Interface Looking after Tomorrow’s Child
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We have a choice to make during our brief brief visit to this beautiful green and blue living planet - to hurt it or to help it.
Ray Anderson, Founder of Interface, 2009
I watched the below presentation from Ray Andersonon on www.ted.com a couple of days ago and it was an unexpected inspiration. From the above quote you may think that Ray Anderson is an environmentalist. And perhaps he is, but he is also the Founder of the worlds’ largest carpet tile manufacturer Interface Inc.
In 1995 Ray came to the realisation that business and industry were the largest contributors to the decline in the environment as well as the only hope to save it. He set out on a mission of sustainability - to provide an inhabitable planet for Tomorrow’s Child. To achieve this, Interface set the goal to transform their petroleum intensive business to have zero impact on the environment by 2020. In the last 14 years the company has made impressive progress by minimising waste, using renewable materials and renewable energy, recycling their used products, and introducing efficiencies into their processes. As a result of this transformation Interface’s greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 90% in 14 years.
At the same time Interface’s growth has increased and its profits have doubled. Ray believes that their mission for sustainability has been an incredible marketplace differentiator, securing the goodwill of customers in a way that no marketing or advertising ever could. The mission has also generated a stronger team focused on a shared higher purpose.
Ray Anderson and Interface have taken the lead. They have proven that business and industry can be sustainable and profitable - even more than that, that it can be a better business model. Now that we know this, now that we know it is possible, is it not our duty to follow and make the same transformations in the businesses we work in?
Glenn Thomas, one of Interface’s employees wrote the below poem entitled Tomorrow’s Child, inspired by Interface’s mission of sustainability:
Tomorrow’s Child (Written by Glenn Thomas)
Without a name, an unseen face
and knowing not your time nor place
Tomorrow’s Child, though yet unborn,
I met you first last Tuesday morn.A wise friend introduced us two,
and through his sobering point of view
I saw a day that you would see,
a day for you, but not for me.Knowing you has changed my thinking,
for I never had an inkling
That perhaps the things I do
might someday, somehow, threaten you.Tomorrow’s Child, my daughter-son
I’m afraid I’ve just begun
To think of you and of your good,
Though always having known I should.Begin I will to weigh the cost
of what I squander, what is lost
If ever I forget that you
will someday come to live here too.
Watch the below TED Talk video clip of Ray Anderson’s presentation. In my view it is essential viewing for anyone in business or industry who cares about the legacy they leave on our world. It is 16 minutes long.
Willy Wonka Differentiation
This blog is about business differentiation, but not just small points of differentiation - I’m interested in differentiation that is unexpected. Differentiation that re-defines the game, violates expectations, and grabs attention. We have already seen some great examples of this - Terracycle who built a business on worm poop and waste, Moller who is working to build a flying car, Stone Aerospace who want to mine the moon for rocket fuel, the Cinnamon Club who made the hottest curry in the world.
In New Zealand where I live, the most common chocolate brand is Cadbury. Cadbury’s products are differentiated - good quality, large variety, recognised brand, distinctive purple colouring. All very good.
But compare Cadbury with Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory (my daughter has been watching the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and yes I know it is make believe, but it still raises some useful comparisons). Wonka himself is different. And his business differentiation goes far beyond Cadbury’s quality, variety, and branding. He has the only chocolate factory in the world that uses a waterfall to mix his chocolate. He uses squirrels to open the nuts. He has a glass elevator that moves sideways as well as up and down. He is experimenting with never seen before products and delivery channels - a never ending gobstopper, a ‘full meal’ chewing gum, and a teleporter for chocolate bars. He uses only Oompa-Loompas to work in his factory. Most of all he creates mystery and exclusivity around his chocolate factory, so much so that goldern tickets to visit the factory are highly valued items. If you haven’t seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, check out the movie trailer below, which gives a good summary of Willy Wonka differentiation.
Willy Wonka differentiation is what this blog is about. Differentiation that is so different that it stops people in their tracks and they can’t help but pay attention. What could you do to include some Willy Wonka differentiation in your business?
More iPod Touch MityMic Audio Samples
Many thanks for Graham Scharf of the Tumblon Podcast for his comment asking how the TouchMic.com MityMic microphone sounds when it is placed in the middle of the table, for example when recording an interview around a table without passing the iPhone or Touch back and forward to each person speaking. Great question because the two spoken audio samples that I recorded in my iPod Touch MityMic Review and Audio Samples post were recorded with the mic close to the person speaking. (For more information on the MityMic and how it works with the iPhones or iPod Touch as well as additional audio samples refer to my previous post iPod Touch MityMic Review and Audio Samples)
I have recorded and included a couple more samples in response to Graham’s question, this time with the people speaking further from the mic. As per last time, the MityMic audio samples were recorded using the MityMic microphone, my iPod Touch 2nd Generation, and the Voxie Pro audio recording application. I edited the files using Audacity and did amplify the sound a little and then converted the files into .mp3 format. To maintain the quality of the recordings I used Voxie Pro set to the highest quality setting (CD Quality 44kHz) and the files were converted into .mp3 format at 128 kbits/s bit rate. Note that Voxie Pro set on the highest quality setting may not be feasible for longer interviews.
Sample 4: Livingstone Family lunch (59 sec, 930KB)
In the theme of Graham’s podcasts, which are about children and parenting, this sample features my five year old daughter who dominates any conversation and clearly projects her voice better than her parents. The Touch and MityMic were in the middle of the table and we were having lunch around the table.
Sample 5: Brendon talking a various distances (42 sec, 660KB)
Again with the MityMic in the middle of the table I stood beside the table and at a couple of distances back from the table.
Full disclosure: TouchMic.com provided the MityMic microphone for the purpose of recording the audio samples in this and the previous post. I have not paid for this microphone. Brendon
iPod Touch MityMic Review and Audio Samples
This post provides a review and audio samples for the TouchMic.com MityMic microphone, which plugs into the 2nd Generation iPod Touch or the iPhone 3G, and can be used for quality field recording for interviews and podcasts.
I first introduced the MityMic in my March post entitled Record Field Podcasts on your iPhone / iPod Touch. As a very brief recap of that post, the MityMic plugs into the headphone socket of the 2nd Generation iPod Touch or the 3G iPhone, and works with recording applications such as Voxie Pro. TouchMic.com have specifically developed the microphone for high quality field recording for interviews and podcasts. At US$34 for the microphone plus a couple of dollars for the recording application, MityMic is a great value way to extend your Touch or iPhone to become a quality recording device.
TouchMic.com MityMic for iPod Touch 2nd Gen or 3G iPhone
MityMic Audio Samples
The following MityMic audio samples were recorded using the MityMic microphone, my iPod Touch 2nd Generation, and the Voxie Pro audio recording application. I edited the files using Audacity, but only to manage the sample lengths and to convert the files into .mp3 format. To maintain the quality of the recordings I used Voxie Pro set to the highest quality setting (CD Quality 44kHz) and the files were converted into .mp3 format at 128 kbits/s bit rate.
Sample 1: Chelsea’s favourite food (37 sec, 587KB)
Sample 2: Elspeth plays ‘Pokarekare Ana’ (traditional New Zealand love song) on the piano (39 secs, 621KB)
Sample 3: Rosanne explains her PhD Thesis on Roman period textiles (44 secs, 696KB)
Review
I have used the MityMic for a few days and I love it. I take my iPod Touch with me everywhere. Now with this small, well priced microphone, I will always have a high quality field recorder with me.
For me, the sound quality recorded in the samples was excellent. For sample 1 and 3 I did keep the microphone close to the person talking which further helped with sound quality. If the speaker was further away (for example, recording a presentation or a meeting) you may not achieve the same level of sound quality.
As mentioned, for all of the samples I did have Voxie Pro set to the highest quality recording setting. It may not be feasible to use this setting for longer interviews as the file size may become too large. So for longer interviews you may need to use a lower quality recording setting and this may reduce the quality.
At the time of writing I am not aware of any other microphones that work with the iPod Touch 2nd Generation or iPhone 3G, that are specifically designed for recording quality field interviews or podcasts. The MityMic was just what I needed. Well done TouchMic.com for spotting this need and delivering a great product at a great price.
Disclaimer: TouchMic.com provided the MityMic microphone for the purpose of recording the samples in this post. I have not paid for this microphone. Brendon
Hottest Curry in the World
A few years while living and working in London I was fortunate enough to attend a team lunch at The Cinnamon Club, an upmarket Indian restaurant in Westminster. At the time the restaurant was (and may still be) part owned by Sir Michael Caine.
I was intrigued to find that this same restaurant recently received media attention for having what is claimed to be the hottest curry in the world - the Bollywood Burner. The Bollywood Burner is a lamb curry with naga chili peppers, which are said to be more than 100 times hotter than jalapeno chili peppers (wow!). Diners are required to sign a legal disclaimer before eating the curry.
What fascinates me with the story is that the dish itself is not practical - it is too hot for anyone to eat and enjoy their meal. However, as a marketing tool it is pure genius. Most Indian restaurants are much the same as each other, with similar menus and similar ambience. While The Cinnamon Club has always been differentiated from your standard corner balti house, having the ‘hottest curry in the world’ further differentiates this restaurant from the masses. The extreme assertion of the ‘hottest curry in the world’ also violates our expectations - we don’t come across this every day so we and the media pay attention. Finally the ‘hottest curry in the world’ story is memorable - it sticks in our mind. If we lived in London and wanted an Indian meal or were asked to recommend an Indian restaurant, The Cinnamon Club would surely be front of mind because of this unexpected story.
Check out this YouTube clip of Jonathan Ross and Steve Carell tasting the Bollywood Burner - it’s a great laugh.
Little Miss Matched Socks
If you follow the marketing legend Seth Godin you will be familiar with the company Little Miss Matched, which started off by selling sets of three mismatched colourful socks to girls. The company decided to take advantage of the issue that one sock in a pair always gets lost, so why not sell socks that are purposefully mismatched. Seth has referenced Little Miss Matched a number of times in books and blog entries, and in return Little Miss Matched annually sends him a box of 33 mismatched socks, and I understand that he wears these socks every day.
I have been intrigued with the Little Miss Matched story since I came across it in one of Seth’s books, so today I thought I would check out their website. It would seem that having a remarkable or unexpected product (or what Seth refers to as a Purple Cow) is a strong basis for brand extension, and the company has expanded into other colourful clothing and apparel (pajamas, baby clothes, t-shirts), bedding, bedroom furniture, and accessories.
In an industry where it is incredibly difficult to compete with low cost manufacturers, being unexpected and different must almost be an essential ingredient to survival.
In previous entries I have talked about unexpected ideas that require massive investment - building a flying car, mining the moon for rocket fuel, and taking tourists into space. Little Miss Matched shows us that we can develop unexpected products with smaller investment and bigger imagination. In Seth’s words “Kudos to Little Miss Matched for taking a little product and turning it into a big story”.
For a little fun I have included a video submitted to the Little Miss Matched short film contest.
Record Field Podcasts on your iPhone / iPod Touch
In the past, as a podcaster wanting to audio record field interviews, you would have likely paid US$400 - $US500 to purchase a dedicated portable recorder such as the Zoom H2 or Zoom H4. However, if you own an iPhone or iPod Touch, this may no longer be necessary.
As you know there are a variety of third party audio recording apps for the iPhone and Touch, such as Voxie Pro and Griffin iTalk, but until now there has been no quality microphones available that are suitable for recording podcast field interviews (especially for the Touch which has no built in microphone).
But now TouchMic.com have resolved this problem with their newest microphone ‘MityMic’, which has been specifically designed for the iPhone or iPod Touch for recording podcasts and field interviews. At US$34 for the mic and another couple of dollars for a third party recording app, this is a great portable recording alternative for the field podcaster.
I intend to pick myself up a ‘MityMic’, and will post a sample audio recording on a future entry so that we can check out the audio quality.
TouchMic MityMic
The Pursuit of Life and Rocket Fuel on Two Moons
“There was a time when people did bold things to open new frontiers. We have collectively forgotten that. Now we are at a time when boldness is required again.”
Bill Stone, 2007
Unexpected ideas come from inspired leaders driven to achieve the unachievable. Bill Stone is one of those leaders.
Stone has a fascinating background. He has led and participated in many international deep cave expeditions including the deepest caves known to man. His company Stone Aerospace develops equipment for exploring new frontiers - initially deep caves, but now also space. Stone Aerospace’s inventions and products include propulsion units, autonomous robotic vehicles, 3-D mapping systems, communication systems, and life support systems.
But it is Stone’s future planned missions that are really exciting, and at the same time mind blowing in terms of their magnitude, complexity, and risk.
Searching for Life on Europa
Stone Aerospace has built and is testing an autonomous robotic vehicle - the DEPTHX, which may one day be sent by NASA to explore an ice covered ocean on Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. Scientists believe there is strong possibility of life in the ocean, and there is hope that such a mission would return the first proof of life off Earth.
Mining Earth’s Moon for Rocket Fuel
And if that isn’t enough, Stone is also planning an expedition to mine the Earth’s moon for rocket fuel by 2015. Previous research indicates that there may be 10 trillion tonnes of water buried at Shackleton Crater on the South Pole of the Moon. The plan would be to mine the water and separate it into liquid oxygen and hydrogen - the ingredients for rocket fuel. The fuel would not be returned to Earth, but rather used to stock spacecraft fueling stations in low Earth orbit. Stone has set up the Shackleton Energy Company to raise capital and then commercialise this venture.
To me Bill Stone is an inspiring leader. His missions seem impossible, but yet you can’t help but get caught up in the magic of the vision. It probably doesn’t matter if he pulls it off or not. He is setting bold targets and sending us off on a new journey of exploration and discovery that may just shatter our conservative beliefs about what is possible.
Watch the below TEDTalk video clip of Bill Stone’s presentation to the TED conference. It is 17 minutes long and worth every minute.
More details about Bill Stone’s missions can be found in the CDNN article Visionary Bill Stone counting on unmanned vehicles.
Start with an Unexpected Business or Product
Unexpected messages follow naturally from an unexpected business or product. It is difficult to deliver an authentic unexpected message if your business and products are undifferentiated. If you want to deliver messages that have real impact and grab attention, maybe the best place to start is thinking about how you can make your business or products unique, differentiated, and unexpected - then an unexpected message will be both easier and more authentic.
In their book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Skycar - Dream or Reality?
Dr Paul Moller has spent 5 decades trying to perfect his unexpected idea of a ‘flying car’. He believes in the future people will not travel in road cars, but in sky cars - freeing up road congestion and allowing quick commutes from greater distances.
Moller M400 Skycar
Moller’s company Moller International has been developing the M400 Skycar for many years, but has not yet released a production version to market. If and when the M400 is released, it will showcase many revolutionary features that could re-define personal transport. With an expected price tag around US$100,000 the M400 will:
- fly at up to 300 mph (~482 kmph)
- take off and land vertically (as people don’t have runways in their backyards)
- hover
- travel on roads (at least for short distances)
- be powered by renewable ethanol
- take 4 passengers
To date the M400 has performed tethered vertical take off testing, but the vehicle is still some way from a final product ready for market. The delays relate to engineering complexities and safety requirements. Vertical take off and landing is a very difficult engineering feat, which has only been achieved by a handful of expensive military aircraft. To ensure that it is safe for private use, the M400 also has built-in backup computer systems and engines which will activate if the primary systems fail. Prior to release to market the M400 must pass FAA flight certification.
Some commentators are skeptical whether this unexpected idea will ever be a reality. But in my view Dr Moller is persistently following his passion and his dream. If this tenacity does one day pay off then the Skycar will be an awesome product that could re-shape personal transport forever.
