Free Energy for Everyone! Light Up Malawi’s First Pilot:
Posted by admin | Filed under Africa, Design, Energy, Innovation, Research, Sustainability, Technology, Urban Planning
Thanks to an amazing partnership with BuildON and Energy For Opportunity we had a very successful first pilot on our renewable education tract.
Over a three day workshop we taught 17 teachers from 4 different communities in the Kasungu District how to do basic electrical, and basic solar maintenance, and a solar installation. Simon Willans of EFO led the instruction. The learnings were amazing: Malawians are hungry for knowledge – we had full attendance, attention and more people interested every day. Watching the teachers create a basic circuit for the first time was fantastic. Their understanding spread from the classroom to the installation. We left tools for each student and a professional solar instruction manual for each community and also placed this manual in the library of the Wimbe School. Every one of the teachers is committed to taking this knowledge to all of their communities, and spreading the instruction into all of BuildOn’s Community Education Programs.
The panel we installed will power the lighting for two classrooms and even a laptop. Stand by as we hear feedback from the community on how one panel is changing their lives and helping them in small and large ways.
We also placed some solar mobile charging stations and dynamo lanterns for clinics in the Chiradzulu District, and Thyolo District and gave a donation to Goods for Good CBO in Luzi and met with several ministers to begin talks about Malawi’s energy policy and tariff reduction on renewable energy products. While in Kenya we attended the Lighting Africa conference where we met with key stakeholders working in renewable energy in Africa.
All in all, a very productive time in Malawi.
Please support this project !
Light Up Malawi
Posted by admin | Filed under Artwork, Design, Innovation, Interactive, Lectures, Personal, Rebranding, Research, Search, Social, Technology, Thinking, Urban Planning, Video, Work
UPDATE: We’ve raised $6500 and secured a spot at the Unreasonable Institute! Thank you to all of our sponsors and tweeters that helped make us winners in the crowdfunding competition.
This is exciting news, because through the institute this idea hatched during a trip to India in November will get connected to some great advisors and fantastic funding. Light Up Malawi is indeed a very ambitious project, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are determined to bring sustainable energy solutions to one entire country. That’s one nation completely off the grid – using solar, wind, biomass, and kinetic to achieve this. Malawi is where my mother grew up, and I have family there to this day. I grew up hearing her stories about the country and the people. We believe that Malawi is the best place to start on a mission of this magnitude. And we believe we can do it. I hope you’ll join me on what will be a remarkable journey to prove to the world that poverty can be solved with sustainable, strategic solutions.
For more: Go to Lightupmalawi.org/about
Coke Zero | Doppelgänger
Posted by admin | Filed under Clients, Design, Innovation, Search, Social Media, Technology
In conjunction with award winning master animators MK12, the Ebeling Group, CP+B and the Agency for Holistic Branding we bring you the most sophisticated Facebook application yet. Using facial recognition software developed at Carnegie Mellon University I present: The Coke Zero Facial Profiler.
Although I only received a 57% match when I used the system, I’ve seen it work really well for some others (I never tend to agree that I look like anyone else anyways). Since its launch a few weeks ago it already has 162,162 registered users filling the database with photos.
The recent advances in image recognition software are truly astounding. It’s incredible to think this is an app for pure entertainment, when last year software of this type was mainly used only for classified purposes. Google Goggles will also bring about a massive paradigm shift in for text, image, and location search. No doubt tons of questions on privacy, and usage will come along with its launch. Interesting times ahead when software gets crossed with sight.
Sanjhi & National Geographic
Posted by admin | Filed under India, Innovation, Social Media, Technology, Urban Planning, Video
My colleague Chhaya invited me to sit on the advisory board of a Local Rajasthani NGO called Sanjhi. Sanjhi means ‘mutuality’ and community participation. Here is a video recap of the January 2009 Sanjhi Photo Camp done in collaboration with National Geographic- detailing the learnings from the village kids and their new understanding and appreciation of the environment through photography.
Posted by admin | Filed under Clients, Interactive, Rebranding, Research, Social Media, Technology, Thinking, Work, works
Project: Bordeaux Repositioning
How does a legacy brand like Bordeaux remake itself in the US market where California wine is king, and where Frenchness is both a boon and a liability?
Solution: While all the details can’t be exposed of this ongoing campaign, I identified several key factors along the purchase chain and in the perception of the word Bordeaux itself. I wasn’t rebranding a brand, but a region and at the most basic level a heavily associated word. By conducting focus groups from coast to coast as well as tons of research from online surveys I came up with a strategy that hits practical and socio-cultural needs and leverages social media activation in an organic way.
Results: The campaign is now in the hands of the talented people at Creativefeed for execution, and you’ll be sure to see the work out and about.
Role: Strategic Brand Planner, Digital Strategist, Scenario Planner, Researcher
