Thinking Green

At a time when many packaged goods are simply cutting back on price or quantity, Sun Chips is doing something very different. They're cutting back on waste. Their new packaging, displayed in the time lapse video below, is an innovation in garbage. So when you're done scarfing down their crunchy goodness, you'll feel okay tossing away the bag... in a trash can of course.

Sun Chips has also teamed up with National Geographic to give Green Thinking people the chance to spread their earth-friendly ideas around. The Green Effect promotion inspires one to submit his/her best idea for green change. Online viewers and a panel of judges will review these ideas and $20,000 will be awarded each to five winners. These 5 folks or groups will also be profiled in National Geographic and travel to Washington, D.C., to share their projects with environmental leaders. See more or submit your idea at greeneffect.com.

A chip company probably won't save the planet. (That's Al Gore's job right) However, this bite-size move certainly steps in a nice direction. Simple. Smart. And yeah, it should help sell some product, too.

McDonald's Photo Shoot

Now here is a wonderful way to get people interacting with your brand in a positive way . This ever-changing McDonald's billboard, set up in Piccadilly Circus, acts as a hilarious backdrop for the many camera-toting tourists making their way around London. While the other signs hang there like wallpaper, this one reaches out to all those around and says, "Let's have some fun."

If you want to measure it's effectiveness, just look at all the laughing faces. Bloody brilliant.

A very telling story

When a commercial makes you feel a little sick to you stomach and it's not an ad for KFC, Taco Bell or any other food product, it's probably doing something right. This spot for ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) details the brutally sad reality of what's happening to kids all over the world.

This spot made me both very mad and sad. Not sure it'll stop the sick people who enjoy this kind of thing. Hopefully, it can help raise awareness and money to help stop these criminals, their networks and the idiots downloading such crap. From a storytelling point of view, this commercial does its job very well.

See more about ECPAT here

Beyond Baseball

Full Disclosure: I love the game of baseball. And despite certain aspects of today's national pastime (ahem... new Yankee Stadium, its sushi bar and that 3rd baseman of theirs currently on the DL), I always get jazzed about the prospect of hearing the crack of the bat, grabbing a hot dog & cold beer and watching guys do what I wish I could. Play ball.

Anyhow, this latest campaign "Beyond Baseball" from the MLB plays into the passion many of us have while also bringing some real humanity to a game that's taken its hits. Hello, steriod scandals. It's fitting that the one spot features a very much not bulky Tim Lincecum. MLB.com also has a dedicated "beyond baseball" webpage where fans can learn more about the lives of players... not just their stats. I really think MLB has hit a homerun with this... not a Barry-Bond type of home run, but more like a Kirk Gibson walk off.

A Dramatic Introduction

Introducing a breakthrough video to introduce a breakthrough TV, Philips and their new 21:9 Cinema LCD have struck gold. The below film is beyond cool. Not only does it provide serious eye candy, but at their website the video goes interactive. It lets you compare the ratio difference of 21:9 vs. 16:9. At certain touch points, you can access additional features such as the director's take on the role of lighting or a little lesson on post effects.

The education they give on shooting all relates directly to the key benefits of this TV. From its size to its lighting to its picture quality, the Philips Cinema was created to bring the full movie experience home -- the way the director wanted you to see it. Very cool. Now could Philips please donate one of these to my house? I simply can't live the 16:9 way any longer.

See more at the dedicated website.

The Opposite of Neighbor Envy

Ah, remember the days when you'd walk out of your home, look around and spy your many competitive neighbors mowing, trimming and edging their lawns. How times have changed. These days, you're more likely to watch your now-foreclosed neighbor skedaddle out of town while his once beautifully manicured lawn turns into a lovely shade of "really dead" brown.



Well, some clever folks now have an answer -- for you, your neighborhood and that troubled bank trying to sell their very vacant home. You can do what Californian David Milligan did. He bought some eco-friendly dye, got a sprayer and quickly transformed his neighbor's yard from a foreclosure brown to a buy-me green. More and more communities likewise are using this technique to maintain some semblance of vitality. You know what they say, "Necessity is the mother..."

Check out this VIDEO to see more:

5 out there Ideas

Below are 5 out-of-the-box ways people are getting their message to the people.



It's always a good idea to put yourself in some one's shoes before passing judgment, right? Well this outdoor campaign for the Weingart Homeless Campaign helps you put more than your stinkin' foot. It draws attention. Gets people interacting. And probably most importantly, makes you think a little.



One the lighter side of things, here's a great playful piece from YogaOne. It's different. It's something worth holding onto. And it just might cause you to share with others. Now that's an idea that stretches itself. Ha!



The only landmines we may ever worry about are the ones inconsiderate dog owners let lay on the pavement. However, in other parts of the world, these maiming devices are a serious, serious problem. This campaign and its unique execution from Unicef brings visibility to the issue in a powerful way.



Ah, flea season is here. How do you remind people to give their pets their meds? How about a huge floor mat like this? It certainly gets attention and I'm sure a few photo ops as well.



Okay, here's an outdoor ad begging you to rip it off. With vinyl stickers, this ad from New Zealand Insurance is created to be thieved in order to prove its point. Original. Fun. Interesting.