Now Tweeting

Subscribe

* Email
First Name
Last Name
Business
Zip
* = Required Field

New & Noteworthy

Categorically Speaking

Love Links

Founded in 2008, ecopop is an idea farm that

lives at the intersection of ecology and pop

culture. We create, market, advise, and co-own

brands that make a positive global impact.

What Does Charitable Giving Sound Like? Say Hello To SocioTones.

January 5th, 2012 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

The following is an ecopop venture that failed to pass our 90-day proof of concept phase in 2011, partly due to a rather difficult creative brief to crack. While we still believe this innovative concept has legs, they have fallen asleep for the time being. Please let us know if you’d like to help us wake them up.

SocioTones is the world’s first brand of charitable ringtones that not only sound good but also send a message and create conversation about socio, economic or environmental issues. And, in the process, provide charitable donations towards a particular cause.
Read More »

Tagged: , , , , , ,
Posted in: Advertising & branding   Lifestyle   Technology

Meet Mable: A Modular Magazine Table System By ecopop x Thomas Crisp.

January 5th, 2012 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

Mable was born out of the simple observation that some people, namely those working in creative industries, have way more magazines than space. Table tops and shelves become cluttered and nearby floorspace end up looking a lot like periodical stalagmites at a hoarders convention.

We set out to solve this problem by creating a modern table system that can both store and show off a large number of magazines while still providing a useable table top.

Made from sustainable bamboo, Mable a single table unit that can be added to, arranged, and used as a small to large coffee table or end table. The number of magazines used, as well as the magazine cover graphics, allow you to create and recreate its overall shape and personality every time an issue is added or removed.

Mable was slated to release in 2011. The furniture manufacturer, retailer, and distributor has since gone out of business. While we wait out her fate, you can catch us in our lobby reading a magazine on architecture.




Tagged: , ,
Posted in: Design   Home & garden

A Product Idea To Lose The Belly: Bring Back The Half Shirt.

January 3rd, 2012 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

What ever happened to the half shirt for men?

In the 70′s, half shirts were all the rage. As skinny and hairless preteens, we wore half shirts without ever giving a second thought to going out into public. Then again, this was before America became morbidly obese and our own metabolism decide to give up. (Or was it our will power?)
Read More »

Tagged: , ,
Posted in: Fashion   Health & beauty

Three Business Ideas That Are Good For Something, Like Changing The World.

January 2nd, 2012 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

One of our favorite ad agencies, Mono, created an innovative campaign for Branson’s Virgin Unite to help put an end to homelessness.

“Do Whatever It Takes” is a website initiative that harnesses the power of wacky internet videos and combines it with charitable fundraising sites like FirstGiving. Anyone can make a pledge to do virtually anything, like drinking a gallon of milk in under an hour, for a set amount of money the individual determines, say $100. The online community then contributes to their fund and, if their goal is reached, the pledger does their “whatever” and the raised money gets donated to a homeless philanthropy.

Inspired.

We’d now like to triple dog dare you to think even broader than homelessness or even bigger than Virgin Unite. In fact, last year, ecopop had two similar ideas that could be stand-alone social ventures that anyone is welcome to do with or without us.
Read More »

Tagged: , , ,
Posted in: Advertising & branding   Lifestyle   Media   Noteworthy   Technology

Happy New Year’s Resolutions From ecopop.

January 1st, 2012 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)


Posted in: Health & beauty   Lifestyle

Here’s A Fresh Mobile/Web App Idea Brewed Especially For Starbucks.

December 30th, 2011 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

That guy in front of you at Starbucks is in need of a designer. You’re a designer. That woman that you see every morning thinks your cute but is too shy to let you know. Until now.

Introducing “Seen at Starbucks”, a mobile/web app concept from ecopop that provides the perfect opportunity to make meaningful connections with those whom you regularly see at your local Starbucks. Those interested in participating would be able to create a brief profile with a photo and contact preference, i.e. business, friendship, or dating. Using geolocation technology, participants could opt-in to see which community members are in-store and interested in getting to know one another a little better.

If you like this idea, please vote for it on My Starbucks Idea. If not, well, we’re always making more.

Tagged: , , ,
Posted in: Food & beverage   Lifestyle   Media   Technology

Art + Games App Gets Redesigned, Repriced, And All Retro With Ode To 80′s Commercial.

November 22nd, 2011 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

dabball, the first-ever art gallery + games app for the iPhone and iPad, relaunched this week with a completely new redesign, repricing structure, and retro-inspired web commercial to boot.

The new app, which launched in September as a freemium app, has been completely redesigned with a streamlined interface and repriced at $1.99. (Now on sale for $0.99 through the holidays.)

In addition to discovering more than 400 original artworks by 43 international artists, art and game enthusiasts can now play all 400+ dexterity games, download featured art as digital wallpapers, as well as take 20% off their favorite museum-quality prints ordered directly from their mobile device.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, ecopop teamed up with We Are Helsinki to create a commercial that pays homage to a popular peanut butter cup advertising campaign you might remember from the 80’s. (What can we say? Peanut butter cups have been on our minds a lot lately.) Using the same simple analogy to communicate dabball’s unique combination of art and games seemed just too delicious to pass up.

Click here to view the film.

(Film produced, directed, and edited by We Are Helsinki.)

Tagged: , , , ,
Posted in: Advertising & branding   Technology

From Adweek to IdeaMensch. A Three Year Evolution Of ecopop.

November 22nd, 2011 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

There’s been a renewed interest in ecopop lately and I am both humbled and grateful. Thank you. A couple of recent product launches, speaking engagements, and interviews, including the one that appears on IdeaMensch.com today, has lead me to reflect on just how far ecopop has come since I shut down my brand communications agency, 86 the onions. (Bye 86 the onions, Hello ecopop! on Adland.tv)

Even before I 86ed my childhood dream of starting my own agency there were hints of ecopop already bubbling up. There was the agency-initiated homeless outreach campaign, ProjectHello.com, and the industry speaking engagement that followed. (Rea Promotes ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ by Adweek Staff on Adweek.com) There was the time we sent an intern on his bike 1,400 miles for a cup of coffee. (A Long Ride For A Cup of Coffee by Tim Nudd on Adweek.com) And there was even the time when we promoted reuse through a series of viral web films featuring an 89-year old DJ grandma. (Mountain Dew: elixir for the ages By Catharine P. Taylor on Adweek.com)
Read More »

Tagged: , , , ,
Posted in: Advertising & branding   Media   Noteworthy

Mexican Coke Finder: The Mobile App You Should Make Already.

November 21st, 2011 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

There are enough people in the world who think that Mexican Coke just tastes better. We like it more because it’s made from cane sugar instead of corn syrup and it comes in a glass bottle, not a plastic one. It’s a shame we have pay extra and tax the planet to have our preferred soda shipped to the States when Coke could just make it locally and put it in cans, but we digress. We’re always pleasantly surprised when we discover Mexican Coke, and perhaps that’s part of the charm, but we’d prefer to seek it out instead of stumbling upon it. So, why not make our lives easier by creating The Mexican Coke Finder app? Fans and businesses could even input the locations for you. And by you, we mean, Coca-Cola, their ad agencies, or anyone else interested in executing this idea.

Tagged: , ,
Posted in: Advertising & branding   Food & beverage   Lifestyle   Technology

SHIFT 7 Presentation: How A Peanut Butter Cup Can Change The World.

November 18th, 2011 | Posted By Chad Rea | Comments (0)

This is a reading of the 5-minute slide presentation I gave at the SHIFT 7 event on 11/17/11, an event to inform, inspire and engage peers, clients and students about sustainable design thinking and practices. It’s basically the follow up to one of our earlier posts. Let’s keep the discussion going.

Click here to view video. 

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in: Advertising & branding   Design   Fashion   Food & beverage   Health & beauty   Lifestyle   Media   Noteworthy