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Just as you were beginning to feel a bit overcome wrangling the ever growing, ever twisting arms of the internet octopus…along comes CHUMBY — a big endeavor in a small package. This isn’t really a product review as much as a pondering of the meaning and intent of this little gadget that re-packages some of your personal internet needs and preferences into a compact, (almost) cuddly, leather padded wi-fi monitor. With design influences somewhere between an Ugly Doll and a baseball glove, we would love to see this product continue to evolve and take on even more of a Japanesesque “cuteness” as it moves past its initial market place introduction. Even now, you kind of want to give it a pat and a smile when you see it, but how much cooler could it be if it started to embody something closer to its logo, or it’s foamy charm accessories?

My introduction to CHUMBY came at the beginning of a complicated project start-up meeting where one was spotted on the Kirkham Systems conference table. The questions about the device and the attempts to describe it were literally laughable. “You just have to spend some time with It.” was the ultimate conclusion. And isn’t that the point?

After I left, my intrigue was ramped on this little guy. How visionary it was to conceive and market, and how brave it was to stick with it through product development, capital structures, and business planning. What a challenge it must have been to arrive in the market place with a relevant product in a tech-world that is on fast-forward x10, with changes on a daily basis. Knowing the development process could have easily taken up to two years, you start to realize someone somewhere had a vision and passion to influence and expand the way we experience the internet.

C3 Brandworks applauds CHUMBY. And while we may have a few more recco’s on its future design evolution and interface, we hope to see its growth nourished, so it can become the perfect personal tech pet we know it can someday be.

~ C3 Brandworks

P.S. CHUMBY comes house broken.

(Many images and reviews of this device are already posted on the www so if you’re interested in Googling CHUMBY to find out more, goog away here!)

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Shopping isn’t what it used to be. New environmental branding trends are taking shopping out of the box and creating rich organic shopping worlds. Many recent upscale retail stores’ designs come closer to a café/salon experience — providing exciting branded environments served with heavy ergonomics and style.

It seems many uber brands are starting to heed what great architects have known since the beginning — individual perception and behavior can be heavily influenced by immediate surroundings.

Stores that are brand-centric have made major headway in establishing their brands through these specialized shopping experiences. Whether you prefer a Von Dutch Apparel Garage in L.A. or the vacuum cube Apple Store in NYC, it is clear that the brands create their own worlds and provide a positive influence that builds on the expectation economy.

At C3B we study and understand the effects of these influences and apply them to our shopping designs. Whether for product packaging or complete retail or corporate departments, we work to create complete branded experiences to meet the client’s/customer’s needs and add that element of “ah-ha!”

~ C3 Brandworks

Enjoy the images below that depict some of the newest cutting edge international retail store designs.

Longchamp, London, UK

Blue Frog Lounge/Boutique, Mumbai, India

Bathing Ape, Tokyo, Japan

Bathing Ape, Tokyo, Japan

Puma, UK

Puma, UK

Puma, UK

FILA, NYC, USA

Fiat Flagship Store, London, UK

In our ever increasing electronic society, eWaste is a green issue requiring a perception change. eWaste is currently flying under the radar as the media focuses on the use of CFLs, hybrid cars and carbon footprints. All of these are important and good but we’d like to shift the focus for a minute to the millions of cell phones, PDAs, and computers that end up dumped (toxically) in our landfills every day.

Working without paper and communicating electronically does help our environment, but what do you do when your computers, PDAs and cell phones are at their end of life? (And haven’t we all seen our fair share of timely, and untimely, death with our personal electronics?) Have you always done the right thing and given those components a proper send off?

As it turns out, electronics do have an eco-useful and important afterlife. Rich in many minerals, such as gold, copper, aluminum, and palladium, “eMining” electronic waste reduces the need to gouge the planet. It is eco-friendly mining in the best sense. There are also several hazardous materials in our departed units that need proper neutralization. Rather than being illegally dumped and sent back into the ecosystem as toxic ghosts, these units should be turned in to a legitimate eWaste recycler for proper disposal.

At C3B we are very pleased to be leading this communication initiative in our region through our partner, ECCOpartners.org. As legitimate, government sanctioned eWaste recylers, they can safely and securely dispose of eWaste without the worry of identity theft or illegal shipping of components to third world counties to pollute the fragile environments there.

Do the right thing and give your electronics a proper end-of-life disposal. Most big box office supply stores, like Staples and Office Depot offer electronics recycling services. You may also check with your local/regional Solid Waste Management District to find a computer recycler in your area.

~ C3 Brandworks

As the first Wind Energy Conference of Arkansas took place in Fort Smith, one of the speakers made good use of the famous line, ”The future isn’t what it used to be.” It made a point we all need to realize — when it comes to green energy and responsible environmental stewardship, we are facing real change that is not going away. Unlike past decades of temporary high gasoline prices and fringe associated eco-messages, this trend is going to stick. Due in part to the globalization of energy consumption, we will soon be altering our vision of future energy practices.

As we move forward in embracing environmentally safer forms of energy. Corporations will need to tailor brand-centric messages, both internally and externally, toward proper environmental stewardship and energy use in association with their corporate brands. (Such as Clorox working with the Sierra Club to develop and promote environmentally safer cleaning solutions – Green Works.) Our social responsibility is to improve the world we use. The question still remains — how do we get individuals, land owners, and corporate culture to rethink what natural resources are endangered, and what it really takes to improve our condition? Sure, it’s the right and moral thing to do, but how do we create messaging so compelling that all groups realize it in a timely fashion?

Wind power is emerging as a clean energy solution with real strength. Governor Mike Beebe, has shown forward thinking and action on legislative issues to keep things moving in the right direction, and the location of global wind blade leader LM Glasfiber in the state puts a very intriguing economic development opportunity before Arkansas. The rest will rely on effective communication.

C3 Brandworks is excited to be involved in shaping these communication solutions through our association with ECCOpartners.org. We look forward to seeing the results of our local communities rethinking this issue to bring about generational change — and bringing about the economic benefits of recycling and clean energy development for ourselves and our familes’ futures.

~ C3 Brandworks

As the auto industry faces an engineering challenge to radically redesign its products to appeal to audiences eager for planet-friendly vehicles, designers are steering them into the future by making these new models fun, engaging and even cute. Something this cute has to be good for the planet, right?

We no longer have to fear being forced to drive “milk cartons” on wheels. We can look forward to embracing a radically different and innovative product with enthusiasm. It will be very interesting to watch which big auto nameplates will be the first to offer these concepts as viable vehicles.

We don’t know how these will play with the Hummer crowd but C3Brandworks has already picked our company vehicle from the pack.

~ C3 Brandworks

Honda PUYO


Nissan PIVO1

Nissan PIVO2

PIVO2 Dash

Toyota RiN

We are very happy to report that Wal-Mart’s reusable shopping bags are now available — so we can all start our new year grocery shopping off right.

Since last year Wal-Mart has worked to prove their green initiatives are legitimate and not just corporate “green-washing”. From a brand-centric principle…Wal-Mart is delivering on a promise they made to their employees, shareholders, customers, and communities.

Most notable was their hire of Sierra Club President/green activist, Adam Werbach, who wisely put his pre-conceived notions aside in order to reach a global audience on a global issue. It’s working. Wal-Mart has brought the compact flourscent light bulb into the mainstream and now the reusable shopping bag.

It is an added plus that these bags aren’t plastered with the huge block type and star across the sides (which would have been an embarrassment to carry) but they are black, modern and cleanly designed. They feature the slogan “Paper or Plastic? Neither.” The Wal-Mart name is on the sewn-in seam tag only. They are actually the nicest looking reusable bags we have purchased.

The new bags are made from a fabric containing rPET, with 85% recycled content and hold more than twice the amount of an average plastic bag. They were easy to carry - even loaded with cans and awkward items.

The bags sell for only $1 and are located near checkout aisles in Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart will also take the bags back at the end of their life-span for recycling.

Props to Wal-Mart for taking their position in the global marketplace and using it to make a difference for our environment. They still have a lot of ground to cover but this is definitely a step in the right direction!

Have a great green new year in 2008!

~ C3 Brandworks