NEWS: studio20two.com has a (slightly) new look
While not a complete redesign, Studio 22's web site has a new look. New case studies and work have been added, as well as many text updates. Go check it out!

NEWS: There's Opportunity in Sustainability
Said GreenBiz.com yesterday:
"A majority of big companies concerned with corporate responsibility issues acknowledge that they lack an active strategy to develop new business opportunities based on those concerns.

...Nearly half (46%) of the responding companies say that corporate citizenship and sustainability are major sources of business opportunity and not only sources of business risk alone. When added to the 44% who see these issues as sources of both risk and opportunity, a total of 90% of participating companies say their company's approach to corporate citizenship and sustainability issues reflects at least some belief in the potential rewards."

Very interesting.

The potential rewards include: increased brand awareness in new markets as well as your current market; innovation; increased stakeholder loyalty; employee retention; competitive edge. All of which reflect positively on your bottom line.

But, you can't take advantage of these rewards if you aren't reporting on your corporate social responsibility (CSR). This can take the form of an annual sustainability report, an internal or external newsletter, or a dedicated section of your website.

Maybe you're not aware if your organization's internal or external programs are in the realm of CSR. Consultants can assess this for you and help you put a plan into action.

With consumers and business owners becoming more conscious about their health, communities and environment, your market is changing. Realize what companies like Nike, HP, McDonald's and the Gap have known for years—CSR reporting is worth doing. Of course, we can help.

NEWS: Caught on Film (well, not really film...)
Here we are in our booth at the DC Green Festival on October 14, 2006!

Co-op America also created a DC Green Festival movie that runs about 5 minutes. You can watch it here if you're curious.

VIEW: Virtual Wanderings
A couple of gems I discovered today:

Guess the Logo
Well, you'd think a design professional would do better than a time of 02:01:78 and obtain a rank higher than 33%! Right? It's more challenging than you think. See how you do...

AdVerbatims
No comment. Just funny.

VIEW: Smelly Marketing
A few years ago I attended a trade show and brought back to the office with me samples of scented papers. There was one paper company that even put together a clever little book (with expensive production techniques, in addition to the scented papers), highlighting a number of scents which were applied to individual sheets. Cut grass, garlic, chocolate, and even plastic bandages (why?) were among the different aromas. At the time, I thought the book was neat and wondered if I would ever see these papers used in marketing materials. I have not. Ever.

But this week, a similar idea has sprung up in advertising news. Marketers such as Pepsi, Pedigree and Mars are using scent to sell their products. Read more about it here in Advertising Age magazine's article from yesterday.

Because smell is such a powerful sense, using it as part of a marketing campaign seems logical. But, what will be the ROI? Will it offend shoppers? I won't look forward to being inundated with additional smells while I shop for groceries. I mean, I know what a chocolate bar smells like.