Cherryflava

Pool iceberg

Posted on 26. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

It used to be that a simple ’slip ‘n slide’ was the ultimate outdoor water entertainment device.

That was until we saw this giant inflatable climbing iceberg. You’ll be needing a good sized pool to float your over-sized ice cube in, but the income generating opportunities from neighbourhood kids are endless.

Three of the sides of the iceberg have grips for climbing and are of
various stages of difficulty, from beginner to expert.

The fourth side
is a gigantic water slide to send you zipping back into the pool.

It’ll cost you $8,860 [R62 020]…which isn’t as cheap as a pool noodle. But at an admission fee of R10 for the day…you’ll pay it off soon enough.

[via Popgadget]

Pret a Manger shares their business secrets with YOU

Posted on 25. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

In a superb move; the UK’s uber-trendy sandwich deli, Pret a Manger, are opening themselves up to their customers and sharing the trade secrets of their delicious products.

Yeah…that’s right…now you too can make your own Pret sarmie…in the comfort of your own home.

Called Pret DIY, it’s the ultimate ‘free prize inside’ and makes KFC’s ’secret herbs and spices’ hush hush strategy look a bit stuck in the 1980’s.

When you take the time to study the ingredients they suggest, and the time its going to take you to create your DIY masterpiece – it makes you wish you could just rather go over there and buy the finished product straight from them.

Excellent brand building – much respect to Pret for having the fresh organic eggs to go this route.

We’re now going to attempt the Tuna St Tropez Sandwich.

Check out: Pret a Manger DIY recipes
[from the original story over at PSFK]

Strange new products: Jimi Hendrix energy drink

Posted on 25. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

Fans of the late rock legend Jimi Hendrix, are apparently hopping mad over plans
to market a new energy drink bearing the guitarist’s likeness.

The proper news agencies reckon they’re upset because marketers will be using Jimi’s image and name in vain.

But we know that they’re actually upset because, Jimi already has an energy drink closely associated with his legacy and persona.
Its called Jack Daniels and every self respecting child of the Fender knows that anything containing ginseng and other toxic vitamins and minerals would have been like poison to poor ol’ Jimi’s delicate constitution.

"To see his image and the beautiful feelings it has
created in me cheapened by advertising is very disappointing," said Red
Hot Chili Peppers star Flea.

We have to agree Flea. All things sacred from Cheetahs to Cocaine have been brushed with the ‘energy drink’ tainted quill.

Surely things like rocks gods and cheap brand extension exercises should remain mutually exclusive.

Hendrix energy drink upsets fans – BBC

Navigational wallet

Posted on 25. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

To remind you of your endless dark, cold, miserable, over-crowded time spend in London’s public transport system; SuckUK have designed this handy London tube map wallet.

With space to hold a number of pound coins and 8 credit cards, the plush leather wallet is fitted with a comprehensive GPS navigational system tube map.

Now there’s a souvenir / novelty / party trick that keeps on giving.
Obviously if you’re still stuck over there – you can use it as a functional map without looking too much like a tourist.

Website: SuckUK
[via]

iPhone also has treadmill functionality

Posted on 25. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

This thing is even more incredible than we originally thought.

Check out Conan’s take on Steve Job’s new toy.

[Conan - iPhone commercial : YouTube] 

Cape Town’s Extreme Hotel

Posted on 25. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

We had to satisfy our curiosity…sparked way back last year when we first heard about the Extreme Hotel.

Was it Daddy Long Legs on a street luge – or more like the Fox Hotel with a Table Mountain backdrop.

You decide, over at Cherryflava Pics…here.

Cape Town’s Extreme Hotel

Posted on 25. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

Seeking refuge from the current Cape Town heatwave, we headed over to the city’s latest ‘themed’ hotel for a long overdue photoventure.

Owned by Al Gosling, the 33 year old founder of the Extreme Group of companies (who’s been tipped as a bit of a Richard Branson) and the local Protea hotel group – the Extreme Hotel is an interesting mix of an original ‘fire and ice’ theme shaken and stirred with an undercurrent of kitesurfing, snowboarding, surfski paddling and chocolate milkshakes.

Most of bells and whistles you’re gonna want to see are on the ground floor in and around the bar and restaurant area.
If you’re a totally hardcore skater and are expecting a knarly half pipe in the back yard instead of a stylish, designed lap pool looking out onto views of Table Mountain – you’re going to be disappointed.

The Cape Town urban facility is Extreme’s first hotel. Looking forward they’re apparently planning surf and ski versions at various other locations around the world.

Website: Extreme hotel

Product placement evolution: Kate Moss pushes a Merc

Posted on 24. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

From Burberry to certain brands of Columbian cocaine, Kate Moss is a professional product endorser.

Now
it seems the marketing team from Mercedes Benz have had a brainwave of
note – putting celeb in distress + banks of paparazzi + a C-Class
Mercedes all in the same place at the same time and enjoying the free
brand exposure as a result.

Clearly, her leg-end rocker boyfriend doesn’t fit into the Benz brand image and was therefore axed from the shot.

But
if a C-class is light and nimble enough for a 37kg cokehead to push out
of a marshy, horse poop covered polo pitch all by herself – its damn
well fine enough for us to float around this fine city in.

Say no more, we’ll take two….in red.

[more here]

News: Are jeans heading for retirement in 2007?

Posted on 24. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

• The BBC predict that denim will meet with its demise in 2007. Yeah – that happened in the 90’s too. [BBC]

• Some clever teen punk in Singapore gets sentenced for piggybacking on
              someone else’s wireless Internet connection. Then again you also get put up in front of a firing squad for sneezing in public over there. [Aussie IT]

• The iPod is set to replace the Big Mac as a measure of international currency strength. Jobs laughs – fat people cry. [BusinessWeek]

• More and more and more and more marketers are hijacking space on online games. You lose a life if you don’t pay attention. [NYT]

Killer idea: MMS your way to a cleaner / safer Cape Town

Posted on 24. Jan, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

On any given day, should you turn your radio dial to one Cape Talk…you’ll realise that there are a tonne of people who gladly give of their free time to passionately moan and whine about the ’sorry’ state of things around the city of Cape Town.

Now imagine the local government could use that enthusiasm, and a touch of Web 2.0 tricks and tools, to effectively manage the city’s infrastructure.

In Lewisham, UK citizens are encouraged to send camera-phone pictures to
their local council to report stray garbage, unwanted grafitti, etc.

The local government of Amsterdam’s Geuzenveld
district just launched an online tool that lets people pinpoint
neighborhood problems on Google Maps. After filling out an online form,
a marker is placed on a Google map of the area, along with information on how the complaint is being dealt with.

Geuzenveld hopes residents will feel more involved now that
they’re actually able to track how their complaint is being followed
up, and that local maintenance crews will be motivated to keep the map
as empty as possible, solving close to 90% of all issues within 2 days.

In New York, the city’s 911 call centers will be able
to receive camera-phone pictures and videos taken by residents and
visitors, straight from the scene of a crime. 311
non-emergency call centers will be similarly equipped at a later stage,
allowing New Yorkers to document and photographically report on
‘quality of life problems’. [full story over at Springwise.com]

Cape Town has millions of cellphones, loads of complainers and a massive opportunity to use this idea to develop a management tool that uses the ‘new technology’ of crowd sourcing to help maintain the city. It really would be a crying shame if they had to ignore it.

Lovely.