Stunningly handsome, wickedly fast, and equipped with plug-in hybrid technology, Henrik Fisker’s newest creation, the Karma, is paving the way to a cleaner future for the performance-luxury market. Fisker, whose résumé includes the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, is hoping to capitalize on what the company is calling the ECO-CHIC sensibility: environmentally conscious, futuristic, and uncompromising in quality. Delivering on that ideal, the Karma is an astonishing feat of automotive design. The proprietary technology, Q DRIVE, delivers an initial 50 miles of gripping, ultra comfortable travel with zero emission. And a full-length solar roof allows for cord-free charging and self-contained cooling for the interior, while the car is parked.

The flagship Karma will be priced around $80,000 with additional models to follow. For Americans who aren’t willing to trade their Maserati for a Prius, the Karma will be music to their ears.

Here is an exercise for you. Match up the following celebrities and the brands you think they endorse.
(See answers below.)

Recently, the latest Lord & Taylor radio advertisement captured my attention. In the ad spot, style expert and TV personality, Robert Verdi interviews young women about their shopping experience at L&T. While not everyone will recognize Verdi’s name, fashion-conscious listeners will likely respond to the confidence and enthusiasm in Verdi’s voice as he appraises shoppers’ looks. As executives attempt to revitalize Lord & Taylor’s brand, the introduction of Verdi may be a wise choice.

Consider Applebee’s. Wanda Sykes may not be a gourmet, but I bet you know her voice and her now unforgettable line “Get it together, baby!” Let’s face it, you’re probably not going there for the fine dining anyway, but Wanda Sykes makes lunch at Applebee’s sound like fun.

How about Sam Waterston? When you hear his voice you will likely trust him even if you don’t know his name. Why? For many years Waterston has portrayed the noble Jack McCoy on NBC’s Law and Order. He sounds kind, honest and fatherly. Wouldn’t you take his advice? TD Ameritrade hopes you will.

And what about a Bud with George? I’m in.

(Answers: 1. D, 2. H, 3. G, 4. F, 5. C, 6. B, 7. A, 8. E)

Last weekend, my mom spontaneously announced: “I have a treat for you,” as she handed me a new pair of Lululemon reverse groove yoga pants.

“And the best part is,” she gushed, “The bag. It’s reusable! And super-cute, right?”

“Absolutely,” I told her, though I didn’t have the heart to inform her I already had four of the same red bags, covered in inspiring messages, sitting in a pile at home.

***

The next day, my sister approached my mother, sister-in-law and me with an ear-to-ear grin and an I-have-a-secret-behind-my-back posture. She quickly revealed four reusable bags–one for each of us–and of course, one for her.

The bags featured black and white fashion shots and a sign-off of Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer, a foundation close to our hearts, as a dear friend of ours had passed away after a nine-year battle just days before.

***

Last night, I dined with a friend who had just returned from Disney World. She carried a real-live plastic bag (gasp – are we still using these?), which revealed an adorable Mickey Mouse reusable tote. Complete with artfully frayed edges and those signature mouse ears, the tote gave the look of reused materials, perfect for the shabby chic tree hugger.

***

After dinner, I tossed my oh-so-adorable bag behind the passenger seat in my car and watched it float to the top of an already brimming pile of super-convenient, ultra-green reusable bags. I couldn’t help but wonder: could there be such a thing as too many reusable bags? (This coming from a girl who can’t say “no” to anything in the handbag genre).

Now that even Mickey is getting in on the action, will each American home acquire an overabundance of the very thing that was meant to minimize paper and plastic bag consumption?

Have we out-greened ourselves and flopped back over to the standard American tenet of “more is more”, wasting energy and material (which surely is not all recycled), and landing exactly where we didn’t want to end up?

***

For now, I’ll switch off my bags daily, tote their messages with pride, and pray for less generous friends and family. Just doing my part.

Hilton housekeeping says, “Hello.”

None of the coolio hotels we like for our New York getaways could accommodate four guests in one room, but the Hilton on 53rd St fit our family and our budget.  Leaving our room on the first morning, we got a nice big “Hello” from every member of the housekeeping staff whom we passed in the hallway.  These employees were busy doing their work, but not too busy to look up, share a smile and wish us a good day.  By the end of our stay, we got to be fairly chatty together.  I don’t know if Hilton trains all of its employees to stop their work and greet the guests or if these folks were just personally inclined to put something extra into their job.  I do know that it made a difference for me.  Rule #3 of great service: Say, “Hello.”

Our good friend and colleague Lewis Gordon Pugh, an explorer and environmentalist, has launched yet another awe inspiring expedition to the North Pole. You may recall that Lewis was the first human to swim the North Pole, completing a 1km (0.62 mile) swim, in minus 1.7°C water. As he continues to raise awareness about the environmental and political threats in North Pole, his newest expedition, kayaking from Spitsbergen, Norway to as far North as possible, will certainly be just as impressive.

The purpose of Lewis’s journey is to document the loss of sea ice due to global warming and to remind the world of the crucial role that Arctic regions play in our ecosystem. As the ice depletes, new shipping routes are being created, further opening up this fragile region for oil exploration. Political tensions are also escalating, as many nations are staking claim to the newly exposed territory. To keep up with Lewis’s expedition, please check out the Polar Defense Project.

Lewis also spoke at our last Green Design Event here in Boston. Check out the video of his presentation here.

By now most of us are somewhat familiar with the Obama campaign “sun-rising-over-the-field-of-flag” logo.

But did you know that the Obama campaign has tweaked their logo specifically for different populations. You know, Arab Americans, environmentalists, kids, women, etc.

Here are a some of my favorites…

Can you figure out which one is which?

See them all at:
http://www.barackobama.com/people/

Good politics is good branding. Is this good branding?

The Sartorialist creator and fashion blogger extraordinaire, Scott Schuman, is one of the newest faces of The Gap.

Shooting images of fashion inspiration on the streets of the world’s chicest cities and shooting from the hip with spot-on commentary, Schuman dominates the fashion blogging scene, reporting on trends for the common folk and the fashion elite.

With names like Bergdorf’s and Saks under his belt, Shuman’s shift to hawking the more mass-appeal Gap brand could represent the reality of the economic downturn for the catwalk set. But this time, he’s not behind the scenes styling or opining; he’s a subject of the fall ’08 advertising campaign.

From avant-garde fashion designers to underground DJs, The Gap has shifted its spokesperson focus from celebrities to cutting edge style makers. Is the khakis-and-tees crowd ready for a more fashion forward campaign with edgier, behind-the-scenes faces? Is the blogosphere even shopping at The Gap, or will this campaign miss the mark by leveraging these scarcely known (but widely read) names to a mainstream crowd? Only sales will tell.

Shuman may be one of the biggest influences in the fashion information super highway, but in the wake of competitor Zara taking the lead over the Gap as the world’s largest fashion retailer, the stakes are higher and the real question remains: can bloggers sell jeans?

AMC’s acclaimed TV series, “Madmen”, is an interesting comparison to today’s Ad agencies and Brand Consultants. If you’ve never seen the show, it’s set in 1960s New York and follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising. On the recent Episode 4, the execs of Sterling Cooper Advertising are preparing for a big pitch to American Airlines. I was struck by something that Don Draper, the lead creative exec, asked his team: “Did you design the menu yet? Did you pick out a china pattern?”. Really? I thought. Did Ad agencies get into those types of touchpoints? It seems that Sterling Cooper was selling more than just an ad campaign, and actually an immersive brand experience.

In the 1960’s, there were no “brand consultants”. As the market became more saturated in the 80’s & 90’s, more firms began to specialize in areas outside of advertising (identity, packaging, environments). This caused companies to divvy up their brand touchpoints and assign them to several different firms. Now we’re in a time where a holistic brand image is more valuable than ever. Perhaps Sterling Cooper’s integrated approach can teach us that blurring the lines between Advertising and Brand Experience is crucial to a Brand’s success.

On a recent flight to my homeland (New Jersey) I discovered that my Jetway experience was sponsored by HSBC. As my plane was taxiing to the gate, I noticed out my window that every Jetway had an HSBC logo on it. I thought this was great; maybe I would have a more immersive Jetway experience. I didn’t.

HSBC didn’t deliver on the promise of a branded Jetway. A few travel-inspired posters joined the bank vaguely to the jetway occupants — travelers — but the connection was pretty tenuous. Seeing the logo on the exterior of the Jetway while readying yourself to make the big push and then rushing past advertising on your way to your connection or meeting, you do not make the link.

I am vaguely familiar with HSBC. I know they are some type of bank. But, to most people they probably think they are Jetway manufacturers. It seems to me like HSBC and Continental both missed an opportunity.

Obviously with fuel prices at an all time high and air travel down, airlines are attempting to squeeze out a penny from every possible source. Airlines can generate a lot of revenue selling off naming and sponsorship. Although HSBC is not sponsoring Continental or my flight, the act of sticking a logo an integral part of the traveler’s experience is a step in that direction.

I can’t wait until my seat is brought to me by La-Z-Boy, my headphones by Sony, and the greasy stuff coming out of the hinge on my tray table by WD40. And that cheery smile as your flight attendant wishes you good day: thanks to Crest!

On Friday, Samsung introduced its latest wireless marvel, the Instinct phone–and marvelous it is. The company is known for introducing quality phones, but with the debut of the iPhone, Samsung and the entire industry were set back on their heels. Not for long, it seems. This new phone is Samsung’s haptic touch screen retort to Apple’s hand candy. While the Instinct is similar to iPhone in many ways, its new force feedback feature is completely unexpected and delightful.

Force feedback is not new. It was first introduced through video games years ago. It’s the rumble you felt through the steering wheel, when you trashed exotic racecars on your PC. Now thoughtfully reapplied, the Instinct brings back a wonderful tactile feedback that emulates the gentle clicking of a roulette wheel, as you scroll through your contact list. You have to feel it, to believe it.