Should people pool funds to buy ads for social change? Or should they simply co-opt them to get their messages out?
Exploiting the Lorax for Fun and Profit
More companies are embedding greenwash into their marketing campaigns–including the 70 companies that have lined up to cash in on the classic Dr. Seuss eco-fable The Lorax.
Did the Suburbs Eat My Community?
Has community in the suburbs become shorthand for clusters of houses with people inside them not talking to each other, as philosopher Mark Kingwell wonders? And if so, how do we reclaim community? Musings from John Mulrow about living in the suburban community of Japantown, San Jose.
CDC Is Hungry for Braaaainsss
Zombies are now promoting the CDC’s disaster preparedness guide. But not as well as they could be. Here are a few tips for the CDC’s newest henchmen to reach even more eyes, hearts, minds, and of course, brains of the American people.
Lord of Recycling: An Eco-parody
“You Shall Not TRASH!” So sayeth Gandalf in the newest epic, “Lord of Recycling.” Watch it at Transforming Cultures and see a great new eco-parody of “The Lord of the Rings” and a powerful example of viral social marketing.
Mickey Mouse’s Iconic Role in Modeling Consumerism
Do Disney cartoons lead viewers to believe in and act out Disney’s consumeristic fantasy? What about modern icons like the Disney Princess and the iPod? Can you sing M-I-C, K-E-Y, C-N-S-U-M?
The Biggest Winner in the Academy Awards: Brands!
Learn the winners of the two newest Oscar categories: Best Brand and Most Branded Pictures. They were both close races but in the end, only two can be victorious….
The Story of…Sending E-waste to Electronics CEOs’ Homes
Annie Leonard’s newest Story of Stuff Project video just came out—a decent critique of the electronics industry. But here’s the highlight: at one point she jokingly suggests sending all of our closeted electronic junk to the CEOs of the companies that manufactured the stuff. But joking aside, I say let’s do it! And let’s organize this effort now, so our packages arrive just in time for Christmas….
The Princess and the Product Placement
A review of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog: A great fairy tale if the embedded product placements for everything Disney could be extracted. At points I thought I was watching Disney’s fantasy world, rather than a fantasy world created by Disney.
Green Filmmaking, Urban Homesteads, and Preparing for the Future
What happens when someone tries to green the culture of a movie set? Resistance. A recent talk at the Downtown Film Festival in Los Angeles, brought me together with several cultural pioneers trying to cultivate sustainability near Hollywood: from green movie consultants and school food reformers to an urban homesteading pioneer that grows all of his family’s food in his backyard.
