3D printing may be the new way to help inventors get to market faster and less expensively. See how one iPad cover designer used 3D printing to get his product out more quickly. This video shows the end product, but not really HOW the 3D printing process worked. Weigh in with your thoughts or with other examples of 3D printing at work.
Wichita Motion Billboards (WMBB), a VISIONS LLC company, just launched the first 2-sided LED billboard in Wichita, KS in a unique and powerful location…I-135 and K-96. Those in Wichita will instantly recognize this as being what WMBB calls “The Gateway to Wichita.”
Both of these roads are heavily traveled and K-96 transports many commuters and visitors to downtown Wichita, East Wichita and suburbs/communities beyond. While LED billboards have all the current “buzz” in outdoor advertising, they have been banned by law ON K-96. So, this is the only 14′X48′ billboard seen just before entering the K-96 expressway. Exiting K-96 to head north offers the same unique exposure with the other side of the billboard easily seen after exiting north onto I-135.
As if this weren’t enough, the sign sits on the land owned by His Helping Hands, one of Wichita’s most valuable charities for those in need. So, WMBB lease payments will help the charity continue to offer free clothing, furniture, computers, household items, etc. to those most affected by economic trials in this economy. Check out the video and other details here.
See if this opportunity might work for promoting your business.
Not all of us are as active in the use of social media as others. However, this new FREE iPad app…Flipboard… utilizes such a stunning and beautiful interface that it almost compels you to be more…social. The developer calls it your “personal magazine.” Check out the video to see for yourself.
Several years ago, my wife (Donna Bolin) and I purchased the Wichita, KS franchise for OxyMagic Carpet Cleaning. It wasn’t as though we needed more to do. She is a real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Plaza Real Estate and I own THINK-TANK (you’re here), a marketing and design firm.
In any event, after Kelly Bolin (Donna’s son) expressed interest in purchasing the KC franchise, we were impressed enough by the results that we got in the demo vs. what we’d experienced with steam cleaning that we moved ahead with purchasing the franchise.
Recently, we purchased a smart car to promote the business (both are ECO-FRIENDLY and just “smart”). To help those not yet familiar with oxygenated cleaning, we just launched the new OxyMagic of Wichita YouTube Channel where we will be uploading a series of training and instructional videos. Get to the Channel by clicking the photo.
Most businesses know by now the power of video for marketing (or SHOULD). However, it still surprises me just how many DON’T have a single video on their web site or on YouTube. Maybe they feel that they don’t have the right equipment (although that excuse is a fantasy in this time of HD video cameras for under $200). I’ve heard many suggest that they wouldn’t be very good in front of the camera. Or they protest that they don’t know what to say. Yada. Yada. Yada.
Well, Google has just handed you a VERY COOL new way to put a video on YouTube AND your web site with NO camera, NO editing software, NO script NO need to appear on the video…and create it all in less than 10 minutes.
See the sample by clicking the graphic below and produce one for your own personal or business brand enhancement.
In case you didn’t see my earlier post about Siri, you can see it here. Now, today Apple has announced that it has acquired Siri. This is a brilliant move on Apple’s part in our opinion. Click this link to see the post and video that will give you an insight into why this may be a VERY SAVVY move by Apple.
Several months ago, THINK-TANK helped Brad Minear with the visual branding for his Homes Giving Hope project at J.P. Weigand & Sons Real Estate in Wichita, KS. Well, now Homes Giving Hope has a achieved a very significant milestone. It’s been less than 16 months since the HGH concept was introduced and, as of today, Homes Giving Hope gifts and gift commitments (gifts related to pending sales) now exceed $10,000. These gifts have been delivered to 10 organizations whose mission, values and efforts are consistent with the objectives of HGH. Congratulations to Brad and to his vision for “Making a Difference…One Home at Time!” Learn more here.
In the previous post, I mentioned the cool-new “quirky” concept for inventors. In other posts, I’ve talked about the potential for Apple’s iPad. Well, after holding the iPad, I felt that there might be an opportunity for designing a new “walking, writing, watching” all-in-one accessory for it since it can become a bit heavy if you are standing with it for any length of time. So, I submitted my idea to quirky. Please check it out and consider VOTING for it as a product to be moved into production and sale. Here’s what the product briefing looks like:
I can’t tell you how many wannabe inventors have called us over the years wanting to have us “market” their “idea” for a product. In most cases, the idea was a concept only. No prototypes. No actual product. No money to pursue it. In some cases, the ideas were actually quite good, but the lack of funding always seemed to slam the door shut to them moving ahead. Well, that situation may have just changed DRAMATICALLY with a new company called “Quirky.”
As you can see from checking out some of the THINK-TANK postings, new innovations and technologies are one of the things that we like to share with you. Well, you are about to be STUNNED by the new Siri Personal Assistant app. While it started for the iPhone and is now becoming available for other mobile devices, you will immediately see why this type of personal assistant will forever change the way that computers add value to our lives by letting us just tell a device what we want and have it go find it for us.
Check out the video.
Robert "GRIFF" Griffith is the Founder and Market Positioning Strategist at THINK-TANK. He has decades of experience with creating Marketing Strategies, Branding Concepts, Unique Visual Designs, Engaging Presentations for In-person Speaking Engagements or Online Use and Much More!