Beyond Happiness in advertising: What is a “Happy life”?

I seldom see any ads that I think are good, almost always they are mental pollution that are either sad excuses for increased consumptions or just trying to get people to forget that they can live meaningful lives. On a trip to Denmark I found ads that I would like to include in the book “Beyond Happiness” that I’m writing.

The ads show how Mandela and Gandhi could have led comfortable and “happy” lives if they had not stood up for what they believed in. Too often the easy happy life without challenges, or with simple challenges related to making money, is portrayed as the one we should strive for. Would be interesting to see how many people that would like to have a surfer life, or a quiet life with a nice house, and how many who see the life of Gandhi and Mandela as inspiration for a life they would like to live (if needed). It is an ad campaign that made me think of the movie Rang de Basanti and that should be almost as good as an ad can get. Still it might only be another contribution to the mental pollution.

PS
I have no idea if the Danish paper behind the ad lives up to the ad. One of the challenges until Babelfish really works is that non-English texts are seldom part of the broader discourse.

IT Innovation for the supply chain

An interesting example of how an IT company can look into a traditional problem and turn it into an opportunity is Verizon’s latest tool to improve supply chain management. The application in itself is not that important, but the approach is very encouraging and is a very good example of a service with significant “low carbon feedback” potential (i.e. a service that can trigger further reductions if it is implemented). See “The first global strategy for CO2 reductions with IT: A billion tonnes of CO2 reductions and beyond through transformative change” for more about “low carbon feedback”.

So the interesting thing is that not only do Verizon put a number on the savings, the kind of system that is set up will make it easier to implement further services that increase dematerialization and information that can help more low carbon solutions.

Booz and transformative urbanization

Visited Arlington for my first visit to the Booz & co office. The reason is that the report where we are looking into a service based focus on buildings, transportation and energy transmission for urban investments is starting to take shape and the bottom-up approach where the focus is on actual investments planned by actual companies and governments, rather than macroeconomic assessment of potentials. I think we will be able to establish concepts and approaches that can help move the discussion forward and help guide future investments. The basic assumption is very simple, move the focus from product to service.

The focus is on low carbon IT solutions, but the approach will be possible to use in other areas as well. There are some ground breaking approaches in this report and it will hopefully help to guide concrete actions that need to happen as we move towards a transformative phase.

SEED and the world we live in

Had a very inspiring meeting/lunch at SEED: Science is culture with Adam Bly, Laura McNeil and Don Hoyt Gorman in their office in New York. They have some really interesting projects in the pipeline so keep an eye on their webpage (and subscribe to their magazine). The magazine is one of the best around and keeps reminding me of some of the big questions in a way that inspire.

During my trips to China and India I felt that it would be interesting if I magazine like SEED could look into China and India and ask the same fundamental questions that they usually do. After the meeting in New York I got a few more ideas, here they are:

1. The 21st century from the labs/universities in China
What new solutions and approaches do we see in China and India, how will the 21st century look like if they will shape the development of our societies?

2. Tomorrow’s world today
Voices from scientists in China and India. Could be simple interviews with a selected number of thinkers.

3. Answers to the challenges in the 21st Century
What are the main challenges that humanity must face and what solutions are emerging in China and India?

4. Global Research Index for tomorrow’s solutions
The centre of gravity in a number of areas are moving “east”. Still much of the world leading research happens in the “old institutions”. But what are the directions that the new centers of excellence are moving? Instead of just the current state this index would capture speed and direction. Could be a very interesting graphic.
5. The science of cities
With 2008 as the year when we for the first time in history have more people in urban than rural areas we need to understand the “anatomy of cities”. The understanding of cities is really low and I keep getting surprised regarding the lack of basic knowledge even when it comes to fundamental facts. How much cities import and export that contribute to climate change is one area that should be a top priority, but also what kind of cities that encourage people to connect with the world around and that base their decisions on facts, not fiction.

6. The moving axis of assumptions for research
The creation and development of “science” is based on worldviews that are changing and basic assumptions that also change. What are the problems and opportunities that guide scientists around the world? What new challenges (climate change, WMD, aging populations, lack of privacy, etc) and what new opportunities (nanotech, biotech, robotics, internet, access to information, respect for basic human rights, etc) are the most important today.

Six is a good number in China, almost as good as eight, so I’ll stop here and keep two slots for new ideas when I go to China in October.

The Ashridge Sustainable Innovation Award in association with the European Academy of Business in Society and supported by HP and WWF

The Ashridge Sustainable Innovation Award that was launched today is something I really look forward to. It is another sign that leading companies and organizations shift towards an opportunity approach when it comes to climate change.

The jury is interesting as I think I’m the only one representing an organization that traditionally have focused on environmental issues, that is exactly what I believe is right. Ensuring that the leaders of tomorrow think about reduced CO2 emissions as a business opportunity is a must if we are serious about reducing CO2 emissions.

Let’s hope that there are MBA students that are willing to pick up the challenge and submit proposals that will change the future.

Later this fall I will visit a few MBA courses in EU, the Middle East and Africa. If all goes well I might put together a short paper based on that tour: “the state of the MBA world and innovative climate solutions”.

Below is the pressrelease:

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11 September 2008

Ashridge launches Sustainable Innovation Award

Ashridge Business School, in partnership with the European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS) and supported by HP and WWF, has launched the Ashridge Sustainable Innovation Award 2008/2009.

The award is designed to generate the best ideas from MBA and other post-graduate students on how organisations can create value from the shift to a low carbon economy.

The winning entrant will receive a cash prize of €7,000, a six month mentorship with HP and career advice from Spencer Stuart, the executive search firm. The second and third prizes are €5,000 and €3,000 respectively, also including career advice.

The award is open to full or part-time students studying on any MBA programme being taught in Europe, the Middle East or Africa (EMEA) during the 2008/2009 academic year. Additionally, the award is open to full or part-time MBA students at one of EABIS’ non-EMEA member schools and students on MBA or Masters level postgraduate programmes at HP linked universities.

“We are exited to bring our existing work with WWF on climate change to the academic world,” said Gabriele Zedlmayer, vice president Corporate Marketing and Global Citizenship, HP EMEA. “To transition to a climate-smart economy, a shift in management thinking and decision-making is required. By supporting this award, we want to help tomorrow’s talent become successful players in a changing economy.”

The award will be judged by a distinguished panel including:
- Sir Paul Judge, Benefactor of the Judge Institute, Cambridge University
- Eric Cornuel, Director General, EFMD
- Jeanette Purcell, Chief Executive, Association of MBAs
- Gabriele Zedlmayer, Vice President Corporate Marketing and Global Citizenship, HP EMEA
- Dennis Pamlin, Global Policy Advisor, WWF
- Kai Peters, CEO, Ashridge
- Della Bradshaw, Executive Education Editor, Financial Times
- Tom Dodd, CSR Policy Advisor, DG Enterprise and Industry, European Commission
- Anthony J Vardy, Senior Director, Spencer Stuart & Associates
- Rachel Jackson, Head of Social and Environmental Issues, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
- Viscount Etienne Davignon, Chair, European Academy of Business in Society and Vice-Chair, Suez-Tractebel

The closing date for entries is 2 March 2009. The award will be accompanied by presentations from WWF at select universities over the next few months. For further information, please visit: http://www.ashridge.org.uk/sustainableinnovation

Information on the award can also be found on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashridge-Sustainable-Innovation-Award/23715149027