The Brilliance!

HTTP://WWW.THEBRILLIANCE.COM

We’re really internet and we’re really back. A website about things Benjamin , Chuck , Virgil , and various friends & guests think are interesting. Little-to-no specific focus, a bit odd, speling errors, and incredibly culturally relevant.

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My new project: Boxed Water Is Better!

“Part sustainable water company, part art project, part philanthropic project, and completely curious. Boxed Water Is Better, is a boxed water company.”

Alright, I kind of can’t believe I’m finally posting on this. Feels weird, maybe therapeutic. April 30th 2008 I came up with this idea, like, fully hashed out…but well before that I always wanted to start a company that made something really simple, that everyone can afford or is already purchasing, that is really beautiful, well branded, and kind of a joy to own…like, something that’s only $1 but you can’t wait to go home and put it on the middle of your coffee table, or on your shelf at the office. For me it was either going to be chap stick or bottled water. I went with the the water, but didn’t bottle it, I boxed it. I knew literally nothing about the bottled water world, distributors, fillers, carton makers, the technology behind it all, etc. So I just jumped in head first in my spare time, and made just a huge number of mistakes. Some really hilarious ones in retrospect. But we did everything in a vacuum. The design, the concepting, etc, everything. For roughly 10 months only about 5-6 people knew about the project and everyone we worked with for manufacturing, filling, etc had to sign NDA’s. Honestly, half of me did that because I thought the idea was so ‘goofy’ at times that I didn’t want anyone to know about it if it turned out to be a really terrible failure, ha, and the other half because I did - and do more so now - believe that designing by committee and worrying about other people’s opinions ruins really great ideas.

The product itself…its done, its in about 9 stores here in Grand Rapids as we test the market (its been selling out too!). We got way, way more love on all the blogs in like 5 days than I ever thought we would maybe ever. The emails from everyone have been so cool, thank you to all those people. The response from the design community kind of blew me away too, I never fancied myself a package designer, but it sure was fun to create this one and I really dig how it came out. So yeah, thats it. I’ve always done stuff on the web, never a physical product, but here it is, my new thing man: Boxed Water Is Better. Long post I know, but a comment I need to make - be sure to check our site to learn a bit more about the project in detail, but know that we’re creating a product with less environmental impact, using renewable resources, and giving back a considerable amount - 20% of profit. We’re taking an industry that’s growing every year, and creating a product that lessens the impact and gives back a bit as well. It’s been a crazy ride to get this done coming in as a total rookie, totally new to everything. Thanks to Kevin for all the help. Cheers to everyone trying to do something new, and working to get it out of photoshop and into real life. Long post, sheesh!! Artist collaborations coming soon too! Have a good Monday everyone.