NYC Garbage Is Another Man's $50 Souvenir

Since 2001, Justin Gignac has sold his "regular cubes" of NYC garbage for $50. So far he's sold 1,300!  Special editions include New Year's Eve and a 2007 International edition.  Like one of our designers said, "Why didn't I think of this"?

Friday Fun

Kids who loved the flying spoon "airplane" game would love these milk and egg cartons. Unfortunately, they don't exist- these are  Volkswagen ads. 

Traveling through the Food System

Hartman Salt created a fun infographic that depicts the foodie's universe as a transportation map.  The lines show major arenas or themes in which food is evolving.  The stops are the biggest figures in food, along with their best-known projects.  If you know all the names on the map, you'll have no problem traversing the food world.  If not, take a detour and learn something new!

For a closer look, see Hartman Salt's website.

Recycling Labels Redesigned to Be Fool-Proof

Recycling is something that most people agree about. It makes sense- with the finite amount of resources on our planet, we should all be more careful of what we do with products after we've used them or tired of them.  However, the actual act of recycling is something that many find confusing or annoying.

The Sustainable Package Coalition, of the GreenBlue non-profit group, is trying to make recycling labels as easy as can be.  For example, the "100% recyclable" label on a jar doesn't tell you that there are certain requirements for it to be recycled, or that only certain places recycle it.  This new effort divides its labels into 4 groups: "widely recycled", "limited recycling, "not recycled", and "store drop-off". These designs should be out by October and will hopefully be the new standard for recycling labels, says the Sustainable Package Coalition.

Story courtesy of Good Magazine.  For more, check Sustainable Package Coalition's website.

Friday Fun

 

Art Lebedev's "Povodokus" turns a boring dog leash into a fake stun-gun. 

Greater Gadgets Make Us Savvier Shoppers

This new infographic, released by Microsoft Tag, shows how the increasing popularity of smartphones have changed the way consumers shop.  Our research in QR codes, m-commerce, and social shopping align with the vision this infographic presents.  We expect the physical world and the virtual world to become more seamlessly integrated in the future.

Infographic courtesy of PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2011/06/infographic-are-smartphones-developing-smarter-shoppers.html/

Dieline Conference Discount- Our Gift to You

Wallace Church's Anna Roseberry is speaking at the Dieline Conference in Chicago, from June 22-24.  We're excited to hear all the bright industry minds share their insight.  For Wallace Church friends and fans, here's our special "tell-a-friend" discount.  Put DSPKR in the discount box, and you'll get $100 off the individual full-conference rate.  See you there!

Our Digital World, Today and Tomorrow

Digital Life: Today & Tomorrow from Neo Labels on Vimeo.

This is a lovely little video that visualizes the biggest highlights of Internet stats, buzz words, and themes for 2010. It shows us the Internet-related world in 2015, which makes reasonable projections with technology that we see today.  If you're curious about what's happening in the virtual world and what might be in store, take a look. It's worth your time.

Learnings from the Cocktail Festival

A couple of weekends ago, bartenders, drinkers, and much of the spirits industry ascended onto Manhattan from all over the world.  The Manhattan Cocktail Classic celebrated all things alcoholic- with the combination of exceptional spirits and the people who love them, even the educational seminars were festive.