Little ideas adapted by big companies
Here's a nice little idea. No big fanfare, it won't win any awards, but I just saw it and thought it was good.
If you're out and about. At a friends house for dinner or sommits. And you think think, ooh that was a nice bottle of wine I'll have to remember what that was called. Except you won't remember, because you're a bit tipsy and you've got better things to be remembering.
Now that problem is solved. You simply tear off this little reminder. I always thought those notices you see in Universities with the little tear off strips cut into the bottom were a brilliant idea. It looks like someone has adapted this for Oxford Landing. I could imagine innocent using this. I bet people would collect those little labels.
In fact, that's one of my favourite types of ideas. One that just builds over time and then gets adapted by a business or an organsiation. A bit like those paths people make when they take the direct route through a park, rather than the badly designed route the developers have made. But that's another post.
Alright ben. Yes, it's a ncie idea – another one of those 'wish I'd done it' ones.
Those paths you mentioned are called 'desire paths' – which is a true architectural term. Everyone Forever blogged it a while back, here you are:
http://www.everyoneforever.com/content/2007-10-12/desire_paths/
Posted by: Dave Oscroft | Mar 18, 2008 at 09:18
Dave, that is brilliant. Thank you. That has almost made all this blogging worthwhile.
Desire paths. Brilliant.
Posted by: Ben | Mar 18, 2008 at 09:26
great idea. analogue del.icio.us.
Posted by: lauren | Mar 18, 2008 at 11:32
ah, it is good. but I bet you it will only be on wine that is a bit average and you wouldn't want to remember anyway.
An expensive french red is too sophisticated to adopt this quirk. It doesn't fit with the classic wine 'brand'. Just as plastic corks are better for the wine, but won't be used by expensive wine makers because by not using them they reafirm their expense. Nothing to do with what is right or better. Nobs.
Posted by: bedwood | Mar 18, 2008 at 13:46
THAT is amazing!!!
Posted by: RebeccaWho | Mar 19, 2008 at 11:11
Very nice Ben - and desire paths is a beautiful term. I must remember that. I wonder what a virtual desirepath is? Looking at a sitemap to go to the page you want to see instead of going through the 'proper' navigation system?
Posted by: Mark Hadfield | Mar 20, 2008 at 12:17
Great idea! I found this through Rob Walker's blog (Murketing) and posted it on the packaging design blog http://www.theDieline.com - thanks for a great find!
Posted by: Yael Miller | Mar 23, 2008 at 01:47
That's a brilliant idea... now is the wine as good as the printing team???
Posted by: Zach Beauvais | Mar 25, 2008 at 22:24
Great idea. The real key, I think, is that, since they've made it so easy to remember, more people will choose to remember it. In other words, they may not really think it's that great of a wine, but the fact that it's now so dang easy to recall later affects your opinion.
Posted by: Brett | Mar 25, 2008 at 22:43
Tremendous idea – must admit never seen this but had always wanted to use
Posted by: Geoff Griffiths | Mar 31, 2008 at 12:07
Great idea... thanks for sharing. I posted it at my blog as well www.tommartin.typepad.com with props of course.
Posted by: tom martin | Apr 02, 2008 at 03:59
Love this idea...thanks for sharing...I put a link on my blog at:
http://sseichinger.blogspot.com/2008/04/file-under-brilliant.html
Posted by: Scott | Apr 09, 2008 at 00:22
Think the back is gummed too, so you can lick it and stick it somewhere you'll remember. Your forehead? Or maybe I was just pished (probably) and thought it was gummed? Love it though.
Posted by: Catherine | Apr 14, 2008 at 17:23