Simplify your message – lessons from environmental advocates
Today, on NPR (KQED), author and environmentalist Bill McKibben spoke about his new organization – 350.org.
The idea behind this numerically named organization centers around the levels (parts per million) of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Bill stated that the current CO2 levels are around 400 ppm and that pre-industrial revolution numbers were less than 300 ppm. Scientists around the world have determined that 350 ppm is the upper limit of the sustainable amount of CO2, hence the organization’s name.
What I like most about this approach, from a marketing perspective, is that it simplifies a confusing issue. It allows everyone from policy makers to the average joe to focus on just one metric for global warming. I can’t vouch for the science behind his approach, but I definitely endorse his enthusiasm for change and the way he is communicating his message.
It is always good to be reminded of the lesson that if we pick a valuable yet simple way to communicate goals and performance, it will increase adoption, consumer evangelism and feed the all mighty bottom line. 350.org’s reminder helps us keep this in mind when crafting value propositions, strategies for customer education and product pitches – all with a free side of global environmental awareness.
Tech note: Firefox 3 – Download it today
I downloaded Firefox 3 Beta 4 yesterday and after 24 hours, I’m impressed! The most significant improvements are the visual interface and the reduced memory usage. In Firefox 2 or IE 7, browsing with multiple tabs open, I was consistently using anywhere from 100mb to 200mb of memory. With 3 Beta 4, I am seeing no more than 75mb and usually around 60mb of memory usege. In addition, the new history / bookmarks management is pretty slick. It’s visually pleasing and fun to use, as well as being more useful since you search for the relevant terms and don’t need to explicitly remember the URL.
It is huge improvment, kudos to the Mozilla team!
The Downside / Disclaimer:
It is a beta release, so most of your add-ons won’t work yet and the chances of encountering bugs are obviously greater (although none yet for me). But for the brave souls out there, download it now and don’t look back.
Screenshot of the new interface & links management after the jump…. (more…)
“Virtualization is hot!” – Captain Obvious
Microsoft recently purchased Kidaro, a virtualization company that focuses on user’s desktops in a corporate environment. It doesn’t take a rocket scienctist to see that there is a lot happening in virtualization. The technology may be old, but the latest applications offers endless possibilities.
From VMware, who kicked off the latest craze, to up and comers like DeviceVM and to the big guys (such as Sun) who are now entering the race, virtualization is something that will be reshaping the way we interface with our computers for a long time to come.
Ongoing Lessons in Business – Take advantage of trends
Looking for that great idea to build into a business? Capitalize on the trends around you…
Here is one company that leverages their understanding of the fashion landscape and takes advantage of the trends they see. The company, cleverly titled Bag Borrow or Steal, allows women to rent high-end designer handbags or jewelry on a weekly or monthly basis. Users can sign up for memberships that offer discounts and abilities to get on the “wait list” for popular bags. They have a nice selection and some very desireable bags (or so my wife tells me 
.
What I like about this company is that they’ve introduced the concept of renting high-end fashion accessories, in effect becoming the only player in their newly created field.
The rental craze has expanded into other luxury goods recently (timeshares, exotic cars, private jets), but Bag Borrow or Steal has a potential to reach a much larger market. Bringing luxury to the millions of women, who previously could only oohh and ahh from the sidelines or store windows.
Bravo for the creativity and the daring to forge a new path!
