We all know that green is the new black, at least as far as marketing goes but not all “green” initiatives are created equal.

On Earth Day my colleague Mark and I went to talk to our building management about implementing a recycling program. We’d been taking our recyclables home in fits and starts over the last two years and were feeling overwhelmed with the process. Happily, the management agreed to our request and we are in the midst of its launch. Lesson? Sometimes, even when you have been told “no” in the past all it takes is the right timing and approach. The Big Ask.

Which brings me to something I stumbled upon recently – Puma’s redesign and launch of improved shoe packaging. 

I first heard about this project from my clients at Cut + Run who edited “The Gift” a sci-fi thriller that is one of the final films produced for the Philips Cinema promotion, now online at www.philips.com/cinema. Brilliant in terms of content, the project was also an exciting exercise in social media promotion…engaging fans to become involved in the build up to the ultimate reveal.

Philips and ad agency DDB approached RSA Films to commission five films under the banner Parallel Lines. 45 RSA Directors submitted concepts surrounding a single script supplied by the agency. From those, five diverse concepts were chosen for production; the result is a testament to both directorial interpretation and social media promotion. 

"The Gift" Directed by Carl Rinsch

If you are anything like me, you spend a majority of your waking moments in front of a computer. So much so, that you might forget about the pleasure of watching films in a darkened theater full of short film enthusiasts. Despite -- or maybe because of -- plentiful online resources, festivals continue to be a relevant and compelling opportunity for filmmakers to understand and connect with audiences. They can also provide fertile ground for self-promotion and career enhancement.

Jeff Drew (http://www.jeffdrewpictures.com) is an independent animation director, illustrator and designer whose recent project, “One Square Mile of Earth,” has charmed audiences at numerous film festivals, including Sundance and SXSW.

Getting back to my online life, I caught up with Jeff (read: emailed him) to ask about the uniquely populated “One Square Mile of Earth” and his festival run.

Jeff Drew

When I was a kid, I loved going to visit my cousins in Seattle. They were avid comic collectors and I would spend hours carefully thumbing through issues of Spiderman, Fantastic Four and other plastic-sleeved titles. Perhaps this is why I enjoy the trend of motion comics as promotion. It speaks to childhood nostalgia while cutting through the clutter.

Future Is Now

One could argue that SXSW Interactive is as much about online innovation as the ability to connect and find meaning in relationships. Community building, for profit or goodwill, was a sentiment echoed in many of the presentations held during the 2010 conference.