Blog 3

The world is moving into more eco friendly trends. The trend defines that way the consumer explores the brand. Brand is defined more as experience that the consumer can get and take with them to the next outlet. The sustainable company will allow the customers to create a new way to interact with the company and their brand.

General electric has begun a new campaign, in May 2005, as a new more sustainable energy company. In 2000, researcher reported GE as the fourth largest corporate producer of air pollution in the United States. GE’s goal was to change the way that people view the image of GE. The company has renewed itself and give people a new way to look at sustainability in the world.

They have shifted their view toward renewable resources as well as energy efficiency. Design makes the company feel functional with a simple idea. Design allows people to re brand themselves in a more positive light. The brand was revamped and made into one of the leaders of the environmental movement. The movement toward new ideas creates the creative and emotional attachment to the brand.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/04/10/ge-wins-award-for-best-sustainability-reporting/
http://www.ge.com/citizenship/reporting/gri.jsp
http://ge.ecomagination.com/
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/26/most-sustainable-companies-leadership-citizenship-100.html

Coca Cola has started down the path of sustainability. It is a hard road and it seems hard for them. Their website is a simple clean experience. The second tab is sustainability. The design has created coca cola as brand that is trying to be more sustainable. The site goes through their view on sustainability, and their design helps move the trend toward that ideal. Like most companies, though the truth is in actions.

Unlike GE, Coca Cola has said this and pushed their design to create new innovative though but the result are not in yet. In was reported that “the opening plenary of the Clinton Global Initiative with Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Walmart two days ago, Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola's new CEO, blurted out that Coca-Cola will become water neutral by 2020.” It is hard to see whether or not this is a publicity stunt or if this will happen. Coca Cola has big plans but need to think and design before acting.

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/next/archives/2009/09/obama_clinton_a.html
http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/cocacolas_sustainability_chief.html
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/index.html
http://www.alternet.org/water/142861/coca-cola%27s_lies_about_sustainability_have_gone_too_far/
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/26/most-sustainable-companies-leadership-citizenship-100.html

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is by far, of the three, has changed their design into one that incorporates the experience of sustainability into their company. The design drives the brand. Their brand is sustainability. They are ranked 2nd only to GE is sustainability. The design feels cool and simple. At first glance the company looks like they have always been sustainable with no past. Like GE the company moved past their not so great record and continued to create a new image with new ideals. Design pushes there ideals and create new way the see the company.

http://www.pge.com/
http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/newsreleases/20090909/pge_corporation_selected_for_two_dow_jones_sustainability_indexes_.shtml
http://www.sustainablesanmateo.org/?s=kilowatt
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/26/most-sustainable-companies-leadership-citizenship-100.html

Most all companies to date have some sort of sustainability plan in there company. Walmart, Mcdonalds, Home Depot, Starbuck, ect. has all pledge some type of sustainable action. The question to what degree have they taken it. Design pushes the experience of the consumer and their interactions with that company. Sustainability is one way design is moving brand and companies into the future.