Retro Re-purposing

At a solo art show in 1997, artist Clark Wittington retro-fitted a relic of a mechanical pull-knob cigarette dispenser to vend his black and white photographs for $1.00 each. Thus, the Art-o-mat concept was born.

There are now 82 refurbished machines across the United States—often works of art themselves—selling the work of hundreds of artists. Work that is all 2 1/8″ x 3 1/4″ x 7/8″, the dimensions of a pack of cigarettes.

Revitalization

Like our pieces on Persephone books, or the Million Penguins wiki book authoring, new ideas and age-old icons are finding new life on the Internet.

To submit artwork for consideration, read the Art-o-mat guidelines. Visit their web site or find an Art-o-mat machine near you.

(Click on the image above for another view)

A Light Wind from Across the Pond

We bring you wind-powered street lamps from (where else?) the Netherlands. Light Wind, designed by Dutch design house, Demakersvan, borrows heavily from its cousin, the windmill. Made from high-end sail fabric, stainless steel, and wood—what a whirring, witty and windy idea. Renewable, sustainable, ingenious.

From the Demakersvan site:

Dutch windmills were actually perfect generators of their own. With that in mind, we made this lamp. With every breeze it stores energy, enough to enjoy every summer evening until forever. Contemporary vs traditional, art vs functionality. Shaped by its function, the big prop spans over one meter on each side. It is a self-supporting light source that marks the landscape.

produced by: ID PRODUCTIONS
photo: Ingmar Cramers

Poor Old Petrol

If you’re environmentally conscientious and clean with disposable sweeping cloths (think Swiffer), you may want to consider your options. Many disposable sweeping cloths are made from petroleum-based plastic and therefore not renewable, sustainable or landfill-friendly.

People Against Dirty

The self-proclaimed “People Against Dirty” folks at Method offer a cleaner, healthier, eco-friendly alternative in their omop line of products which includes a mop, cleaning fluids and omop disposable sweeper pads, fabricated from a corn-based cloth that’s compostable. Yes, corn.

Good. Clean. Fun.

The line’s industrial and graphic design aesthetics are very pleasing to look at. In fact, Method even goes so far as to refer to their mop as “sexy.” So you’ll look good cleaning, too. Do good, look good, feel good. That’s a win-win.

Green With Envy

With current consumer and corporate eco-awareness on the rise, Method’s green brand differentiates them from mainstream brands. But just as importantly, their marketing model is bolstered and stabilized by the decision to offer consumers a familiar convention, i.e., they didn’t look to reinvent the product genre as much as add tangible, smart value to it.

And better looking, earth-healthy design is something everyone can get behind.

Propagating Fields of Green

What Method may lack in traditional marketing muscle is offset by Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and viral-based Social Media Marketing (SMM), using a blog, online product advocates, and ecards to generate buzz.

Armed with the reach of online communications, Method can invest more readily in its brand, product, packaging, or creative communications without the costly overhead of national advertising.

Regardless of your company’s size, consider what SEO and SMM have to offer to your marketing plans.

For more on the omop line and Method’s personality-laden take on all things clean and green, click here.

via: Root Concepts

Navigating in the Round

New Street Level Google Maps allow visitors to experience select major metropolitan U.S. cities in 360-degree zoomable views.

Street Level Controversy

The maps are created from images captured by vehicle-mounted cameras. As vehicles criss-cross city streets, cameras document specific moments in time, also capturing passing people and events.

Some of those images are already spawning cries of invasion of privacy (including a particularly privacy-sensitive feline).

FedEx at 418 California Avenue

Google’s new maps may provide corporations with some creative product placement alternatives.

Consider this inadvertent FedEx brand placement in the street view of California’s Treasure Island. With a simple API in place, Google could swap in such brand snapshots with ease.

Following Directions

Google’s significant investment could also be integrated into satellite navigation systems—allowing the directionally challenged to visualize their way to a destination.

Where are You Going?

Today’s online marketing spaces provide an abundance of branding and promotional opportunities for savvy marketers. Web channel utilization is becoming integral for every business.

Will you be ready to seize the opportunity when Google’s cameras drive by and record your front door for all the world to see?

“In one day, YouTube sends data equivalent to 75 billion e-mails…,” says Phil Smith of Cisco Systems.

The world’s ever-increasing demand for bandwidth shows no sign of abating. And so the debate rages on. Could the internet buckle under demands for increased data transfer—or from shark bites?

Well it better not!

From fiber optics to routers this BBC piece explores some possibilities along those very lines.