The only thing worse than being trapped in a sleeping bag, is needing to go to the toilet in one. Well cast those fears aside as the new Selk’bag is here. This sleeping bag is more like a body bag ( not the corpse ones ). It’s padded and shaped to the human form and allows free movement both in and out of sleep, where traditional sleeping bags don’t.

The various ties and adjustments belts for a very snug fit which keeps the warmth in and gives you further control when moving about. Best of all, even the ugliest camper can look positively cute once wrapped in the Selk’bag. Snug, smart and freeing! Lisa Evans of Coolhunter*

The Evolution of News - Jeff Jarvis

In today’s modern world, with the proliferation of media available one would think getting news daily would be quite easy and accessible. Coming across Monocle’s article on Monrovia, Liberia depicts otherwise as an inspiring story of Alfred Sirleaf shows the great lengths which his newspaper ‘Daily Talk’ reaches thousands of Liberians through a singular copy. But if the Daily Talk, doesn’t look like a newspaper, that is because its a large blackboard updated daily by a network of sources across the country. Watch the video here.

Re-packaging India: is corporate identity enough?

Recently, Jet Airways, Godrej, Shoppers Stop, Deccan, Ceat, Canara Bank and Air India have all been re-branded, and are currently running advertising campaigns to tell Indians how interesting and important this is. Some companies, like Jet Airways and Shoppers Stop, are very young and others, like Air India and Canara Bank, are heritage brands. A new corporate identity and mass advertising are bold steps. We should applaud them for taking these steps. Change is welcome: it can help create employee pride and a real buzz in the market. It can also signal that these brands want to be a part of New India. So far so good. Good looks and advertising are the easy bits. The snag is that the buzz will not last for too long if the reality does not change for staff and consumers. And frankly, who needs another logo in an overcrowded market?

India’s great opportunity is to build service businesses. China will naturally be big in products: India can be great in services. But a common mistake both in India and in the west is to treat a service brand as it was a consumer product. It is one thing to repackage Sunsilk shampoo; it is another thing to brand a service. The key for any service brand to succeed is delivery. This takes time. So the opportunity for these leaders is to take the lead, to invest and to create India’s first globally successful service brand – in proposition and delivery, not just looks.

This change will truly move the leaders from representing Old India to New India – a New India where the customer comes first and no longer says in frustration, ‘This only happens in India!’ Where people start talking and saying, ‘You should try them. They’re great’. And where employees say, ‘I want to work there’. This change will not come from copying ideas from the west. Instead, India’s service companies should build on their philosophy and vision to create something that works specifically for the Indian market, and that can then resonate beyond India. Currently there is no Indian brand listed in any of the various global brand rankings. As an Indian, I would like to see a great Indian service brand listed within the top 500. That’s India’s great opportunity in the world.

29 May 2008, posted by Zia Patel from Wolf Olins

Swedish clothing brand Elvine presents Creators Inn by Elvine — offering free short-term accommodation for visiting creators. An overnight at Creators Inn offers all the standard features and comfort associated with a modern hotel but the crucial difference is that you as a guest do not have to pay anything. It’s totally free. No hidden fees. The aim with Creators Inn is to promote the local area and give something back to travelling creators whose presence contributes to a more interesting city, whether they are in a band, DJ, designer, artist, writer etc.