Posts Tagged ‘food and drink’

Viral vodka

Monday, June 28th, 2010

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Linley Barden

What is it: An article describing how Pyotr Smirnov, the originator of Smirnoff (French-twist added to the name by his exiled son) Vodka, may well have pioneered ‘guerrilla-marketing’ in the 1800s by rounding up men from various parts of the country and inviting them back to his house. Allowing the vodka to flow (and handing out some cash) they returned to their neighbourhoods to “order meat soups and demand Smirnov vodka.”  It worked a treat.

Why is it cool: A “serf made good” story is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s cool because it reaffirms that some ideas are winners regardless of which century they are used (like word-of-mouth!). Some behaviours and motivations transcend era or origin.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: Linley Barden

The snack boat

Monday, June 28th, 2010

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John Cucka


What is it: World food giant, Nestle, has invested in a floating supermarket, which will plie the rivers of the Amazon to reach remote communities, who they see as an emerging market opportunity.

Why is it cool: In terms of innovative thinking, it’s hard to fault Nestle. The strongest growth in food and bev sales is in emerging markets, so locking their loyalty early is a valid strategy. The use of a floating supermarket to reach remote communities is similarly a creative use of capital.

On the other hand, branded goods are a poor value for those who cannot afford them, and packaged goods in general are considered less healthy. Add to this that the boat will be stocked with “small sizes” to make price points more affordable, and you have accusations of Nestle taking advantage of the already disadvantaged.

Where to find it: news release here! social commentary here!

Submitted by: John Cucka

Honest tea?

Monday, May 31st, 2010

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Gemma Enright

One of these teas is equal to four slices of cherry pie!

What is it: A countdown of the 20 worst beverages in America – or rather a guide to ‘how to get in as many calories as possible without having to eat 11 bowls of cereal!’.  Apparently America’s ‘worst’ drink contains over 2,000 calories (RDA is 2,000 calories) and 131 grams of saturated fat (RDA is 20g)!

Why is it cool: Although the ‘worst’ drink is described as an ice-cream drink, about whose health credentials you should be suspicious, numerous drinks on the list hide behind health masks such as “fruit” and even “water”! This demonstrates the power of associations in purchase decisions (not to assume this list corresponds to how many people buy these drinks!), and how important it is to educate people about the real baddie: sugar.Marketing leaps on the fact that most people do not read food labels in detail and look for quick cues to make sense of foods. How is this honest!?

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: Gemma Enright

Not a tumour

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

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John Cucka

I wasn't ready to begin the prostate exam!

What is it: A new study by the NIAID shows that, although 30 percent of people think they have a food allergy, fewer than 5 percent actually do. The reason is that the definition of “allergy” requires that your body exhibits an excessive auto-immune response, but most people don’t exhibit this – instead they have a food “sensitivity”. By over-estimating the severity of food consumption problems, people take on unnecessary stress about their eating habits, and often avoid such a broad range of foods that they fail to get proper nutrition.

Why is it cool: The misdiagnosis of food allergies goes directly back to a misunderstanding and misuse of research data. Doctors who do an IgE allergy test often interpret a positive result as being an allergy, but the IgE test only indicates the possibility of an allergy, and more rigorous (as well as time-consuming, expensive and risky) testing is required to properly diagnose. So even in a field as important and well-trained as medicine, there is always room for better understanding of research.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: John Cucka

We ate what?!

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

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Best of the Month, Gemma Enright

Looks more like a donut than a banana... mmm... donuts

What is it: An interactive visualisation of the changes in grocery shopping over the last three decades. In Britain ready meals and tins are replacing fresh fish, baked beans have stayed pretty constant, and pure fruit juices have made a massive appearance… Click on the link to see how it works (do it, it’s fun!)

Why is it cool: An engaging way of bringing behaviour longitudinal behaviour change to life. While it’s a well-designed and compelling graphic though, it does not reflect the rise in consumer food culture, such as the commonality of “eating out”.

This kind of thing could be used to show how issues such as sustainability and carbon footprints are associated with the changing food over time.Some general estimated food miles/ embodied energy and carbon might provide a good way of demonstrating the environmental impact of people’s food choices.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: Gemma Enright

Chocolatey goodness

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

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Mandy Ayles

The power of being grateful

What is it: Cadbury is dedicating £2m of media space to fans of Wispa Gold chocolate bars as a ‘thank you’ for their ongoing commitment. Fans can visit a site to submit their special message for consideration. Rolf Harris has already brought to life a message with an original painting on a high impact billboard near London’s landmark Old Street roundabout.

Why is it cool: A great example of another way to get people to create content for brands, but not as much effort as uploading or videoing. Many of the ‘make us an ad’ promos are fairly niche and target those really creative and techie types. This, on the other hand, is just a simple message about anything that people want to say.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: Mandy Ayles

A can of happy heifer

Monday, July 27th, 2009

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Phil Booth

What a slow cow might look like

What is it: The website for Slow Cow – the relaxation drink. Full of ingredients linked to relaxation each can is said to contain “an acupuncture session” “a one week vacation” etc

Why is it cool: In a world obsessed with speed, with shelves full of products to help sustain performance, there is now a more mass alternative for relaxation. As we move from energy to relaxation, will other products more overtly also claim to directly invoke other moods rather than imply this as they have in the past.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: Phil Booth

Lunar cycles

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

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Phil Booth

What bio-dynamic organic produce might look like

What is it: A German great-grandmother believes that wine is a living organism that responds to the Moon’s rhythms. The so-called “lunar effect” has been widely dismissed as pseudo-science but its followers think that as the Moon exerts such a huge impact on the tides, it must follow that it affects water in other earthly objects, such as people and wine.

The woman has published a calendar, since the 1950′s, in which she labels each day of the year according to how good wine will taste on that day.  Recent taste tests have supported the accuracy of her calendars, and has found support from major retailers including Tesco and Marks & Spencer.

Why is it cool: Wine tasting experts have long agreed that wines taste different on different days, but have disagreed as to the why. Although many will still disagree that this is “pseudo-science”, would it really be that surprising to find that there are things we don’t know yet,  or things that science is only just now starting to learn, and that in fact the old ways are best.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: Phil Booth

Mmm… schokolade

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

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John Cucka

Liquid ecstasy

What is it: A German company has taken the world of customisation to a new level with “design your own chocolate”. Pick a type (white, milk, dark), up to five additional ingredients (almonds, hazelnuts, raisins, gummi bears, gold dust, etc) and pick your own name to have printed on the label.

Why is it cool: Aside from the obvious “Mmm, chocolate”, it’s a great example of the machinery of mass production being re-tooled for customisation that should pick up enough volume from the long tail to run a successful business.

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: John Cucka

Chocolate is life

Friday, November 7th, 2008

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John Cucka

Mmm... chocolate

What is it: The Quichua people of the rainforests in South America have long raised pineapples, vanilla, avocados, cassava, coffee, oranges, plantain and of course cacao. Although this produce is exotic and expensive in the west, they never valued more than as a local produce.

Realising they were losing out on the global value, they formed a “Chocolate Cooperative” and are now marketing their own chocolate bars, using the traditional Quichua recipe, which is a blend of fruity Cacao Amazónico, nutty Criollo, Forastero Amazónico, Tipo Trinitario and, most important, a rare variety that flourishes around their homes, Cacao Nacional. (Reports are that the chocolate is smooth, rich and straightforward, with a smell and taste that is herbal, flowery but also savory, like black pepper – similar to a California Cabernet.)

Why is it cool: As the world shrinks, so are the traditional systems. In this instance, the Quichua have gone from farmer to producer, marketer and distributor. What other opportunities exist as the economy transitions from top-down command-and-control to ground-up, grassroots innovation?

Where to find it: here!

Submitted by: John Cucka

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