Building Business

The Construction Barrel Monster

In Raleigh, North Carolina, one student has received the attention of thousands - if not millions - of people in the pursuit of expressing his artistic talent.

Joseph Carnevale grabbed three traffic barrels off of the street, chopped them up and created the construction barrel monster you see above. The local police had a problem with this, uh, public art, and charged Mr. Carnevale with a misdemeanor. After the story went public, many supporters of the artist began to emerge. Even Hamlin Associates,the construction company that owns the barrels, said they would not like any charges pressed and would actually like the monster back to integrate into their marketing mix.

By supporting local artists, this construction company has instantly given their brand personality and character. Chances like these are few and far between for many companies, but by supporting this cause this company has gained immeasurable amounts of free news coverage and a priceless monster to use to further build buzz for their brand.

We're not suggesting companies jump on board with every wacky thing that happens with their products and within their community, but great opportunities often come from the most unlikely places.

Has your company had similar experiences? If so, how did they turn out? Leave us a comment and let us know.

Millennially Challenged

At the ripe old age of 25, I'm a Millennial. From Oregon Trail to Playstation 3, from hand-written letters to Facebook, it's safe to say I've seen a lot of changes in my quarter century.

Graduating from college a few years ago, I'm now at a turning point in my life. I've recently purchased a house, nailed down the 9 to 5 and have accepted my entry into adulthood. With that said, I've also noticed an influx of marketing pieces in my mailbox fro irrelevant products like teeth whitening to dream vacations - but where is the real spending power with my generation?

Bridge in a Backpack?

Most Americans think nothing of traversing a bridge on foot or in a car. But if you're one of the growing number of people suffering from gephyrophobia - the fear of crossing bridges - the concept of the "bridge-in-a-backpack" might be too much to handle. Researchers and developers at the University of Maine have created a process that utilizes hollow tubes of carbon fiber to help shape the formwork of the bridge. The backpack technology has already drawn interest from investors and plans for taking the product to municipal markets shouldn't be far behind. Read more here.

DIwhY Marketing?

Energy can never be lost, only transferred… as we monitor the pullback in spending through multiple facets of this industry we have to ask ourselves “where is the money going?”

With a greater focus on ROI, consumers are resorting to Do It Yourself projects (DIY) within their homes for multiple reasons. As mentioned in DIY Sector Remains Recession Proof, this growing trend is impacting another industry as well, DIY hardware and tools, resulting in the need for a fresh marketing approach and smart ideas to catch the eye of savvy and economical consumers looking to generate a little hard earned equity.