Press release: 19th September 2003
Wild Imagination Shown In Ideas Competition
Imagine if your plants glowed in the dark when they needed watering, or if you had an intelligent beer tap that
automatically adjusts and pours beer perfect every time. Perhaps you know a geek who could benefit from a fashion
consultancy service, or maybe you’re simply sick of finding the loo seat up and would love to find a toilet seat that
flips up when you step on a pedal.
Do you travel a lot? – How about toothpaste capsules instead of toothpaste? Make a lot of presentations ? – Well what
about a large remote control that not only change slides but also doubles as an electronic display unit for notes that
only you can see? These are just a taste of the many winning ideas in the Vodafone Wild Ideas contest, the spirited
category of the Wellington Big Ideas contest. Big Ideas is an initiative developed and implemented by business incubator
Creative HQ, and its objective is to help people turn their business ideas into a commercial reality.
“We’ve been really impressed by the variety of ideas received so far.” says Mark Blumsky, General Manager at Creative HQ
“We’ve had ideas for everything from meat pies and car parks to mascots and retirement homes, even clothes lines and
lasers!"
“So many people have fantastic ideas that never get heard. It’s great to be supporting an initiative that stimulates
ideas and provides a medium for them to be heard”, says Vodafone General Manager Sponsorship and Communications Lynley
Kirk-Smith.
Recent winner, Dee Nicholls, was surprised to find that his tongue in cheek idea for ‘idiot proof pot plants’ was the
recipient of the top weekly prize. Mr Nicholl’s glow in the dark thirsty pot plant maybe outlandish, but the idea is
characteristic of the type of uninhibited creativity that the Vodafone Wild Ideas competition is keen to encourage.
“For every 100 ideas that may seem absolutely ridiculous, we find 4 or 5 that aren’t so wild after all – but first we
need to come up with the 100 ideas.” explains Mr Blumsky. “It’s a great way to encourage a creative enterprise culture
in Wellington."
Each week the top two ideas are chosen, with the idea judged best winning a Vodafone live!
Sharp GX10i with $100 Vodafone airtime and the runner receieving a PXT capable Nokia 3530 with $50 vodafone airtime. A
number of spot prizes are also to be given away.
Vodafone Wild Ideas will run for three more weeks, ending Friday 3rd October, with the Big Ideas contest to finish a
week earlier on Friday 26th September.
Wellingtonians can enter the Vodafone Wild Ideas contest by filling in the entry form on www.vodafonewildideas.co.nz.
People who are interested in the Big Ideas contest can find more information and submit their idea on
www.bigideascontest.co.nz
ENDS