1. How engaged was Ecoist in analyzing the marketing environment before it launched its first company?
At least one company has taken the old phrase "One man's trash is another man's treasure" and turned it into a business model. Ecoist is a company that uses discarded packaging materials from multinational brands like Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, Disney, and Mars to craft high-end handbags that would thrill even the most discriminating fashionistas.
When the company first started in 2004, consumer perceptions of goods made from recycled materials weren't very positive. This video describes how Ecoist found opportunity in a growing wave of environmentalism. Not only does Ecoist capitalize on low-cost materials and the brand images of some of the world's major brands, it comes out smelling like a rose as it saves tons of trash from landfills.