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Nice Ride Minnesota

Public bicycle systems are actively operating in countries all over the world from Stockholm to Santiago, Montreal to Shanghai. There are 130 systems in almost every culture as well as climate.

The Minneapolis Bike Share Program, received a $1.75 million grant from Bike Walk Twin Cities, in the attempts to improve alternative transportation. The focus of this program is to:
Avoiding vehicular congestion
Reducing our carbon footprint
Less dependence on fossil fuels
More efficient movement from place to place
More opportunities for healthy physical activity
More interesting personal experiences interacting with the city
A growing affinity to make other changes in all modes of transportation
A sense of civic pride

The MN Bike Share Program will have 1,000 bikes that will be available in 80 secure, self-service kiosks throughout Downtown Minneapolis, the U of M Campus, and Uptown from April-November.

I’m always looking for opportunities to contribute and enrich our community meanwhile promoting smart environmental solutions. The MN Bike Share Program turned to Duffy & Partners where I was able assist with the development of the name, brand strategy, all design related elements and modeling in advertisements.

“The name, Nice Ride, pays homage to the cultural reference of ‘Minnesota Nice’, while also capturing the ‘nice’ traits of the program. It’s a nice way to get around town, it’s a nice way to be green, and it’s already part of the biking culture vernacular, as in ‘hey, nice ride!’” comments Joe Duffy

Watch for the Nice Ride kick-off event downtown Minneapolis at Peavey Plaza at noon on June 10th, 2010.


Fiat 500 Re-Invention

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I love it when a brand “does it right” the first time. Fiat is re-inventing my dream car, website, and marketing campaign!

New Fiat 500 on Youtube

Firstly, the car was cultural significant car and put Italy on wheels in the 1950’s. By learning from their past – using it’s classic frame – and – responding to the future – using Bosch Start & Stop Technology Fiat is appealing to a new audience.  Originally the Fiat was a popular city car due to its size (2.2 inches narrower and 3.2 inches higher than the Mini Cooper ).  Today – the Start & Stop technology reinforces its present city style by the reduce urban fuel consumption: 41 mpg (U.S.) and it’s retro design. Fiat credits the exterior design to Roberto Giolito, an Italian working at its Centro Stile studio, but word on the inside has it that former Fiat design boss Frank Stephenson was the driving force behind the car’s retro lines.

The Fiat 500 website is everything cultural to factual. You can customize your own car (mine is shown above) and watch it drive around a track, watch video’s from other Fiat drivers, create a sound track, and order a car.

Fiat knew in our cultural climate we are looking for efficiency, style, customization, experience, and environmentally friendly solutions. “You buy it because of what it says about you.”says Fiat’s Luca de Meo

That’s totally true – especially in the automobile industry!