Microsoft’s needed a way to showcase its Expression Studio and Silverlight products and sell them as integral to the creative process. So they came up with the PhizzPop Online Design Challenge and PhizzPop Tour.
When the tour came to Minneapolis, Zeus Jones stepped up and won the local competition, a fact which led them to compete and win again in Austin at the PhizzPop nationals.
Zeus Jones Phizzpop SXSW Finale from Zeus Jones on Vimeo.
Christian Erickson explains the concept:
Most people see the concept of sustainability as being about consuming less. But the accepted definition of the term, created by the Brundtland Commision in 1989 is a bit more far-reaching: “[to meet] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
This sparked a thought: no matter how much we conserve or sacrifice, we are all sitting on a huge pile of possessions that really don’t get used most of the time. And that is an area that no one in the green/sustainability area seems to talk about much. If I buy things because I believe they have a low carbon footprint, that’s great. But if I don’t make use of those things then it’s a waste no matter where it comes from.
When Zues Jones formed in 2007, marketing as service was at the top of their minds. This bold new marketing practice clearly remains there.
The UseMore mobile app mentioned at the end of the presentation is live at UseMore.us. I haven’t used it. Let us know if you have.
It’ll be interesting to see if Zeus Jones takes this idea any further.
