% of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products from socially responsible companies. In fact, 28% are willing to pay at least $10 more. That means companies have an opportunity to differentiate themselves if they can communicate clearly how they give back to their employees, communities, and the environment, per the survey.

When asked to name the most surprising findings, Osman pointed to the fact that nearly 50% of 18-24 and 25-34 year olds are more likely to take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company—a much higher percentage than any other age group. However, Osman added, “a year where there seems have been so much responsibility expressed, especially in light of the earthquake in Haiti, only 11% of Americans say they’ve heard corporate CSR communications.”


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Cone Study: 75% of consumers grade companies as C, D, or F on engagement around sustainability.

25 05 2010

May 21, 2010 – A recent study conducted by Cone LLC finds that while the overwhelming majority of American consumers believe that their ideas can help business build more sustainable products, a much smaller number believe companies are doing enough to encourage communication about corporate sustainability.

The report, entitled 2010 Cone Shared Responsibility Study, finds that 84% of the 1,045 American consumers polled believed that their ideas could benefit businesses sustainability offerings, while only 53% felt encouraged to engage at any level. The four key areas consumers wanted more engagement in are: including how a company conducts its business (85%), its products and packaging (83%), its support of social and environmental issues (81%) and its marketing and advertising (74%).

In grading companies on their engagement levels, over 75% of those surveyed gave companies either a “C”, “D”, or “F” on customer engagement. Cone calls this a lost opportunity for most companies, as many more consumers would be more likely buy products and services and recommend companies with better engagement policies.

Consumers are also prepared to listen to companies willing to engage them, with a full 92% of respondents wanting more communication from brands. While this number sounds like an overwhelming endorsement for more brand communication, some other statistics bring to light the dichotomy of the situation:

  • Skepticism – 87 percent of consumers believe the communication is one-sided — companies share the positive information about their efforts, but withhold the negative.
  • Confusion – 67 percent of consumers are confused by the messages companies use to talk about their social and environmental commitments.

For a copy of the complete 2010 Cone Shared Responsibility Study fact sheet, please visit http://www.coneinc.com/research/.


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International Award-Winning Short Ana’s Playground To Screen At the Santa Barbara Film Festival

29 01 2010
Ana’s Playground, a short film about children living in armed conflict has been accepted to screen at the 25th annual Santa Barbara Film Festival.  Ana’s Playground will screen twice – once as part of Shorts Program One on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 9:30 p.m. at Victoria Hall and again (Shorts Program One) on Tuesday, February 9 at 10 a.m. at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.  Producers Mary Jo Howell, Jean Johnson and Bruce Johnson will join writer-director Eric Howell at both screenings and are available for interviews to discuss the film.
Since its release in September, Ana’s Playground has won top honors at the Norwich, New Hampshire, Cenflo and Foyle film festivals, including a ‘Best of the Festival’ and an Academy Qualifying win for the 2010 nomination cycle.

Set in a non-specific, war-torn country, Ana’s Playground is an examination of children living and dying in a world of armed combat.  Told through the eyes of 11 year-old Ana, the story opens on a group of children playing soccer surrounded by the signs of conflict.  When their soccer ball is kicked into a sniper zone, Ana is sent in to retrieve it.  Once inside, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues, as Ana becomes the sniper’s target. Connected through the power of sport, the characters all listen to the same professional soccer game which plays in the background.  Viewers will be kept guessing as to how the story will reach its ultimate conclusion — will their games end up in harmony or tragedy?
“Ana’s Playground is an allegory about the moment a child is forced to choose between humanity and ideology,” said filmmaker Eric Howell.  “The film is not a political statement about a particular war or conflict, instead it directly examines the delicate nature of a child’s humanity and how the world at large is connected to and responsible for preserving it.”

The objective of Ana’s Playground is to raise awareness about how war and violence affect children by communicating with the largest audience possible.  There’s also an opportunity to provide information about organizations working to improve the lives of children living in violent conditions.
“Ana’s Playground powerfully communicates the effects of armed conflict on children trying to play” said Johann Koss, president and CEO of Right to Play.  “The film’s conclusion will resonate with viewers leaving behind a powerful message audiences will be unable to forget.”
Raven Bellefleur, an eleven year-old actress plays Ana, leading an all-Minnesotan cast, and producers Marsha Trainer and Jillian Nodland worked hard to pull together and organize resources to shoot the film in one cold November week in the Twin Cities.
With a background that demonstrates a balance of studio films and independents, writer-director Eric Howell is on a mission to raise awareness for short films, as well as the plight of war-affected children around the globe.  Early in his career, Howell developed his directing skills by working as a stuntman/coordinator on numerous feature films including North Country, Joe Somebody, Fargo and A Simple Plan as well as hundreds of TV commercials and music videos.  Howell has directed several short films as well as various episodic television projects.  He continues to work in the industry writing and developing his own material.
“Our hope is that Ana’s Playground will entice audiences to explore more of the exceptional film work being done in the short film category,” said Howell.  “Short films are covering ambitious subject matter and the quality of the final product looks like what audiences expect from feature-length films.  Short films have simply never had the same kind of exposure.  So we’ll continue to get the word out and let more people in on the secret.”
The filmmakers are interested in partnering with corporations, foundations and individuals who can help sponsor Ana’s Playground at film festivals and screening events to help audiences learn more about war-affected children and organizations helping them.
Production
Production of Ana’s Playground was made possible entirely through charitable donations. George Lucas’s Skywalker Sound provided all sound engineering post-production; and the Coen brothers’ latest production A Serious Man donated much of the physical set support.  A long list of other industry insiders also shows up in the film’s credits.
Awards
Ana’s Playground won “Best International Short Film” at the 2009 Foyle Film Festival in Northern Ireland (a 2010 Oscars-qualifying film festival), “Best Short Drama” at the 2009 New Hampshire Film Festival, “Best Short Film” and “Best of Fest” at the 2009 Norwich International Film Festival (Norwich, England) and ‘Best Short Film” at the Cenflo Film Fest. Ana’s Playground is based on a script that also won the best screenplay award at the 2006 Los Angeles International Short Film Festival.

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More screenings of Ana’s Playground ahead at Festivals around the country.

31 12 2009

Ana’s Playground, the breathtaking allegory short film about children at the hands of armed conflict, may be coming to a film festival near you in early 2010.  I encourage everyone who has a chance to take in this riveting drama which is well on its way to receiving a best short film nomination at the Academy Awards.

It’s a perfect way to kick off the New Year with the resolution to learn more and get involved in helping children in war torn countries and the countless number of kids that can benefit from organizations like Right to Play, the principal non-profit organization benefiting from funds raised by Ana’s Playground.

You can see Ana’s Playground at the following film festivals.  Follow the links to each individual film festival for screening times and locations.

Santa Barbara International FIlm Fest – Feb. 4 – 14th (Academy Sanctioned)

Boulder International Film Fest –  Feb. 11th – 14th

Sedona International Film Festival –  Feb. 21st – Feb 28th

Cinequest (San Jose) Feb. 23rd – Mar. 7th (Academy Sanctioned)

Tiburon Film Fest – Mar. 18th –  Mar. 26th

In addition to these Film Festivals, Ana’s Playground will have a special screening at Right To Play’s event for sponsors and supporters at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Here’s a recent spot from Mastercard Canada raising awareness about Right to Play.

And for friends in the Twin Cities, Ana’s Playground has been selected as the exclusive film to be screened at Augsburg College during the annual Nobel Peace Prize forum on Friday, March 5 on campus.  The screening will follow a keynote address by 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari.

Details on the Nobel Peace Prize Forum

Some of the recognition Ana’s Playground has earned around the world includes:

WINNER – Best Int’l Short Film – Foyle Film Festival (Oscar Qualifying)
WINNER – Best Screenplay – Los Angeles Int’l Short Film Festival
WINNER – Best Short Film – Norwich Int’l Film Festival
WINNER – Best of the Fest – Norwich Int’l Film Festival
WINNER – Best Dramatic Short Film – New Hampshire Film Festival
WINNER – Best Short FIlm – Cenflo Film Festival


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Watch post-Copenhagen fall-out on The Age of Stupid Show

19 12 2009

The last team standing (sort of) at the end of the Copenhagen Climate Summit was The Age of Stupid TV Show production team.

The Stupid Show Recaps Copenhagen

You can watch a post -conference Age of Stupid Show with hosts Franny Alexander and Mark Laynas featuring interviews with attendees, dignitaries and others who left with strong opinions about the “agreement”.  A re-freshingly non-American-centric perspective.


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Ana’s Playground qualifies for Oscar Nomination.

30 11 2009

Congrats again to the film-making team for Ana’s Playground.  Ana’s Playground has won “Best International Short Film” at the 22nd Foyle Film Festival in Northern Ireland.

This festival is one of a few festivals that are sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

WIth a win in the short film category, Ana’s Playground has automatically qualified to be considered by the Academy for an Oscar nomination in the 2010 award cycle.

Visit the Ana’s Playground film-makers’ blog.


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Fighting climate change would also benefit human health.

25 11 2009

Measures to combat climate change could have appreciable direct as well as indirect benefits for public health, say authors of a series of six papers and four comments in The Lancet Online First.

In the first comment, authors from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine say that many policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can also have a range of ancillary effects, including effects on health. The authors of the first paper in the series looked at the effects of two hypothetical interventions: to improve the energy efficiency of UK housing stock (combined fabric, ventilation, fuel switching and behavioural changes); and to introduce 150 million low-emission household cookstoves in India. The UK housing changes were estimated to cut disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by 850 and to save 0.6 megatonnes of carbon dioxide per million population in one year. Introducing cookstoves was calculated to result in substantial reductions in acute lower respiratory tract infection in children, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischaemic heart disease resulting in 12,500 fewer DALYs and a saving of 0.1-0.2 megatonnes of carbon dioxide per million population per year.

A further paper modelled the health and environmental effects of changes to urban land transport in Delhi and London, which included lower-carbon-emission motor vehicles and a higher level of active travel. Increasing active travel – in either city – gave rise to more health as well as environmental benefits than increasing use of lower-emission motor vehicles. Much of the benefit arose from a reduction in the number of years of life lost from ischaemic heart disease, by 10-19% in London and 11-25% in Delhi. Other papers looked at the health effects of strategies linked to low-carbon electricity generation, short-lived greenhouse pollutants, and food and agriculture. In his own comment, Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, points out how this research could help combat the public’s negative perception of initiatives to combat climate change: “The overwhelming impression among the public is that any response to global warming will be negative … We will have to drive less, fly less, eat differently, change the way we generate energy, and alter our lifestyles in ways that will limit our freedom to do as we please … Not surprisingly, this political message is hard to sell to a public already struggling during a time of global financial insecurity.” “Health is likely to become an increasingly important concern, not only for a public anxious about the impact of climate-change mitigation policies on their lives, but also for politicians eager to sweeten the climate-change policy pill. This latest report aims to accelerate political and public assent for large cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions.”

Professor Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, said of The Lancet’s papers: “Climate change not only contributes to disease and premature death but exacerbates existing health inequalities in the UK and globally. Today’s research shows that a reduction in emissions will have a positive effect on health in both high and low-income settings, and that lifestyle changes made by all us will have direct health benefits.”


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Help fund The Stupid Show Webcast from Copenhagen.

25 11 2009

The filmmakers behind the groundbreaking documentary on climate change–The Age of Stupid—hope to webcast The Stupid Show live from the United Nationals Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December.  To make this happen, they need your support.

Learn more about how you can make The Stupid Show happen.


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Age of Stupid Filmmaker Saved By Mayor of London from iron bar yielding girl gang.

25 11 2009

I can’t believe I just wrote that headline – but the truth is stranger than fiction.  The Guardian reported today:

Boris Johnson came to the rescue of a high profile climate change activist and filmmaker who was being attacked by a group of young girls brandishing an iron bar, it was revealed today.

Franny Armstrong, the director of The Age of Stupid, described the mayor of London as her “knight in a shining bicycle” after he came to her defence as she was walking home in Camden, north London, last night.

She called out for help to a passing cyclist after being surrounded by a group of hoodie-wearing young girls who pushed her against a car, one holding an iron bar.

She called out for help to a passing cyclist after being surrounded by a group of hoodie-wearing young girls who pushed her against a car, one holding an iron bar.

The cyclist turned out to be none other than Johnson, who has made tackling youth crime a key mayoral priority.

He stopped and chased the girls down the street, calling them “oiks”, according to Armstrong, who praised the mayor’s intervention.

Johnson returned and insisted on walking her home.

Armstrong is the founder of the 10:10 campaign, which aims to cut 10% of carbon emissions in 2010 and has attracted support from leading firms – including the Guardian – and personalities.

“I was texting on my phone so didn’t notice the girls until they pushed me against the car, quite hard,” she said.

“I noticed that one had an iron bar in her hand. It was very frightening. At that moment a man cycled past and I called out for help.

“He said to the girls: ‘What do you think you are doing?’ He picked up the iron bar, called after the girls and cycled after them. He returned a few minutes later and walked me home.

“He was my knight on a shining bicycle.”

Watch an interview with Franny Armstrong.


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Ana’s Playground takes New Hampshire.

19 10 2009

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Like the first important primary of a presidential election, New Hampshire represents a key milestone for another candidate.  Ana’s Playground— the short film about children as victims of armed conflict—won Best Short Drama in this past weekend’s festival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.   More than 80 independent films were screened over the weekend.

With award winning honors in three of its first few screenings, Ana’s Playground continues its world tour.  Check out the Ana’s Playground filmmaker blog for other news and updates.

One of the largest film fests in New England, the four-day event draws celebrities, academy-award winners, film industry veterans and local film lovers. Most importantly, NHFF offers workshops and discussions for young and new filmmakers to interact with industry pros and learn the art and business of film.

Learn more about the New Hampshire Film Festival


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Six Powerful Voices

7 10 2009

Sign the petition, upload your photo and send a message about your concern for climate change.  Copenhagen is right around the corner.

Sign the petition.


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Seeking an audience for The Age of Stupid

7 10 2009

“The first successful dramatisation of climate change to hit the big screen.”

– The Guardian

Last month saw the world premiere of The Age of Stupid on the eve of the United Nations conference on climate change.  The Age of Stupid’ is the new cinema documentary from the Director of ‘McLibel’ and the Producer of the Oscar-winning ‘One Day in September’. Filmed in seven countries over four years, this enormously ambitious drama-documentary-animation hybrid stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, watching ‘archive’ footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change while we had the chance?

Visit the world of The Age of Stupid

Watch a United Kingdom televised report on The Age of Stupid and other eco-documentaries soon to be released.

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan at the world premiere event in New York on the eve of the United Nationals General Session on Climate Change.

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The exterior of The Archive in which Pete Postlethwaite’s character, the archivist, lives.   This animation was produced by animator Greg McKnealley.

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More Mo for Ana’s Playground

1 10 2009

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After last week’s premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival, the momentum and excitement over the debut of the short film Ana’s Playground continues.

The film making team attended the premiere and are pictured here in front of the Ana’s Playground poster at the CIFF.

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One member of the Calgary audience wrote:

“The film which had the audience on the edge of their seat with looks of fear frozen between each gunshot was Ana’s Playground.  There was no dialogue, but there didn’t need to be. Ana’s Playground told the story of children caught in the middle of war with brilliant shots, a terrifying soundtrack and a mysterious, unidentified gunman.”

You can watch an on-line interview with Ana’s Playground writer/director Eric Howell here.

Ana’s Playground was the darling of the inaugural Norwich Film Festival in the United Kingdom winning both Best Short Film and Best of the Fest honors late last month.

Read about the Norwich Festival response


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Ana’s Playground a winner at Norwich Film Festival

24 09 2009

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Ana’s Playground received awards for The Best Short Film and Best of The Fest this week at the Norwich Film Festival in the United Kingdom.

In its advance pre-screening at the debut Norwich Film Festival, Ana’s Playground not only won Best Short Film, but Best of The Fest – beating out all the feature films that were screened as well as more than 90 films entered in the competition.

Learn more about the Norwich Film Festival

The world premiere of Ana’s Playground is Friday, September 25 at the Calgary Film Festival.  Information on the Calgary Film Festival is available at their website.

Calgary International Film Festival

Written and directed by Minneapolis film maker Eric Howell, Ana’s Playground is a Oscar worthy story of children subjected to armed conflict.  The mission of the film is to raise awareness of children in conflict and raise funds for Right to Play, an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.


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Categories : corporate social responsibility, reputation management, sustainable branding, sustainable brands

A responsibility revolution?

21 09 2009

Picture 1A new survey by Time magazine was highlighted in a recent article written by Richard Stengel: “For American Consumers, A Responsibility Revolution.”  Could this new halo many are happy to be wearing represent some of the most compelling signs of “the new normal”?

The research indicated:

  • 82% of people consciously supported local or neighborhood businesses
  • 40% of people said they purchased a product in 2009 because they liked the political or social values of the company that produced it.
  • 60% of Americans have bought organic products since January
  • 78% of those polled said they would be willing to pay $2,000 more for a car that gets 35 m.p.g. than for a similar one that gets only 25 m.p.g

As the article says, “That’s evidence of a changing mind-set, a new kind of social contract among consumers, business and government. We are seeing the rise of the citizen consumer — and the beginnings of a responsibility revolution.”

Once again, the Time survey adds to the rapidly growing amount of data that indicate we have reached the tipping point where values based marketing and sustainable branding are beginning to rise in importance with customers from all walks of life. Companies who recognize this and infuse sustainable branding into their total customer experience will inevitably be among the winners in the age of accountability.

Read the Time magazine article


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What nobody is talking about in the U.S. and everyone is buzzing about in the rest of the world.

15 09 2009

SEEEEEL THE DEAL ENGLISH 2D“Now is the time for decision-making. We must seal a deal in Copenhagen for a global, equitable and comprehensive deal for the future of humanity and the future of Planet Earth.”

– U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon

In December in Copehagen, the United Nations will host a global conference from governments around the world to achieve a comprehensive agreement on climate.

Reaching a deal by the time the meeting ends on December 18 will depend not only on complex political negotiations, but also on public pressure from around the globe.

The United Nations has launched “Seal the Deal” campaign that encourages users to sign an online, global petition which will be presented by civil society to governments of the world.

Visit the Seal the Deal website

Watch U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon talk about the “Seal the Deal” campaign.

CoolPlanet2009 is also on board to support the Seal the Deal campaign.

The week of September 21st has been desiganated as Global Climate Week.  Rallies in more than 100 cities across the global are being organized by young people as a major push to keep global warming high on the international agenda. More than 800 young people pledged a comprehensive campaign at the conclusion of the Tunza International Youth Conference in Daejeon, Korea at the end of August.

Learn more about Climate Week

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Now is the time to spread the world about the United Nations’ Seal the Deal campaign.  You can follow them on Twitter or join a Seal the Deal group on Facebook. Let’s get Copenhagen and climate change on minds in the U.S. as it is across the world.


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Categories : Climate Change, sustainability, sustainable brands

Lessons from the U.K.

15 09 2009

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“This research shows that consumer values do not change, even in a middle of a recession. They want companies to act and cut their carbon footprints, and provide transparent and accessible evidence of action.  We believe companies that take real action will seize the dual benefits of immediate cost savings and a stronger reputation, which is good for business.”

– Harry Morrison, Carbon Trust Standard

New research from the Carbon Trust Standard in the United Kingdom shows that consumers still want to buy green despite the current economic climate, with 62% of consumers saying environmental concerns influence their purchasing decisions—‘the same as a year ago’ and just over a quarter saying they influence them ‘even more’ than in 2008.

Other fun factoids from the research that marketers should be aware of:

  • 66% of U.K. consumers say it’s important to buy from environmentally responsible companies.
  • 14%  said they have voted with their feet by deciding not to buy from a company based on their environmental reputation
  • 25% decided not to buy from a company based on a company’s ethical reputation.
  • 70% of consumers do not feel confident that they can clearly identify which companies are environmentally responsible.
  • 59% are skeptical about the environmental claims companies make.
  • 44% of consumers would like more information on what companies are actually doing to be environmentally responsible.

So sustainable branding requires new forms of communications and embracing transparency and honesty in all facets of a brand presentation.  The research further demonstrated this quest for information that engaged consumers are using to understand whether or not a company is environmentally responsible.  The research indicated the most important criteria they rely on are what they read in the media (38%) and third party endorsement or accreditation (34%).

The least popular factor consumers use to judge whether a company is behaving in an environmentally responsible manner is what advertising tells them (6%).


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Ana’s Playground Update: World Premiere at Calgary Film Festival.

14 09 2009

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World Premiere of Ana’s Playground at Calgary International Film Festival

The short film about children in armed conflict will begin showing at film festivals and screenings  

 Ana’s Playground, a short film about children living in armed conflict will make its world debut at the Calgary International Film Festival at the Globe Theatre on Friday, September 25, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.  The film will screen as part of the festival’s ‘Anything but Ordinary’ collection of internationally produced short films.  Attending the screening will be writer-director Eric Howell, producers Jillian Nodland, Marsha Trainer, Mary Jo Howell, executive producers Jean and Bruce Johnson and music composer Michael Wandmacher.

Set in a non-specific, war-torn country, Ana’s Playground is an examination of children living and dying in a world of armed combat.  Told through the eyes of 11 year-old Ana, the story opens on a group of children playing soccer surrounded by the signs of conflict.  When their soccer ball is kicked into a sniper zone, Ana is sent in to retrieve it.  Once inside, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues, as Ana becomes the sniper’s target.  Connected through the power of sport, the characters all listen to the same professional soccer game which plays in the background.  Viewers will be kept guessing as to how the story will reach its ultimate conclusion — will their games end up in harmony or tragedy?

“Ana’s Playground is an allegory about the moment a child is forced to choose between humanity and ideology,” said filmmaker Eric Howell.  “The film is not a political statement about a particular war or conflict, instead it directly examines the delicate nature of a child’s humanity and how the world at large is connected to and responsible for preserving it.”

 The objective of Ana’s Playground is to raise awareness about war-affected children by communicating with the largest audience possible about these kids’ lives – also providing information about organizations that are working to make the lives of war-affected children better.

Raven Bellefleur, an eleven year-old actress plays Ana, leading an all-Minnesotan cast, and producers Marsha Trainer and Jillian Nodland worked hard to pull together and organize resources to shoot the film one cold November week in the Twin Cities. The filmmakers are interested in partnering with corporations, foundations and individuals who can sponsor Ana’s Playground at film festivals and screening events to help audiences learn more about war-affected children and organizations helping them.  George Lucas’s Skywalker Sound provided all sound engineering post-production; and the Coen brothers’ latest production A Serious Man donated much of the physical set support and a long list of other industry insiders also show up in the film’s credits.  

For details on the film Ana’s Playground or more information about war-affected children, child soldiers and the organizations that support them, visit: www.anasplayground.com.


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Categories : sustainable brands

Congrats WestPac New Zealand: Branding Beyond The Numbers

2 09 2009

We’re interested to follow the development of a new sustainable branding campaign by one of the leading banks in New Zealand – WestPac.  Rather than try to differentiate by low interest rates and car loan messaging in their brand communication, WestPac has launched a multi-media marketing effort that showcases their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.  

The brand communication plan supports messaging around the 10 goals WestPac has established for sustainability through 2012 and customers can track the bank’s progress on their website.  In addition to tangible sustainability goals such as carbon footprint reduction, the measurement includes community outreach programs such as the volunteer programs to clean up New Zealand’s beaches.

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We further applaude the smart nature of the communication by portraying one of the bank’s employees as having to learn the new behaviors that add up to sustainability with the line “being sustainable can be tough. we know.”  It’s a great example of a company taking a thought leadership position on sustainability, helping educate their customers on what they can do in their own everyday life, and becoming a catalyst for community action.  Congrats to WestPac for thinking beyond the numbers.

Learn more about WestPac’s sustainability efforts


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your pal…global warming.

27 08 2009

A fun user generated video contestant for the MTV Europe Play to Stop competition.

 



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The Scopes Monkey Trial of the 21st Century?

27 08 2009

A report in The Los Angeles Times highlights how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to put the science of global warming on trial.  

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The Chamber is pushing Environmental Protection Agency officials to hold a rare public hearing on the scientific evidence of climate change with the goal of fending off potential emissions regulations.

The article cites EPA officials as calling such a hearing “a waste of time”.  A leading climate scientist said the proposal “brings to mind for me the Salem witch trials”.

At a time when the vast majority of business leaders in the United States recognize the serious impact of climate change and are exploring and implementing innovative new sustainability practices into all facets of their operations, we cannot fathom how the U.S. Chamber can be in denial and rationalize wasting the time and money of its members by pursuing such draconian tactics.  This after the heads of the top science agencies in leading countries have recently written to world leaders that  “the need for urgent action to address climate change is now indisputable.”

Read the Los Angeles Times article.


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Study predicts 10,000 store closings.

27 08 2009

Woolworths store closing

The Chicago Sun-Times reported this week that a new study commissioned by audit and managing consulting firm Grant Thorton predicts as many as 10,000 retail stores will close in the U.S. in 2009.

Highlights of the report show that:

  • clothing-store closings are expected to soar 270 percent, to 3,000 store closings this year from a year ago.
  • department store closings are expected to increase 61 percent to 422 this year.  
  • Bookstore closing are forecast to jump 500% from last year to 400 stores.

The study begs the question whether or not shopper habits are forever changed as the recession recedes.  But certainly, the debate should begin about whether this massive reduction in penetration of retail stores and lack of convenience it represents creates some degree of self-fulfilling destiny about a permanent decline in retail spending.


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Categories : sustainable brands

Study underscores “socially responsible credit gap”.

17 08 2009

DSC_0588“People are willing to pay more for products from socially responsible companies, but almost no companies have any profile as socially responsible.”

– PSBA Research

In a study conducted this March, Penn Schoen Berland Associates found that despite significant investments by many major corporations in corporate social responsibility initiatives, Americans have virtually no awareness of who does what, and who does things well.

Some interesting insights from the study first point to the facts that the majority of Americans (despite the recession) want to be associated with socially responsible companies.

  • 75% will pay more for a product from a socially responsible company.
  • 56% say working for a socially responsible company makes a difference.
  • 40% will take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company.

The study also found that being “honest and trustworthy” was the most important company attribute—ranking higher than “quality” and “value”—regarding who Americans will do business with.

But the most unfortunate (and least surprising) set of findings in this research is how ill equipped Americans are to say what companies are socially responsible.  

  • 70% of those surveyed were unaware of any socially responsible activities of their own employers.
  • There was no correlation between those companies that Americans ranked as being leaders in social responsibility and the actual performance of those companies based on evaluations in the CRO 100. (conducted annually by the Corporate Responsibility Officer Association)

Clearly, this should be a wake up call to the leadership of all companies and those responsible for managing their reputation and brands.  In sum, it suggests there is a huge opportunity to use CSR efforts as a differentiator with an American audience that cares about those issues more than ever before and is placing trust at greater currency than quality and value.  

The call to action is to convert socially responsible practices into branded assets.  But this will require internal corporate silos to be broken down so people responsible for operations, HR and internal communication, PR, marketing branding, advertising, and all other forms of communication are working together around a focused and integrated CSR message.

Read the Corporate Citizenship Study


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Categories : corporate social responsibility, lack of trust, reputation management, sustainable branding, sustainable brands

Coca-Cola introduces PlantBottle.

14 08 2009

6a00d834515f0569e20120a4e64400970b-800wiCoca-Cola has unveiled its new “PlantBottle” to be rolled out later this year with the Dasani brand and in its Vitaminwater portfolio of products in 2010. In a smart move toward sustainable branding, the new bottles and their environmentally responsible composition will feature on-bottle messaging, in-store displays and on-line marketing communications so customers can begin to appreciate they are purchasing a new sustainable technology.

Said Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola’s CEO, “The “PlantBottle” is a significant development in sustainable packaging innovation. It builds on our legacy of environmental ingenuity and sets the course for us to realize our vision to eventually introduce bottles made with materials that are 100 percent recyclable and renewable.”

We agree – through its sweeping worldwide sustainability plan under the theme “Living Positively” – Coca-Cola is one of the innovators and pioneers of business practices that support overall good corporate citizenship.

A life-cycle analysis conducted by the Imperial College London indicates the “PlantBottle” consisting of 30 percent plant-based materials will reduce carbon emissions by up to 25 percent, in comparison with traditional PET plastic bottles.  The PlantBottle is currently made through an innovative process that turns sugar cane and molasses, a by-product of sugar production, into a key component for PET plastic. 

 


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Categories : Climate Change, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, sustainable branding, sustainable brands

Kudos To Cub. New LEED-certified grocery store is a shining example of sustainable branding.

12 08 2009

474Cub Foods recently opened a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Gold Certified grocery store in the Phalen neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Having visited the store we send big kudos to Cub.  Not only is the store a inventive and creative way of reducing the energy consumption, carbon footprint and reduced impact in construction and daily operation, but it is an excellent example of conveying the vision and possibilities to its customers.

The statitsics related to the store itself are impressive.

  • 44 skylights illuminate 75% of regularly occupied spaces using a solar powered GPS system to track and re-direct sunlight.
  • Parking lot lighting from LED lighting cutting energy consumption by 50 percent.
  • An overall saving of 35% in lighting expense compared to the average Cub store.
  • Landscape irrigation that uses 50% less water.
  • 75% of building construction waste will be recycled.

But we love how Cub has used the physical environment of the store itself to provide information about every aspect of how the store is operating in a sustainable way.  The subtle signage is designed to educate Cub customers about the important facets of the store’s operations.  

Messages conveyed include how the store uses reduced refrigerant.

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Use of natural light to reduce energy consumption.

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How Cub uses packaging made from only 100% renewable resources.

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How the overall store operates in a more energy efficient fashion.

494LED refrigerator case lighting to conserve energy.

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Special parking places reserved for customers driving fuel efficient vehicles.

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An overall store experience which is designed to be more respectful to nature and healthy for all.

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In additional to many of the customer facing aspects of the store, the new Cub also features creative, energy saving ideas in all aspects of its operation.  For employees, the Cub facility features men and women’s shower rooms for employees to encourage them to ride the bike to work and worked with the city of St. Paul to create an additional city bus route so their employees can take the bus to and from work versus driving.  The facility also features a white roof to reflect heat to reduce energy consumption and special landscaping to absorb rainfall.

All in all, we encourage everyone to visit this very special new store if you have the chance.  And we send our congratulations to the leadership of SuperValu (the parent of Cub Foods) for their courage and leadership in creating and building what we hope will become the role model for retailers everywhere.

Our thanks to the support of  Cub Foods—and in particular Lee Ann Jorgenson, Manager of Community Relations and Communications—for allowing us to fully understand and share all of what the new Cub store is doing to be respectful to its new home in the Phalen neighborhood. 

(Photos by P.J. Milan.  All rights reserved.)


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From Buyer Beware To Seller Beware: IBM’s Study On Corporate Social Responsibility.

12 08 2009

“Three quarters of businesses admit they don’t understand their customer’s corporate social responsibility expectations well.”

 – “Attaining sustainable growth through CSR”,

IBM Institute For Business Value

 

An interesting study of 250 global business leaders has revealed both the business upside to corporate social responsibility and one of the vulnerabilities – companies who embark on CSR initiatives without a true understanding of the expectations of their customers of those efforts.  The report reveals:

  • 68% of companies are now utilizing CSR as a opportunity and platform for growth.
  • 75% acknowledge the number of advocacy groups collecting and reporting information on their company has increased in the last three years.
  • But only 17% of companies say they really engage and collaborate with their customers regarding CSR activities.

Companies that truly understand the corporate social responsbility expectations of their customers report increased revenues and reduced costs and better differentiated products and services.  They believe they are more effective at improving labor practices, driving sustainability initiatives and aligning philanthropy with business priorities.  They also report having more engaged employees in CSR activities.

Ironically, many companies invest millions of dollars in gaining an understanding customers reactions’ to products and services, but the majority are operating a CSR strategy without insight and collaboration with customers.  The truth is your customer feels entitled to know everything “their brand” is doing.  So we echo IBM’s point of view, today the traditional adage “buyer aware” is now reversed to be “seller beware” — especially if you are unaware of your customers’ expectations regarding your social responsibility practices.

Watch an interview with George Pohle of IBM on the CSR Study


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Real World Green: Winning Retailers See Sustainability As Competitive Advantage

11 08 2009

IMG_1165“Make green an integral part of your brand promise, and don’t wait to be pushed into action by eco-savvy consumers.  The store is a great place to begin – there is something every retailer can do today to reduce the amount of energy used.  But there is not “magic bullet” tactic for buildng a “green brand.”

-Real World Green:  The Role of Environmental Savings in Retail

The Retail Industry Leaders Association just issued it 2009 Benchmark Report on environmental sustainability in retail—which demonstrates how quickly retailer attitudes toward green initiatives as both a business economic driver and brand reputation indictaor have moved in the past 12 months, despite the recession.

The survey of nearly 100 retailers across all retail categories and company sizes finds some significant new findings toward sustainability practices.  The analysis divides retailers into “winners” – those retailers who’s revenue performance is besting industry average and “laggards” – those that are obviously falling behind.

The results illuminate that the “winners” of the past year in retail are significant more enlightened and deeply committed to driving sustainability initiatives into their operations and appreciate the benefit it will provide for their brand.  Whether or not their current customers are demanding it.

Some of the interesting factoids from the research impressed us.

  • 55% of retail “winners” see environmentally sound practices as both a “ethical obligation” and “to be seen as an industry leader”.
  • 80% of retail “winners” say that their customers expecting them to act is a key influencer to pursue green initiatives
  • 71% of retailers agree that “marketing our brand as “ecologically-conscious will have a profound impact on our brand image”

To further demonstrate how sustainability is a key topic on the minds of executive leadership of these retail companies: 87% of respondents believe the CEO has the greatest future potential of influencing their company’s leadership on sustainability—followed by the VP Marketing at 64%.  This would support our belief that those executive positions most responsible for overall brand and company reputation and image are going to be driving strategic sustainability initiatives in the future.

Read the Report:  Real-World Green_ The Role of Environmental Savings in Retail


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