Unexpected Products
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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’s company Moller International has been developing the M400 Skycar for [...]
TerraCycle – A Business Built on Waste and Worm Poop
TerraCycle is an eco-capitalism business that makes all of its products entirely from waste. Their unexpected business model and products have generated massive media attention, creating a strong profile and following for their ground-breaking business. Their founding product was TerraCycle Plant Food. TerraCycle is paid to take waste product, which they feed to worms, and [...]