SeanChron | Oprah's Ono Organics

Being a fan of organic farming and Maui, I was really pleased to see that Oprah has joined the growing list of celebrities that are getting into organic farming. In my opinion, the more celebs that support organic farming, the better as it only serves to raise awareness even more on the issues.

In true Oprah style, they debuted the farm in a big way...Oprah and long time friend Bob Greene were on the cover of the June 2013 O Magazine. The accompanying article on her farm venture, Dig It! How Oprah's Growing Healthier—and You Can Too, is packed full of great sustainable agriculture information and tips. Even better than just organic farming, they're doing their best to honor people and place throughout the process.

Oprah is working with Bio-Logical Capital, a company that specializes in sustainable agriculture and land development. Bio-Logical works in multiple states but I was impressed that they have a dedicated office and team in Hawaii. Maybe I'll have some of Oprah's ono produce in a restaurant next time on Maui.

Here's a great article on the Oprah's farm venture and Guy Kaulukukui, Hawaii Direcctor and Senior Vice President of Bio-Logical Capital in Maui News.

SeanChron | Star Power

10.3.11. I remember it so well...the day I missed the perfect shot. It was November 2003 and I was in Milan to attend the Sustainable Everyday event. On one of the afternoons we had off, I took a long stroll down Via Montenapoleone where many of the major fashionhouses had their shops. As I was passing by the Giorgio Armani store two stunning women...reminiscent of Sophia Loren, dressed to the nines, and arms full of shopping bags, stepped out of the shop, walked around the corner a bit, and got in a tiny Smartcar. It was at that moment that I realized that if the most beautiful, stylish women in the world could go shopping at Giorgio Armani and then drive off in a Smartcar, why do we in America need to drive to the mall in our huge SUVs? I also realized I missed a great photo.

So...I was thrilled to see the Fiat 500 commercial featuring Jennifer Lopez. Not quite the picture I missed but certainly the next best thing. You can view the ad below:



I've long said that we need to use the same tried and true marketing and advertising techniques for alternative products as we do for conventional products. Celebrity endorsements are one of the most effective techniques around. So, I have no doubt that we're going to be seeing a lot of Fiat 500s on the roads in the near future. Now to be clear, these efforts are often co-branding. In the case of the Fiat 500 commercials, one commercial features scenes from her new video "Papi" and the another, tri-branding if you will, features a special edition Gucci Fiat 500 showcased during at Gucci’s Fashion Night Out event in New York. In the end, kudos to Fiat for tapping great music and fashion for their campaigns.

J-Lo isn't new to co-branding though...I remember a 2002 PSA ad and poster in which J-Lo supports the Forest Stewardship Council. Notice the largest word on the poster is 'enough'. Interesting that the the poster coincided with the release of her movie "Enough". Some claimed she was just promoting her movie, my response...Who Cares? Sustainably harvested wood had never received so much press. The PSA was produced in Spanish and Portuguese as well..

One thing for sure is that celebrity endorsements will continue to shape both the hearts and minds - and wallets - of consumers...the more this power can be used for good, the better.

Futurazzi | Science Day for Suri Cruise

In a Vancouver Sun article, Katya Holloway fills us in on a February 2011 outing for Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, and daughter Suri...a visit to Science World in Vancouver, BC. Cruise and family are in Vancouver while Cruise films Mission Impossible: 4. While most of the press were interested in what Katie and Suri were wearing, we here at Future-ish are thrilled to see a Hollywood supercouple on a science-inspired field trip.

Science Spotlight - Julia Sweeney

Comedian and monologist Julia Sweeney celebrates 2008 Earth day by interviewing scientists in her own special, and funny, way. Tune in to Home Sweet Earth

Emerging Minds - Nicole Lapin

Nicole Lapin first appeared on our radar in 2007 when we identified her as one of our 'Emerging Minds'. Today, she has become one of the most respected journalists in the news industry. A first generation American, she is the daughter of a former Nobel Prize nominee and a beauty queen. Nicole created her own American dream and serves a a role model for other young journalists by becoming the youngest anchor ever on CNN and, now, CNBC.

Nicole studied European Union politics at L'Institut d'Études Politique de Paris. She graduated summa cum laude and as valedictorian of her class from the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, also earning honors for a second major in political science.

At 21, Nicole was tapped as one of the first anchors to launch CNN Pipeline. She served as a reporter for all of CNN's networks, including CNN/U.S., CNN Headline News and CNN International. With the idea that there are other young people like herself defying convention, Nicole launched a series called “Young People Who Rock.” Each week, she profiled a different person under 30, from community leaders to politicians and entrepreneurs. Her columns appeared on CNN.com every week, with broadcast interviews to follow.Expanding her reach as a positive young figure, Nicole created a campaign called “Being Smart is Cool” in partnership with the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. She was appointed global ambassador for the charity and traveled on its behalf to inspire youth to care about issues in the news. Nicole currently serves as an ambassador for other youth-driven organizations, including Operation Smile and DoSomething.

Nicole currently anchors "Worldwide Exchange," the only global show on CNBC, which airs in the United States, Europe and Asia. She reports live daily on breaking global financial news and geopolitics. Recently, she was the first CNBC anchor to report on the killing of Osama bin Laden and has anchored live coverage of the Japanese earthquake, the “Flash Crash” and the uprising in Egypt. In addition to anchoring “Worldwide Exchange,” Nicole is a regular contributor on MSNBC’s “Jansing & Co.” and “Morning Joe,” and serves as a personal finance expert on NBC’s “Today Show.” She also writes regular opinion pieces for the Huffington Post and USA Today, gaining acclaim for the correlation she drew between economic hardship and mental health issues following the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona. For her reporting, she picked up accolades from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Association of Women Journalists and Society of Professional Journalists, and the Radio Television News Directors Association, among others. She was also honored with a "Power 30 under 30" Award.