Spotify: Volume Sensitive advertising

Spotify is an online music streaming service that gives its users access to its catalogue of music with no buffering or delays. The concept is a way to provide people with music without them having to take ownership of the tracks. Instead the users are given access to the company's library of music, however they also have to listen to adverts in between songs, in a way similar to radio advertising. For a fee of £0.99 per day or £9.99 a month users can listen free of advertising.

Advertising is a big part of Spotify's revenue so it is important for them to be able to ensure that advertising on the site reaches their users as effectively as possible. Until recently when adverts were streamed between songs on Spotify it was possible to turn down the volume, to avoid listening to the advert. However after using the service recently I noticed that this has changed.

Now the advertising is sensitive to the volume of your computer. For example as seen below if I turned down the volume to just one bar the advert would automatically pause and I would not be able to listen to any more music until I have continued to listen to the advert.





One way to beat the volume sensitive advertising is if you listen to music through speakers, you can turn them off and turn up the volume on your computer. However if you were to simply use a lap top or the built in speakers in a computer then this method of ensuring advertising is consumed would be highly effective.

Methods such as these to ensure that advertising is consumed by internet users perhaps demonstrates how modern technology has changed our attitudes towards advertising, especially invasive advertising such as this and represents a consumer desire to avoid advertising. While Spotify is only available in six countries currently, this technology could obviously work all around the world where there is internet access.

I have seen examples of placing advertising before content that has to be consumer in order to reach the content in television steaming websites such as 4OD, but the idea of making advertising volume sensitive opens up lots of possibilities. Could this idea be expanded to radio and even television, becoming more and more invasive in our lives? Whether this would be effective is debatable but it would ensure the consumption of adverts which is something advertisers would be likely to be pleased by. This is an interesting innovation in the way we deliver advertising and it would be interested to see if it will be exported into other countries soon as well as other mediums.

http://www.spotify.com

School Graffiti Classes in Crawley

During the summer a school in Crawley ran a class for young people age 8 and upwards which encourages them to participate in graffiti as an art form. The classes came as part of a council plan to combat problems the area has had with tag graffiti and instead educates them on the difference between graffiti as an art form and tag graffiti as criminal damage.

While this has been a controversial move with residents, it is an idea that embraces creativity in young people. Liz Hart, from the council's community arts team, said: "Graffiti is a really popular with young people. It is considered an art form. Graffiti projects that we have run in the past have been very popular and successful which is why we are running another one this year.

The fundamental thing to see is that it is a legitimate art form, we tell them it is not to be done outside the workshop and the young people who take part would not consider going out to tag a bus stop, wall or whatever. When we do the workshops we provide canvas for the young people to work on. They love it. It is a really positive thing. They use the sessions to promote messages, such as anti drugs posters, sex and relationships. I can understand that some residents may be worried but I can assure them the young people will be told the difference between vandalism and graffiti as an art form."

Local newspaper, Crawley News reports that the move has been unpopular in the community, "One resident, who did not want to be named, contacted the News to express his anger at the graffiti class.

The Southgate resident, who says his area has been plagued by graffiti recently, said: "It is disgusting, it beggars belief really. I can't believe they spend all this money a year on clearing the mess up, and having a hotline for residents to report the graffiti, only to hold a workshop encouraging children to do it. What next? How to break into someone's car?"

Graffiti has been a problem in the area and the council spent spent £37,700 towards clearing graffiti in the town in between 2008 and 2009. However I feel this is an idea that I feel areas with graffiti problems should consider. Firstly the tag graffiti that residents fear is done by the least skilled graffiti artists. By teaching children spray painting skills, they become more talented painters who are more likely to showcase these skills in a more constructive way.

In providing the young people with the materials and a canvas to paint it means that they are less likely to spend the same time spray painting on the streets. Learning about graffiti as an art form and some of the famous artists and projects that have been created from graffiti is likely to encourage them to want to get involved in constructive projects. Giving young people a place to display and enhance their creative talents is key to reducing the problem of criminal damage. In my opinion this should only be the starting point and while graffiti is so relevant to young people they should be allocated free walls to graffiti and offered the opportunity to contribute their work to spaces in schools and playground areas.

This idea is obviously still in its early stages and we will see in time to come if it has a positive or negative effect on the town of Crawley but if it is a success this idea could be exported as far globally as local councils will allow. If any country has a graffiti problem and has a budget to spend on reducing the problem rather than just clean up operations then they could adopt an idea of this sort.

http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/crawley/news/politics/Crawley-council-offers-classes-teach-young-people-create-graffiti/article-1219144-detail/article.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2575366/Town-gives-kids-graffiti-classes.html

Junk mail! Opt out... Tonic Mailstopper

Tonic Mailstopper is company that is able to reduce the amount of junk mail that its customers receive, by giving them control over what mailing lists they deem to be useful and what they deem to be junk. Tonic provide its users with the direct mailing lists that their information has been included on and enables them to decided which marketers they would like to receive information from.

Mailstopper not only "gets you off lists, we keep you off — by monitoring key direct mail lists monthly and making it easy to resubmit requests." The process of eliminating junk mail is done by filling out request forms, which are done either by mail or online applications. Tonic provide this to their users in exchange for $20 dollars per year.

Whilst this seems like quite a lot of money to pay to reduce junk mail it has advantages. Firstly by receiving less junk mail there is less impact on the environment. Tonic expand on this, "Junk mail reduction offers a host of positive side effects. Less mail means less paper is produced, and fewer trees are sacrificed.

For you, a smaller recycling pile means a smaller waste footprint for your household. And, less junk mail means you save time and effort, sorting through mail you don't want. By signing up for MailStopper, you support important environmental causes that make a difference in the world, as well as your mailbox with efforts like reforestation, sustainable harvesting and rainforest conservation."

To emphasise the environmental nature of this project, they will plant five trees through their tree planting partners for every $20 fee paid. There is also the more material security advantage of keeping, "unsolicited personalized mail out of your mailbox."

While I would begrudge paying money to free myself of junk mail, I do think it is something that most people would like to do. Being able to decide which marketers are able to contact you is something that I feel would be utilized much better if it was a free service. If this was the case I could see it being something that most people would take the time to do.



In poorer countries there is probably less of a need for such a service, because there is less disposable income which may well result in less direct marketing. However it is something that is common in many countries and the principle of this service is interesting. It asks the question as to whether we would be more responsive to direct mail, if it contained messaging that was more likely to interest us.

Making direct mail more specific is something that would perhaps be of interest to advertisers and with a service like this it gives the user more control over what they would like information on. This is perhaps an idea that needs development but is certainly an interesting one nonetheless.

http://mailstopper.tonic.com/

RecycleBank

RecycleBank is an American based recycling incentive scheme, however where it differs from something like a reverse vending machine is that the company comes to you to recycle your waste, rather than you having to go to them. This in itself is another incentive that I feel could give RecycleBank an edge over most existing recycling schemes.

The idea of Recyclebank is that they will reward you with vouchers of an amount based upon how much waste you recycle per collection. They have their own refuse collection team, who provide users with larger recycling containers than most of America and the UK. Their philosophy is that the majority of our waste can be recycled, so why should the recycling be the smallest of our refuse containers.



Where RecycleBank has provides its users with a further is the simplicity of the recycling, which is achieved by some very important technology. The New York Times describes, "it was important to spare households the tedium of separating glass, paper, plastic and metal. They (RecycleBank) signed on with the Philadelphia-based Blue Mountain Recycling, which uses sorting technology employing fans, gravity, magnets and manual picking." This technology makes recycling so user friendly that it is even simpler the current schemes employed by most local councils.

The New York Times also discuss the need to be able to weigh the amount of waste being recycled. "One problem for the RecycleBank was trying to find a way to measure the volume of recyclable goods generated by a household and credit that amount to participants. Through Web searches and phone calls, the men identified Cascade Engineering in Grand Rapids, Mich., which provided free several thousand 35- and 64-gallon bins embedded with RFID (radio frequency identification) technology as part of its research and development budget.

The "smart waste" tag, a combination computer chip and bar code, enables the bins to be scanned and weighed and the amount linked to a household. The information is channeled from an on-board computer in the garbage trucks into a databank. The LTS Scale Corporation of Twinsburg, Ohio, was able to configure scales and a tipping mechanism for the containers, which fit on the back of the trucks so the bins can be weighed and easily emptied.

Why not cheat by adding a bowling ball or other heavy nonrecyclable items to the trash? RecycleBank came up with a button on the on-board computer that workers can press to flag the address if they notice contraband. This happens less than rarely."



RecycleBank are funded by money that governments save on recyclable items not being put into landfill, as well as advertising revenue from their website. They then pay their users in vouchers for stores including Starbucks, Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond. Users can earn a maximum of $25 per month and $400 per year, whilst being able to check their recycling balance online, which really is quite an incentive. Over 125,000 households participated in 2007 with more being added every year.

In my opinion a system like Recyclebank could really make a huge difference to the way that we think about recycling. Its incentives in terms of money, simplicity and convenience make it a more desirable way of recycling than anything I have previously encountered. Its success on a global scale would be dependent on government attitudes to recycling and its willing to fund such a program.

In the long run saving are likely to be made for these governments, but there will also be a fair cost involved based on the technology that is used. However I believe that this really is a viable alternative that could really get people excited about recycling, understanding the importance of it in the process. If governments already have a refuse and recycling budget that could cater for this scheme, such as some of Europe's richer countries then this is something I could see being introduced on a much larger scale.

https://www.recyclebank.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/business/businessspecial2/21recycle.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin/&adxnnlx=1254855610-5iojVckqWQYLuQWWg8E1Fg

Reverese Vending Machines

A reverse vending machine is a device that accepts used materials for recycling, usually beverage containers such as aliminium cans and plastic bottles. The RVM (reverse vending machine) then gives the user money or credits dependent on how much material has been recycled. Thats it. Exactly what it says... a reverse vending machine.

It is a simple concept, that is similar to bottle recycling schemes that were used in the past where Supermarkets would give a small amount of money to customers who returned their used glass bottles, so that they can be reused. This is not such a common idea anymore and we have seen an increase in the popularity of bottle banks and sorting our household rubbish to be recycled.

Nonetheless in my opinion, one of the best ways to get people recycling is for there to be an incentive at the end. This is exactly what the reverse vending machine provides its users with.

This really is a simple idea that has developed into a vending machine system because of updates in the technology available. The machines actually scan the bar codes of materials that are inserted to gain the relevant information on the item before accepting them, which means no miscellaneous items can be accepted.

There are currently around 90,000 reverse vending machines in use around the world (according to www.reversevending.co.uk) which is surprisingly not that many. They can hold around 1,000 bottles or cans before they need emptying and cost as little as £0.15 pence to run per day.

The machines have become common place in countries such as Norway and Germany. In the UK many local recycling schemes already provide special boxes for cans and bottles, however these tend to be quite small and often overfill ends up going in with the rest of the rubbish.

While these machines are already in use in many countries in Europe including the UK, I feel that they could work on a much bigger scale if correctly promoted. Getting money, or discounts on your shopping is an incentive that I feel would motivate many different people all around the world to bring their empty bottles and cans to the supermarket with them on each visit.

This is innovative new technology and on top of council recycling schemes I feel this could help make a difference.



http://www.reversevending.co.uk

London On Tap

Having looked at soft drinks, this brings me to my next post. London on Tap is a new scheme with the intention of reducing the wastage created by bottled water. London's Tap water is the rated the purest in the UK and one of the best sources of water in the world. Thames Water insist that it rates highly in taste tests, beating more expensive bottled alternatives, so for this reason they have decided to create their own brand of sustainable bottled tap water.

Thames Water stress, "Our water is 500 times cheaper than bottled water, and is kinder to the environment, emitting 300 times less CO2 to process than bottled alternatives. Tap water is not only good for you, it’s good for London and kinder to the planet.”

However despite this fact we find it difficult to ask for tap water in bars or restaurants because it is free and looked upon as being cheap. Thames Water have therefore taken the initiative to make an attractively designed bottle that contains their water that will be sold in restaurants. Their plan is to create a place in the market for tap water.

David Owens, executive director of Thames Water said the campaign also aimed to help consumers feel confident asking for tap water when dining out.

“According to the industry’s water quality watchdog, we have the best-quality water of all the major water and sewerage companies in England and Wales – and we’ve got a first-class carafe in which to serve it. We want to get as many of the capital’s eateries and bars involved as possible.

Since launching the carafes in May, we've had great feedback from restaurateurs who've been using them. Many of their customers say Tap Top's iconic design makes them more comfortable about choosing tap water".

As well as Thames Water being more sustainable, the packaging is made from recyclable materials and being sold in establishments where they will be recycled. In addition to this, £1 from the sale of every bottle will be donated to a water aid charity.



While some people may resent paying for something they could get for free, London on Tap is likely to increase consumer and staff awareness of tap water in restaurants. The idea differs to that of Dasani, which was purifying tap water and selling it as bottled water, this is bottled tap water being market as tap water.
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3523303.stm

I think this is an idea that could go on to be successful. It will at the very least create an acceptance of tap water as an alternative to bottled water. If people resent paying for tap water in a restaurant then it may encourage them to ask for tap water for free.

One problem with exporting the idea on a global level is that not everywhere has tap water with the same high purity levels as London. For example in Pakistan bottled water is very popular because of the contamination of drinking water.

At £10 a bottle London on Tap is an expensive product that many people can simply not afford to pay for, although it is aimed at restaurant clientele who are more likely to pay for water. Thames Water still encourages just as many people to drink from their taps at home and their bottles are simply non profit alternatives to try to change the perception of tap water.

There are many countries in Europe and North America that are the major consumers of bottled water. Expansion of bottled tap water such as Thames water in these countries could create a widespread acceptance of tap water, which in the long run would help the environment by producing less C02 emissions amongst other things. This is a forward thinking idea that I think could work in many developed countries that are not utilising their supply of clean tap water.

www.londonontap.org

Bar None - Lexington

Bar None, is a purposely non alcoholic family sports bar based in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. The aim of the bar is to provide "all of the fun. None of the hangover" in the hope of catering for a clientele ranging from young children, student athletes and even alcoholics anonymous groups.

I personally feel that this is a great idea because there seems to be a mindset that sport and alcohol must go hand in hand. An establishment like this gives people a chance to avoid alcohol and to enjoy sporting events without the temptation of alcohol.

The website Kentucky.com describes, "Owner John Sims said he hopes it'll be a fun place where families take their kids, student-athletes hang out without worrying about getting into trouble and Alcoholics Anonymous members go to watch a big game without the temptation of alcohol.

Sims said Bar None will be a combination sports bar, restaurant and lounge, with a full menu, along with specialty sodas, energy drinks and full-time bartenders blending non-alcoholic "mocktails." Something else that will be missing from Bar None will be refillable fountain drinks. Sodas, root beer and ginger beer will be served bottled or in chilled mugs, just as in a regular bar." This is an important part of creating a non alcoholic bar to create a mature atmosphere and create a bar experience that people feel comfortable in.

I think that this is actually an idea that in theory could work if exported to the UK. At present binge drinking costs the government £20 million a year and a bar like this really makes people think about the possibility of not drinking and still having a great time.

If bar none became popular with customers, it would give them another option that doesn't involve alcohol and perhaps convince more people that you don't always need a drink to have a good time. There are of course many dry countries, where it is illegal to serve alcohol, so an idea like this would not be necessary. However the idea is much more interesting in Western culture where drinking alcohol is common place and could help to aid some of the ongoing problems we have with alcohol.

http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/917800.html

Freecycle

Freecycle is an innovative online community similar to LETS for its Use of the idea of trading goods using online without the use of money. Freecycle is based around the trading of goods as opposed to services. The organisation's goal is to try to keep as many usable items out of landfills, doing this by finding new owners for these items through an online community.

They explain, "The worldwide Freecycle Network is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns.

Freecycle groups match people who have things they want to get rid of with people who can use them. Our goal is to keep usable items out of landfills. By using what we already have on this earth, we reduce consumerism, manufacture fewer goods, and lessen the impact on the earth. Another benefit of using Freecycle is that it encourages us to get rid of junk that we no longer need and promote community involvement in the process. "


For users a huge advantage is that large unwanted goods can be collected cost free by another user who is happy to take ownership of the unwanted item. Again it provides a platform where offers can be seen easily by large numbers of people. Conversely people make requests for goods and in turn users looking to offload good can seek out these people to trade with.

I think this is another effective platform for trading that could be exported around the world. It is something I could genuinely see people using because it is so simple to find new owners for unwanted goods that even if there are no takers, nothing has been lost. The incentive is simply that you are helping the environment, people in your community and saving time in not having to take these items to the tip.

www.uk.freecycle.org/

LETS LINK UK

Similar to the bartering boards developed by ASDA, LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems) is a network of local communities that allow people to trade good and services without the need for money. LETS differs from a system like the barter boards because there does not have to be a direct exchange of services in every transaction. One service is not necessarily traded for another but instead its users can earn community credits by providing someone else with a service. Different services have different community credit values and therefore you could choose to build up your credits to purchase a service of a higher value.

LETS explains, "LETS are revitalising communities throughout Britain. As grassroots initiatives they are open to everyone - people of all ages, skills and abilities; local clubs and associations; voluntary groups, charities, community initiatives; housing co-operatives, small businesses and local services - helping everyone to give and take, connect to new resources, and find a genuine community identity.

LETS offer equal opportunities to all - whether employed or unemployed, financially secure or on low income, black or white, able or disabled. LETS use a system of community credits, so that direct exchanges do not have to be made. People earn LETS credits by providing a service, and can then spend the credits on whatever is offered by others on the scheme: for example childcare, transport, food, home repairs or the hire of tools and equipment.

Research in about 1996 indicated that at least 40,000 people were involved in some 450 LETS schemes, most of them established according to the democratic and co-operative LETS model developed in Britain by LETSLINK UK, which began work in 1991. In the year 2006 our current contact list of over 300 indicates that their has been some shrinkage - if we say that membership averages 100 per scheme, this means about 30,000 or fewer members in the UK."

I think that like the barter boards, this type of trading is something that has worked in the past and could continue to do so. While it had become outdated new platforms such as a barter board or an online community give the idea the mass exposure that it needs to work. Rules and regulations are created by moderators which again gives the users the necessary faith in the idea to want to trade.

Where I feel a system like LETS is more appealing is the fact that there does not have to be a direct trade. If there is not another service that appeals to you on the barter board, then you will not end up offering your services. However with LETS, there is still an incentive to offer something to the community in the hope of building up community credits and then purchasing something else at a later date that is more appealing or of a higher value.

I think this is a system that would give its users more choice and in turn would develop a more dedicated base of users. It is also a more advanced system than the barter boards and gives users the ability to communicate with people further afield.

http://www.letslinkuk.net/index.htm

Asda: Barter Boards

Having looked at a back to basics trading system with local currency like the Brixton Pound, I wanted to look at the idea of paying for goods/services without currency in a true back to basics way. This is how I came across the Asda barter boards.

In September 2008 an Asda store in Colne, Lancashire became the first supermarket store in the UK to create a bartering scheme, where customers could exchange skills and services for free. The barter boards came as part of the supermarket's local week, where customers are provided with freshly sourced local produce. However due to the recession they decided to also create a bartering scheme.

The Lancashire Telegraph explain, "The boards, set up by Asda’s general store manager Mark Edwards, offer people the chance to share their skills and cut costs using barter, which founded many of Britain’s original markets. Customers can use the board to trade services and skills. Some examples include piano lessons being exchanged for guitar lessons and someone offering gardening services for a patio. Customers can leave personal details such as phone numbers but for security reasons are advised not to leave addresses."

The store manager also added, "Mr Edwards said: “We understand that our customers are feeling the pinch right now and as well as keeping our prices low, we decided to provide a community service that wasn’t for our profit but for local people to work together and beat the credit crisis. The barter boards are not only a way for customers to save money but are a return to traditional British community values. Colne is a real community store and Lancashire has a great history of trade, so it seemed the perfect place to let customers try their hand at bartering.”

Due to the local success of the scheme Asda is planning to continue the scheme next year at a larger number of stores. I could see this working outside of Asda stores and outside of the UK because it allows people achieve more by working together. While this way of trading has become outdated there are also advantages to it. It allows us to trade our time and skills, which are things that we do not normally do, instead we would hire professional help. However the barter boards simply give us another option and allow us to essentially pay with time instead of money.

An organisation like Asda would be essential to the idea. The whole scheme relies on trust so a third party to run and organise the system gives people confidence to trade with others. An idea like this is not for everyone. Time is such a precious commodity today that many do not have the time to spare. The more affluent might already pay someone for such skills and services and have little desire to offer something in return. In cultures where status is important it may not be such an attractive prospect to be seen providing services for someone of a lower class, however for many ordinary people this would be an excellent way to save some time, money or just help out in the local community.