Malmo Hardware Store - Toolpool

The past several years has a tremendous rise in the number of sharing (p2p or otherwise) and on-demand services that are disrupting existing business models.  Service like Zipcar, AirBNB, TaskRabbit, etc. are changing traditional models of ownership and resourcing.  Considering how potentially disruptive these types of services can be to existing business models, it's surprising that more brands haven't recognized the potential in these sharing services as an alternative to ownership of their products.

One business that has embraced the on-demand usage model is Malmo Hardware store.  They've developed a Zipcar-like service for power tools, called ToolPool.  As their agency, The Fan Club, describes:

'Malmö Hardware Store needed an idea to be able to compete with the giant home improvement chains that are taking over the market. We learned that the stores main earnings comes from supplies, not from expensive tools. So we created ToolPool. It works just like a carpool, but with tools. And it's for free. All we ask for in return is that you share our message on Facebook.

During the very first month, ToolPool received extensive media coverage, over 600 members and sales in the store increased by 25%.'

It's a wonderful example of service design.  See the overview video below.

via: Yosuke Suzuki

Send A Tweet, Get A Cookie

Here's a nice piece of student work.  As Design Taxi writes:  

To reward Twitter users, Sweden-based Daniel Jansson, Alexis Morin and Sharon Williams of Umeå Institute of Design have created a cookie box that gives out the sweet treat when users post a tweet with a certain hashtag on Twitter. 

Called the ‘UID Cookie Box’, it reacts to tweets through lighting, and even refuses to give you another cookie if you had just gotten one—to help you watch your weight, maybe. 

You could easily imagine this extending out to brand usages where a tweet (or any social action) acts as  the currency to power a vending machines.  Basically the next (automated) evolution to things like the Twitter powered Special K pop-up shop in London from a few months back.

via Design Taxi

Two Nice Stunt Videos - Sony Xperia & Red Stripe

I keep thinking that stunt campaigns are somehow going to die off, but the public appetite for them shows no sign of slowing down.  What's more impressive is that agencies keep coming up with new and innovative ways to communicate a clear product message through stunt videos.  The latest hot stunt was developed by CP+B Stockholm to promote the new waterproof Sony Xperia phone.  During screenings of the new James Bond film, Skyfall, several  of the waterproof phones were hidden inside free soda cups given to random viewers.  It's a nice way to demonstrate the main USP of the phone in a way that fits nicely into the overall theme and feel of the Bond film.  Check it out below...I do question how the hell the people managed to get a drink without noticing that there was a phone embedded in their massive Coke.


Another delightful stunt comes from Kessels Kramer for beer brand, Red Stripe.  For one day only, a corner store became a giant musical instrument, playing 'A Message To You, Rudy.'  Products on the shelves and items left scattered around the store part of an ad-hoc orchestra, triggered when a customer chose a Red Stripe from the shelves.  Just a really nice way to reward customers who choose your product with a delightful and unexpected experience.  Check out the video below and it's also worth checking out the behind the scenes video as the 'making of...' is fascinating.