trends now

Biz Outside The Box

By Jeannie O'Sullivan

Springwise, an independent innovation firm based in Amsterdam, has compiled a list of business trends that sprung up in the past 12 months and are likely to endure for the next year and even beyond.

Following are a few of the ideas that could benefit optical dispensers.

SAMPLING SHOPPER-TUNITIES

“Sophisticated sampling—dubbed tryvertising by trendwatching.com—isn't new,” note the experts at Springwise. Manufacturers are now making use of dedicating spaces devoted not to selling but sampling.

Included are:

■ Places to browse, like Esloúltimo, a Spain-based store that offers visitors five new samples every two weeks in exchange for about Eur 5 every six months;
■ Posh, bistro-like environments, such as the L Café in Tokyo; and
■ Concepts that allow folks to simply get and go, such as the Boobox. This sample-slinging vending machine, created by the Belgium-based marketing agency Fosfor, requires basic information from the sampler in return for “any sample possible,” according to company officials. The benefits to advertisers include any sampling possible, data collection, no wasted samples, opt-ins, phone numbers for after–action promotion, and 24-hour operation.

LOW-IMPACT ADVERTISING

Using Mother Nature's attributes to promote product may just be the next big green thing.

Curb, a natural media agency that promoted the Make a Wish Foundation with a buzz-generating snowscape in front of Haagen Dazs in London's Leichester Square, recently launched GlowFungi.

Taking green advertising to the streets, the bio-luminescent bacteria can be added to a petridish, bed of mushrooms, or writeable gel that can be applied to any surface and— presto!—clients have a chemical-free, glow-in-the-dark marketing tool.

Carving logos into existing or placed natural billboards by snow tagging, sea tagging (stenciling logos on surfaces with water), sand sculptures, and turf cutting (photo bottom left) are other eco-friendly concepts within Curb's repertoire.

“In a market where advertisers are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve cut through and make their message stand out in any medium, we have created a whole new one that literally stops people in their tracks,” says Curb founder Anthony Ganjou. EB