Wednesday, April 01, 2009

COMPETITION - I think my workload just went up:)

Big news!

And, to some who follow this blog, possibly something you, or your clients, might be interested in, keen on helping with and/or taking part in.

Junkk.com has been approached to take part in/and help with a forthcoming insert regarding plastics and packaging, in a major national quality daily.

Sponsorship/advertising is not my forte, but it really seems a good, low cost, high value opportunity to reach a decent sized audience in a good, if you'll forgive the double entendre, 'environment'. And considering the prestige of the paper and its association with green initiatives, a great way to get the brand out there in an ethically positive way. Possibly a great chance to help cover any investment with increased sales, beyond any CSR, PR benefits alone.

We are also really reaching out to a broad cross section with our PR efforts, especially in the educational arena, from Blue Peter to the Scouts.

Here's a few bits more blurb from the insert creators, Lysonsdown, as sold to me, to hopefully help explain my role and or sweeten the prospects to any who see merit in taking part!

Information about World of Plastics

It’s coinciding with an education supplement day, and as polymers are now part of the National Curriculum, as Prof MacDonald goes round schools with lectures called Plastic Fantastic and the Science Museum has an exhibit running called Plasticity, it would be great to do a reused plastics competition with Junkk.com

It may either be judged by me, or photos could be posted online to attract people to the website to vote for their favourites.

There could be three categories to separate the wacky, aesthetic or futuristic ones from the practical ones. Or maybe its simpler to have one competition with 2 runners up. It would be fantastic to get Blue Peter to let the winner demonstrate how to make their winning prize on TV as it’s totally fitting with ‘Here’s one I made earlier’.

It would be fabulous for this competition to grow into an annual event. It would come with its own trophy ready designed! {I have offered}

An example of this is on a publication carried out called Teleprescence in January.

If any company is in any way keen to develop a reuse role more in advance of or on the back of this, I'd be happy to make the necessary introduction. Let's not forget that such as ecover have uploaded their entire range to the site, plus ideas, and are finding that the additional values of this quirky 'extra' are going down well with green-minded consumers. More so in these credit-crunchy times. Also Poundland have seen value in being associated with Junkk.com in this way.

I looking forward to that chance that something positive, and mutually-rewarding for all, may result. I cannot speak for the overall content (there may be critiques of the role of plastic of course), but I am simply keen to be proactive of the possibilities of what there is the public can engage with now, and maybe inspire more for the future to help all involved.

As we are also now much further advanced with our RE:tie re:evolutionary cap/closure design, if there may be renewed interest that could be drummed up internally in any organisations we've chatted to so far that would be great, especially as we might well see this featured as a designed-in re:use suggestion to help mitigate plastic packaging impacts, whilst offering a win-win-win... to all involved.

Consumers get a freebie (we'd suggest) and a sense of 'green goodness, the planet suffers a little less in the bin/landfill, Govt., LAs & quangos like WRAP smile more on everything from reduced plastic use (through redesignation more than lightweighting) to less litter, and brands not only get CSR and PR opps, but a component that can have many sales and marketing applications.

For me.... I now need to get back in my shed designing... and on my Mac creating! A clone or 36 hr days would help (though I see I might not meet new EU rules there).

Addendum 1 - Things gather pace. It looks like we may now have the 'sweetener' of a prize which, IMHO, always helps things along. Not to mention being in line with our end-benefit, rewards-based mantra. Onward & upward!

And for everything else there's RE:use..

Tesco tells shoppers: too much packaging? Leave it with us

oooh - 01 Apr 09, 9:06am

Erm, why can't Tesco just sell goods with less packaging in the first place?

Very good point. Maybe... lots of lovely boxes... to be ticked, and bonuses to be made, from the EU to quangos down, when the recycling rates go up?

I have always wondered why supermarkets go to all the extra expense of the excess packaging when... if it is not necessary. I am aware of some reasons, and a few make sense. Food waste from damage being one... and significant. Also life without an element of design would be a bit boring. And there are bigger enviROI-minus targets to fry first, frankly.

But, for the rest...there's always reuse (more so if designed-in)! Try http://www.Junkk.com