Louise Marsland (@Louise_Marsland)’s weekly pick of recent product, packaging and design launches:
- Portable mobile-charging station launched
- Kauai banters with Tim Noakes
- Lay’s gets Messi
- Woodbender’s new tub chair
Recharging station for hire
The RiCharge Super Station is described as the ultimate charging solution, able to charge up to 12 devices simultaneously. Each drawer comes equipped with built-in charging tips, capable of charging any device. It can also be custom branded.
“With its compact stylish design and super-fast charging, your device isn’t compromised and you are able to charge right at your desk, in your pocket or your handbag. The Super Station has become the perfect charging solution for schools, universities, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, bars and gyms,” says founder Janine Regtien.
Other RiCharge products include the Solar Charging Umbrella, Table Top Chargers and Pocket Chargers.
The RiCharge Super Station is also available to hire — conference organisers in our industry, please take note!
Banting on the menu
Kauai is the first national brand to introduce cauli-rice — a Banting staple — onto its menu. The Original Eating team has also reviewed the Kauai menu offering and made recommendations to adapt some of the items to be compatible with the Original Eating guidelines.
Kauai co-founder and chief innovations officer, John Berry, explains: “We always strive to respond to our customers’ needs and thus wanted to offer those who are following Original Eating some tasty, convenient, on-the-go options, which suit their lifestyle.
“Our carb-conscious customers will be able to enjoy our Madras Style Chicken Curry Bowl or the Thai Green Curry Bowl with cauliflower rice now. Perfect for these cold winter days. We’re also busy trialling a new wrap, with 10g of carbs and we’re working on developing a couple of new smoothies.”
Lay’s gets Messi
This 2014 FIFA World Cup may not be as high on our agenda as ours was in 2010, but some brands have been having a ball of a time. Global snack brand Lay’s recently launched an integrated marketing campaign featuring international soccer superstar, Lionel Messi, which included his being featured on a limited edition Lay’s bag of chips in the large- and party-bag range.
The campaign was influenced by a fun television commercial launched in the build-up to the world cup.
In addition, Lay’s launched a digital campaign in June which played on the theme of the commercial. Named ‘Grab a Chip’, consumers were driven to a Facebook app where they were encouraged to post videos of their best attempt to ’grab-a-chip’ and compete with other uploaded videos to secure a top spot among fans.
Impactful in-store point-of-sale, including 3D elements and an interactive digital and below-the-line campaign, further engaged fans.
[Lay’s is not a 2014 FIFA World Cup sponsor and does not claim any links between its ad campaign and the World Cup — ed.]
New bentwood Milano Tub
Cape-based solid bentwood furniture manufacturer, Woodbender, has introduced an elegant extension to its Milano range, the tub chair.
The Milano Tub sits with two similar tubs, the Genoa and Toscana, but differs in the defining characteristic of the Milano’s elongated vertical slats that meet the base ring. The vertical slats are meant to create elegant lines and style, and to allow the Milano Tub to be well-suited to a modern formal interior when dressed in luxurious fabric.
The Milano Tub is versatile and can be used in many different applications, ranging from a feature piece in a lounge, in a foyer, in a spacious bathroom or bedroom, in a restaurant waiting area or in hotel room. It can also be customised with fabric and timber finishes.
Shelf Life is a weekly column by Louise Marsland on MarkLives. Tweet new product, packaging and design launches to @louise_marsland or email her at louise.marsland at gmail.com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Louise has written about the FMCG, media, marketing and advertising industry for 19 of her more-than-25-year career as a former editor of magazines AdVantage, Marketing Mix and Progressive Retailing, as well as websites Bizcommunity.com and FMCGFiles. Until its cancellation, she edited the weekly Wednesday Media & Marketing Page for The New Age newspaper. She is currently the publishing editor of industry trendwatching portal, TRENDAFRiCA,for consumer insight, research and trends in Africa.
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