show me the method

A few of the new method products are starting to show up on their site, methodhome.com! Currently you can find (if you click on browse all) the new aircare candle line (including the new fall edition gingerbread + spice, which I don't believe is in stores yet!), along with the refresh mint and waterflower hand washes in gel and foaming. The bamboo aroma ring is also available.

Look for more of the new items to appear on their site very soon!

yang ylang

Daniel Yang, over on Danielyang.com lusts his shower spray, but has an idea for method's refill bottle:

"I use Method cleaning products from Target for my day to day maintenance cleaning since it’s supposed to be non-toxic and better for the environment. I applaud the guys who started the company for their success in bringing green cleaning products at affordable prices to the masses. They even encourage less waste by selling bulk refills for their spray bottle products. Since I’ve used their stuff for a couple of years, I know they’ve also experimented a lot with their packaging design. (That’s gotta be pricey when it comes to experimenting with different bottles.) That’s why I was a little surprised that this two bottle system wasn’t designed better.

The goal is to decant liquid from the larger bottle into the spray bottle. The problem is that you either need a funnel or a steady hand to carefully pour from the wide spout into the narrow one on the spray bottle. Inevitably, some of the liquid will probably spill if you opt for the latter method (no pun intended). In all cases, the bottleneck (man they just keep coming) is the smaller of the two.

One idea is to stick something like a dish soap spout on top of the larger bottle. This would probably be the cheapest option since it’s not a custom spout. The downside would be the rate at which it would dispense the replacement liquid. Another idea would be to use a bottle with a spout that is just slightly narrower than that of the spray bottle. My third idea would be some sort of retractable pouring/funneling mechanism built into the cap of the larger bottle. Something like those pour cups built into the caps of liquid detergent except it would flip over and screw on reversibly and allow liquid to pass through.

Maybe this is over-complicating the matter and everybody else has a clean funnel even though I don’t."

Thoughts? Experiences? Did you get ylang-ylang all over your hands? My, my.

tom, part two

Here is the cartoon Tom makes mention of in the below article. (Which is a play on this 1984 Apple commercial; which is also a play on the movie/book "1984". Whew!) Enjoy!

10 questions with tom fishburne

"by Ben McConnell -
Church of The Customer

(Note: method comes into play in the second half of the interview, and even moreso when you click over to finish reading the rest! Enjoy!)

Tom Fishburne is the Gary Larson of marketing: He creates cartoons that lampoon the often-ridiculous nature of business processes and marketing.

His inspiration is his work as a marketer at companies like General Mills, Nestle and home-product manufacturer Method Products, where he currently resides as senior marketing director of Europe.

His new book, "This One Time at Brand Camp," is a collection of his work from 2005-2008 (and features a foreword from CotC blogger Jackie Huba). We sat down with Tom (virtually) and tossed a basketful of questions at him.

Q: What's the biggest challenge in being a brand manager today?

Remarkable thinking. Then shepherding that thinking through the organizational gates. Too often the edges of a great idea get sanded, eventually launching as a pale shadow of the original idea.

I love this quote from Robert Stephens, founder of Geek Squad: "Advertising is a tax you pay for unremarkable thinking."

Q: What's the biggest trap most brand managers stupidly fall into?

The mass market trap. Chasing market size. Trying to appeal to everyone and avoiding alienating anyone. By trying to appeal to everyone, no one gets excited.

In my past brand lives, we joked that our target was "a woman, age 25–39, with a pulse." Instead, if you cater to a passionate and vocal niche, you become more meaningful. Consumer loyalty follows. Niche marketing isn't just for small brands. General Mills does a great job of training marketers to find and truly understand your niche's brand champions. You create your products and marketing just for them. When you do, much of the mass market will follow, too.

Q: A central theme among many of your cartoons is the fear of standing out. From your experience at various companies, who typically is the driver in the race to be average -- an internal person/department or a force outside the company, such as Wall Street?

The fear of standing out mainly comes from inside the company. When I started at General Mills, a big product launch called Wahoos had just failed. Many people who worked on it had been let go. That created the Wahoos hangover: If someone suggested a risky idea in a meeting, someone else would say "we don't want another Wahoos." Most companies have their own version of a Wahoos hangover.

When I was at General Mills and Nestle I tacked this quote over my desk from Doug Hall: "Don't be afraid to take risks. Corporations have an amazing array of checks, balances, and safety nets to prevent you from hitting the wall at ninety miles an hour. Be bold and brash. Develop a reputation for it."

Q: How serious is the disconnect when brand managers work 12-16 months on product then, because of the nature of the employment game, move on to a new one? How can you build customer loyalty with such a short timeframe?

It's like that game of telephone we all played in kindergarten. A departing brand manager whispers their insights and brand plan to the replacement, much of which gets lost in the transition. Often the replacement brand manager starts from scratch with research and navel-gazing. As soon as the replacement brand manager gets a feel for the job, they move on, and the telephone game continues.

When I was starting out, I loved the quick transitions because I got exposure to different situations. But it's not great for creating customer loyalty. It sands the edges. It can feel like a different brand incarnation each year. A lot of hard work gets lost in the revolving door.

Q: Provide us, if you will, a brief, state of the union report on retailing today.

Retailing is in flux with the credit crunch. It will make consumers think hard about their brand choices. If a brand has proven that it is meaningful, it will continue to do well. If not, its true colors will be exposed. This is an acid test for meaningful brands.

Q: Who typically has the more insanely inflated ego: marketers or professional wrestlers?

Most of the marketers I've worked with have been down-to-earth. That's why I think ego inflation comes from hierarchy.

For instance, when I was at General Mills, all of the executives worked in a separate wing that even had its own parking garage we called the Bat Cave (where all the Jaguars went to park). They had a different dress code in the executive wing and there was very little mixing. The hierarchy was reinforced at every turn. As you progressed in marketing, you moved from a cubicle to something called an "officle" to eventually an office. You could tell the seniority of someone with an office by counting the number of ceiling tiles. I remember an official memo that stated that marketers above a certain level were entitled to leather Filofax binders. Everyone else received pleather. I swear I'm not making this up.

All of this resulted in a medical condition I call Title-itis, where it was assumed that the more senior the marketer, the better their ideas. It's tempting to start breathing your own exhaust in an environment like that.

I love the idea of a "No Holds Barred Title Bout World Marketing Federation Cage Match."

Q: Did your cartoon work help or hinder your landing at Method?

I joined method thanks to my cartoons (tell that to my high school guidance counselor). I discovered method in 2003 and was inspired by the impact they were making with such a small team. Then, I discovered that Eric Ryan, their co-founder, was getting my cartoon each week. So, I drew a cartoon on method comparing them to Apple and their famous "1984" ad where they took on IBM as Big Brother. That was my cover letter. When I actually joined the company a few years later, I told Eric that my last boss often said that if he ever ended up in a cartoon that I would be fired. Eric responded that if he didn't end up in a cartoon that I would be fired.

My cartoons often lampoon the type of business absurdities I try to exploit in my day job working with method as a challenger brand. Many of my cartoons are used around the company, in presentations on our strategy and even in our handbook. Eric often pings me with an idea that he wants to communicate. I'm pretty candid though, so I often cover topics in my cartoons if I think we're making a wrong call, steering in the wrong direction, or becoming too process-driven.

Q: What's your marketing mix for Method?

Eric once calculated that our competitors literally spend more on employee toilet paper than we do on advertising. We can't outspend them..."

Check out Church of The Customer to read the rest!

And Holy Yow!, I got another shout out, this time from Tom! "We know (word of mouth) is working when we find consumers like Nathan, who created an entire blog devoted to method."

nice jug

I've found a couple more ads method has ran in the past (I believe these were also part of a booklet they once sent out.) I don't believe I've ran these before (honestly, I'm starting to forget what I have and have not posted! Ah! Too much method! Wait, you can NEVER have too much method!) Unfortunately, I don't have these at a larger size (or more readable.) But you get the idea, right? Enjoy!

crazy people have more fun

I just found Ej's blog, Crazy People Have More Fun (and they do, too! I should so know!) after taking a peek at my method lust traffic sources; and discovered this great post she did on method, and go naked!

"My obsession to these products is no secret - I am a relentless in my pursuit of converting people! My sister finally caved and purchased her first bottle of the Best in Glass window cleaner, and my Mother in Law is hooked on Wood For Good.

How was I captured? Lisa introduced me to the Go Naked All Purpose Spray. One sniff (or should I say lack of sniff) and I was hooked. I went home and Googled it and after devouring every piece of info I could find; I headed off to Shoppers Drug Mart to stock up. Canada is suffering from a grossly inadequate supply of method products. We are limited to the cleaning products - no body care(okay, okay - there are a few of the hand soaps kicking around). You can buy it from the web site if you want to pay a fortune for shipping(tsk tsk method - $18 shipping is ridiculous!!!) Target is the place where it is at!!!! So if you live close make a run for the border! I've listed Canadian retailers below.

Okay so onto Go Naked!..."

Head on over to read the rest!

Oh, and she even gives me a sweet little shout out! "In case you are in full addiction mode like myself - let me lead you to the blog of all method blogs - method lust - yes there are more people like me out there ;-) Nathan has the inside scoop on everything method past and present!" Thanks, Ej!

method profiles - teri lynn nunnari

method profiles on an actual Wednesday? What the?! It's like I didn't go all lazy and slack this week or something! OH give me time, it'll happen I'm sure of it!

Our method profile today brings us... Teri Lynn Nunnari! Check it out!

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
Teri Lynn "TL"

2+ What was your first method lust?
Daily Shower

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
I was a Method advocate OF COURSE....but George sold me on the company concept & culture! I've been hooked ever since...

4+ What is your title/dept. at method, and what is it you do there? How long have you been with method?
Director of Sales, NE - SELL IT! Hired April, '07. One year, 3 months...

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
Recycling, driving less, gave up bottled water.

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
My Aunt in California.

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
Definitely Pink Grapefruit.


Thanks Teri! Be sure to check back Wednesdays for the next method profile! And be sure to catch up on previous method profiles by selecting from the sidebar list!

environmental madness

A great article from Marin magazine (March 2007 - Not TOO dusty, eh?):

"A method to their environmental madness
by Tim Porter

It’s hard enough to be green these days. It’s even more difficult to be green and clean. It’s toughest yet to be green and clean and hip.

Most of the sprays, scrubs and soaps on our countertops and in our cabinets are concocted from chemicals that do a great job removing ground-in grime, but can be just as nasty to things we’d rather not destroy—like the environment.

Method, a small San Francisco company that makes biodegradable home cleaning products, is changing that, one dirty dish at a time—and doing it with the type of buzz normally more associated with glitzy hightech than stodgy extra-strength laundry detergent. (When’s the last time a friend asked excitedly, “Hey, have you seen the new box of Tide?”)

Method’s, uh, methodology is simple, says CEO Alastair Dorward. The company makes eco-friendly cleaners that work as well as traditional brands, smell like real flavors (mint dish soap, grapefruit wipes) instead of industrial solvents, and come packaged in eye-catching, stylish containers.

“Our brand is aesthetically attractive,” says Dorward, a Larkspur resident. “The fragrances are great. And from a household safety and environmental point of view, our products are better for people and their homes and better for the environment.

“These are themes that are becoming increasingly relevant,” he says. “Over the last ten years, people have become more conscious of design. Look at the success of the iPod as truly a mainstream brand. It has achieved much deeper [market] penetration because of design. And the greening of America has gone from a phenomenon that might be more true of places like Marin County to one that is becoming more prevalent nationally.”

As the financial analysts say, Method has hit a sweet spot. In less than seven years since college buddies Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan launched the company with F&F (friends and family) money from their kitchen, it has become a 70-person international enterprise that Inc. magazine recently named the seventh-
fastest growing private company in America.

Method sells more than 150 products, ranging from its signature bowling-pin-shaped (sort of) dish soap to air fresheners, in Target, Costco and other big stores across the United States, Canada and England.
As a private company, Method doesn’t like to publicize its sales, but Information Resources Inc., a Chicago firm that tracks the consumer products industry, puts Method’s 2006 revenue at $55 million, up about 80 percent over the previous year. By comparison, 4 percent is considered a good growth rate in the industry as a whole, says Dorward.

While those numbers are a drop in a bucket in a world where a mega-company like Clorox sells $66 million worth of Pine Sol alone in a year, Method’s investors, who include Silicon Valley luminaries like former Yahoo chief executive Tim Koogle, are no doubt thrilled with the return on their money. But the company has a larger mission as well.

“Essentially what we’re doing is proving that business can be an agent for positive environmental change,” says Lowry. A Stanford-educated chemist who got into the environmental movement because he “didn’t want to design chemical reactors for a living,” Lowry, 32, is most proud that Method’s products appeal to people who aren’t like him.

“The idea was that the people who are like me, who are ‘dark green,’ are few and far between,” he says. “Method is being purchased by people who aren’t necessarily environmentalists. They’re people who want to go green, but don’t know how or tried to and were frustrated. We allow them to go green in a way that fits their lifestyle. For me, that’s real environmental change—that’s really moving the needle toward a better place.”

Lowry wears the company hat of “chief greenskeeper” (think eco-green, not golf course green). “I shepherd the vision,” he says. “What a chief greenskeeper does is build greenness into every fabric of the business.”
It is a more commercial approach to environmentalism, one focused on changing products and reinventing business models rather than persuading consumers to alter personal habits. “I have a different way of thinking about environmentalism,” Lowry says. “Traditional environmentalism is too stodgy, anti-business and too depressing. I actually think business itself, as the largest and most wealthy institution on the planet, has the opportunity and the onus to create these changes.

“Traditional environmentalism says consumers should sacrifice for the environment,” he adds. “We think that’s wrong. Designers should design high-quality products that are green so the consumer doesn’t have to think about it. That’s what we do.”

Method relies on an extensive matrix of standards to ensure greenness, things like the source of raw materials, the fuel cost of transporting them, and whether the product is biodegradable and the packaging recyclable.

“The point is that we look across all factors in the [product’s] life cycle,” he says. “It’s a lot of work, but we do the homework so people don’t have to. We combine that with a beautiful aesthetic of great fragrances and great product design. It’s hip, not hippie.”

Indeed, Dorward says, most Method product buyers “are typically drawn to it for the first time because it’s a kind of a cool package . . . and [then] they’ll be happy with the way it works.” After that, he says, comes the “feel-good element” about the environment.

That’s OK with Lowry—whatever it takes to get them into the environmental tent. Until recently, he points out, many green products bore a stigma, undeserved or not, of being not quite as good as their browner counterparts. “The paradigm was ‘it’s either green or it works, or ‘it’s either green or it’s high performance,’” he says. That’s changing. “There’s more and more products like Method’s, and the Prius showed that an everyday passenger car that was green could actually pass somebody in traffic.”

Such signals of a greenward cultural shift—like the popularity of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and the cover piece on Wal-Mart’s organic initiative in Fortune—suggest a tipping point into “eco-fabulous, the convergence of style and substance,” Lowry says. “And that is exactly what Method is all about.”

Method has gotten a fair amount of media coverage lately, and the question always comes up of whether the company, with its alluring growth rate, might be sold or go public. Dorward demurs. “We’re not going to be the largest brand,” he says. “We see ourselves as a little tugboat that can move some of these big supertankers into a greener space. We’re not going to be the largest player, but to some extent we find ourself being a thought leader.”

Lowry, too, has his own thoughts about the future and what he might do when Method no longer needs his greenskeeper services. “I have a million ideas,” he says. “I would love to start a car company someday, actually a personal transportation company, because somebody needs to completely rethink the automobile and how we get from place to place.

“Maybe someday when I’ve got a little bit more time on my hands,” he adds. “But now I’m making soap.”

wow!

ask and ye' shall receive

Over on method's people against dirty blog, they've given us a great opportunity to learn well, anything we might want to about method, recycling, the environment, why the sky is blue, why do birds sing, how are babies made, and who exactly is God? (Well, they might have a bit of trouble with that last one, but you NEVER know, I hear they're really smart people over there!)

"Ever wonder what the heck the difference is in all the different plastic ratings (you know, those numbers in the triangle usually found on the bottom of plastic containers)? Or ever want to ask how lil bowl blu got it's sleek design? Well, send us all your questions you ever wanted to ask of our resident greenskeepers (consider them our resident "green" walking encyclopedias) and of our design team (you know, the people who make our stuff easy on the eyes). Be sure to post them below in our comments section and be on the lookout in the future as we pick certain questions to feature back on the blog. Ready... set... ask!"

So go ask! I have a couple questions I'm going to post, as well! I had someone I was singing method's praises to recently ask me if the products were anti-bacterial, and I explained why they weren't. But then she said "well, I don't think I could use a product that wouldn't kill salmonella in the kitchen, and such." Where do I go with that? There's one question I'm going to post. I bet you have some, too!

carbon emissions - outta here!

Ah'kay, some of this stuff is a bit over my head (no surprise there) but I know a lot of you are seriously interested in how method is helping out Mother Earth in ways other than simply making the best environmentally + people friendly products around! So here you go:

"Method Products, Inc. and NativeEnergy Pioneer a Carbon Offset Model
Environmentally-friendly home and personal care products company Method offers incentives to its partners to clean up carbon emissions

NativeEnergy, a leading international marketer of high quality carbon offsets, announced today an innovative partnership with Method Products, Inc., a manufacturer of non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning and personal care products. Sharing the idea that business has the greatest opportunity to create solutions to the climate crisis, Method's partnership enables the company to mitigate its carbon footprint by directly supporting new renewable energy projects on American family farms.

Method is pioneering a carbon offset model with NativeEnergy by giving priority to projects that reduce carbon emissions in the company's supply chain. Together, NativeEnergy and Method are offering financial incentives for Method's third-party manufacturing partners to reduce their carbon intensity.

"NativeEnergy helps Method to build upon our sustainability portfolio, and we want to encourage our partners to do the same," says Adam Lowry, Method's chief greenskeeper and co-founder. "This allows us to catalyze positive environmental change outside our own operations."

NativeEnergy calculates and offsets the carbon emissions from Method's energy use activities, including domestic and international manufacturing facilities, staff commuting, and corporate travel for both 2008 and 2009. Method's offsets purchase will directly help build and support three of NativeEnergy's new family dairy farm methane energy projects. These truly additional anaerobic digester projects are: Brubaker Family Farm, Penn England Family Farm, and Hillcrest-Saylor Family Farm, all located in Pennsylvania.

"All of us at NativeEnergy are thrilled to partner with Method," says Tom Boucher, NativeEnergy President & CEO. "By purchasing high quality carbon offsets, Method is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability by contributing directly to projects that are dependent on the additional revenue from the carbon offsets. Method's leadership and progressive achievements will motivate others to take action for a cleaner energy future."

Both Method and NativeEnergy are successful innovators in their respective industries; NativeEnergy for developing its unique forward-stream "help build" model, and Method for jolting the consumer products industry by effectively coupling sustainability and style. This new partnership acknowledges both companies' dedication to supporting real, effective solutions to the climate crisis.

NativeEnergy supports Method's carbon reduction strategy, which includes encouraging its third-party manufacturers to pursue emissions reductions in their facilities. For efficiency initiatives that yield calculable emissions reductions in 2008, Method will provide financial incentives to its manufacturing facilities for implementing such energy efficiency improvements.

Method Products, Inc. Founded in 2000, Method Products, Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. Today, Method is the leading innovator of premium healthy home care products. Method can be found in over 25,000 retail locations throughout the US, Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Major retailers include Target, Wegman's, Costco, Duane Reade, Safeway, Waitrose (UK), Shoppers Drug Mart (Canada) and Woolworths (Australia). Method is a privately held company backed by high net worth individuals and a private equity firm. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.methodhome.com.

NativeEnergy leverages market demand for carbon offsets to bring online new Native American, family farmer and community-owned renewable energy projects. Native Energy offers third-party verified and certified renewable energy credits, and offsets from a variety of operating projects across America and internationally. Through its novel approach of bringing upfront payment to renewable projects for the estimated future carbon offsets, NativeEnergy enables its clients to help directly finance the construction of specific new wind farms and other renewable energy projects. Continuing to focus on real, additional offsets that provide both an environmental and a social benefit, more information is available at www.nativeenergy.com."

well what'da ya know...

Stepped into a local Target today, and what was on the shelf (after just mentioning it in my previous post) but refresh mint and waterflower hand wash! Surprisingly (and luckily for me!) there was only ONE refresh mint gel hand wash on the shelf! Can you believe that? And three waterflowers (which for some reason smell extra wonderful in gel hand wash! Don't ask me why. More on that when I do a review for the new refresh mint body wash...) No foaming hand wash in either scent was spotted. So I swiped that refresh mint UP! And no joke, I just ran out of the sample I was given, this morning! How perfect!

+

Oh, and uhm, I think I just need to start working for method. Seriously. This past weekend, during ANOTHER Target trip, I wondered into the method aircare aisle, and geesh, it was a disaster. Aroma spray bottles fallen over, aroma rings knocked down, someone had stuck a couple Big Brand aircare spray bottles in the method area (hopefully after discovering the method aircare, and deciding against purchasing the Big Brand!) So I huffed in disgust, and actually went to work cleaning up the method aircare section so it'd look shiny and special for potential new customers/future advocates! (Uh, I realize this is actually Target's job.)

Yeah, I really do need some help. Or something better to do on a Saturday night, maybe?

things that make you go... (you know!)

Old Dawn dish soap bottle. New Dawn dish soap bottle. method dish soap bottle. Coincidence? You decide.

dry me baby

Anyone here a Prince fan? If so, you'll get that title. If not, it's a bad title, anyway. What can I say? All these titles start to get all hard to think up and stuff after a while, ok? Whew!

About the only new method products not to hit store shelves yet (to my knowledge; the other exception being the new waterflower, and refresh mint hand washes) is the new squeaky green laundry line (including the new dryer sheets you see pictured above. Go naked was tied up with previous engagements, and could not make the photo shoot. It apologizes for the inconvenience.) I JUST ran out of my old-school free + clear dryer sheets (yes, before the wet dry cloths) this weekend, so I'm gonna need some new scent free/go naked ones soon! I use the scent free ones on my clothing, while using the deliciously scented lavender + juniper and nectarine blossom on my sheets, and towels, etc. Mmm... and sniff, cause they're going away.

Anyone see this new line (which will also include the sweet water laundry detergent in it's brand new formula) let us know they've landed!

what is conscious consumerism?

More Eric Ryan! Enjoy.

method-istas

OH. MY. WORD! Do you see that pic? I can't believe I've just now stumbled upon not ONLY this pic, but this article from 2006 (but I bet it'll still be fun to read! It's aged, like a fine wine! Or a good slice of blue cheese, no? Sure! Go along, go along, little one. Just believe and it will be so. 'Kay?) That just happens to be (left to right): Eric Ryan, Adam Lowry (co-founders), and Alistair Dorward (method's CEO.) And it CRACKS me up!

Ok, ok, on to the article, from San Francisco Business Times!

"Method: Hip design sets apart home products company
by Sarah Duxbury

There's a little madness in Method Products' workplace. There's none in its growth.

The San Francisco home products company is known for its chic packaging and eco-friendliness. While its up-ending of convention has jolted the staid consumer products category, the company is disciplined about its growth.

From the people it hires to the categories it pursues, Method rigorously jettisons anything it deems sub-par. That approach has paid off with 266.9 percent growth over three years.

Method's most pressing concern as it grows is people, since they dream up the ideas, like triple-concentrate detergent, that become industry standards. Half of Method's 58 employees have been with the company under one year. Alastair Dorward, Method's CEO, expects to have more than 100 employees in 2007.

To make sure they get the right bodies, not just warm ones, Method gives homework assignments as part of its interview process and sometimes hires new folks on a trial basis.

"We'd rather have people be 90 percent qualified and 120 percent fit," Dorward said, stressing the importance of culture. By getting the fit right, Method has yet to lose an employee to a competitor, said Eric Ryan, who co-founded the company with Adam Lowry.

Collaboration and innovation are prized qualities at the company, as is speed.

"We spent money tearing down walls," Ryan said of the open format of Method's new 20,000-square-foot downtown office.

Until now, Method has grown largely with new products. At the end of 2005, it had 72 products; today it has 159 products. Now the company is trying to get existing customers to buy more Method.

"That's what success looks like from a consumer buy-in point of view," Dorward said. "They decide they want a Method home and buy us for all their household needs."

The obvious next step to building a Method home is grouping all Method products together in a store, rather than having them scattered by product categories. Most retailers put dish soap with dish soap and dryer sheets with dryer sheets. Method wants stores to put Method with Method instead, in hopes of wowing shoppers with the colorful breadth of all their products and packaging.

"It's easier to convert an existing customer to new products than it is to convert a new customer to us," Dorward said.

Target has signed on to this radical vision, and drug retailers like Long's have agreed to do a smaller, vertical version of the same thing. Such brand-blocking, as it is called, is a "game-changer," Dorward said.

Not everything Method turns its hand to is an unqualified success.

Last year, at the request of Target, Method entered the car-care realm with Vroom. While the brand sold well, Method has since backed off.

"We decided we do better as a single-branded business," Dorward said. The company is now assessing its options vis-à-vis Vroom, including selling off the brand.

International markets will be a big part of Method's growth plan moving forward. It now sells products in Canada and the U.K, and plans to expand those distribution channels while adding new ones.

"The adoption curve of Method in Canada is more aggressive" than in the United States, Ryan said. "The consumer response has been very positive. They're more trend-forward in terms of design and ecology."

Dorward added that Method has proved itself in the hardest market -- the United States -- first, which is one reason the company is so bullish about its international prospects. But he stressed Method is not yet a global company and growth in the immediate future will fundamentally be U.S.-based.

Method plans to introduce new product categories next year, and it knows it must continue to innovate to gain marketshare against big competitors like Procter & Gamble.

Said Ryan, "We brought a little fashion to this category, and fashion is fleeting."

one wick, two wick

method's new aircare candle line has just hit the shelves? And possibly a snag in the new design? method luster Robert had this to say:

"BTW The new glass candles suck. The wick is too small to heat up all the wax. You spend a dollar more and you get 2/3 the candle. Plus I think the glass looks a little too Glade. Karim had it right."

and Jamison added:

"Good point. I have realized that while burning the new candles. I am pretty disappointed. I think Method needs to drop the price and redesign them, or add another wick."

I happen to agree, actually (with the wick/candle burn issue. I personally think the new glass jar design is great! I think it retains the Karim look, while being updated.) What has everyone else's experiences with the new candle been, burn wise (I swear it's barely been out on the shelves, so it may take some time to get people's opinions?)

This reminds me of method's premium candle line. I lusted that line, but it had the same issue for me. I still have a few of those candles, and half of the wax remains in the glass jars, while their is a big ole' hole burned right down the middle of the wax. And that's what is happening to the new candles, as well. My only solution at the moment is to burn it as is, until it reaches the bottom; then go and remove the wick metal tab (at the bottom of the candle), and melt the wax down, put in a new wick, and go from there. A bit out of the ordinary, but I think it would work. But I also love the idea of the two wicks in these new bigger candles! I have quite a few candles that are slightly larger/wider than a "normal" sized candle, and those will have two, sometimes three wicks. What are everyone's thoughts? Have you tried out the new candles?

One thing I think we can all currently agree on are our thoughts on the new pomegranate tea scent.

Robert ended his post by saying: "But the new (pomegranate tea) scent is AWESOME." And I certainly can't argue that one! It's great!

anti-bad-terial

Pet peeve number sixty two? Anti-bacterial. I've got friends who use this stuff, especially the hand sanitizers. Some have small children and I think at times if they could they'd just start dipping them full body into the stuff! I've always thought it was nasty, nasty stuff. You want me to wha? Take this squishy, goopy junk and smear it all over my hands until it magically kills the mean stuff, and then it disappears and my hands are all happy again? Seriously? I mean, I get it, but at the same time always thought "Ok, this stuff can't just GO away, so isn't it still on your hands?" Blah!

And I think I might have been right. (And before I go any further here, I realize method made a hand sanitizer for a while, and I was always sort of on the fence about that one. I'm sure it was all natural and such, but still... I don't know. I'll have to look into that.)

Check out a couple articles here:

"War on Bacteria is Wrongheaded
by Christopher Wanjek for Live Science

Pity the poor bacterium, the Rodney Dangerfield of the unicellular world. It eats our trash, makes soil fertile, turns the food we swallow into useful vitamins, and yet it gets no respect. Most people, when you get right down to it, are just plain bacteria bigots. They want to run all 2,000-plus species of bacteria out of town just because of a few ornery germs that can harm us.

And now, it seems, our pursuit of a bacteria-free world is making us sick. Got antibacterial soap? It could be doing you more harm than good.

A study published this month in Chest (trust me, it's a medical journal) finds that antibiotic exposure during infancy is associated with asthma. This follows a string of studies from the past few years, such as those from the Immune Tolerance Network, revealing that early exposure to harmful bacteria builds a healthy immune system. Kids exposed to endotoxin-releasing bacteria, for example, are less likely to be allergic to dogs and cats.

These docs have a sense of humor, too. They call this the Pigpen Effect, after the Peanut's character with his protective cloud of dirt. It's a dirty little secret the antibacterial soap people don't want you to know about.

The rising incidence of asthma and allergies in the developed (cleaner) world, doctors say, could be tied to the relatively sterile environments our children live in compared to a generation ago. Children not exposed to harmful bacteria, or conversely, given antibiotics to kill bacteria, do not receive the germ workout required to make antibodies. More specifically, they do not develop T-helper cells, which fight foreign cellular invaders and minimize allergies.

Unfortunately the American consumer is at war with all bacteria. According to the Soap and Detergent Association (too bad its acronym couldn't spell SUD), more than three-quarters of liquid soap and more than a quarter of bar soaps on supermarket shelves contain triclosan, an antibiotic that kills most bacteria, both good and bad.

Ridding ourselves of bacteria is a hopeless endeavor. Bacteria outnumber human cells in your body 10 to 1. This is a good thing. The entire digestive tract is lined with bacteria, from top to, uh, bottom. These bacteria work with the body's own chemicals in breaking down food, converting it to useful vitamins and minerals, and making sure the intestinal walls can absorb the nutrients for the bloodstream to circulate. Without these bacteria, we could not digest food. Babies, born relatively bacteria-free, are extremely limited in what they can eat.

Human skin contains many species of harmless bacteria. Their presence prevents harmful bacteria, what we commonly call germs, from gaining a foothold on your skin. Numerous studies show that antibacterial soap is no more effective than ordinary soap in cleaning your hands. Either kind lifts off germ-laden dirt. But antibacterial soap kills helpful bacteria on the skin, freeing up valuable real estate so that harmful bacteria can move in later.

The marketing of antibacterial products during flu and cold season is a scam, because colds and flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria. Most bacterial infections in the United States are food-borne: salmonella, listeria, and E. coli. We cannot wash food in triclosan. Apparently we tolerate feces in our food supply yet reach for an antibacterial wipe to clean some jelly off the counter. It's enough to make you sick."

+

Anti-bacterial - Good or Bad?
Skincare-news

Don't let your zeal for avoiding germs guide you to questionable skincare practices. Plain old soap and water has gotten a bad rap lately, but surprisingly, it is still the best, most effective step against germs and bacteria.

...Germs are lurking everywhere: door handles, countertops and most especially, hands. How to combat these snarky germs? Is it really necessary to lather up every time someone sneezes, or is a fruity-scented anti-bacterial hand sanitizer the answer?

Like many things, the fantastical claims of gel-based, anti-bacterial hand sanitizers seem too good to be true: namely, killing 99.9% of harmful germs and bacteria without water, anytime, anywhere. Especially for squirmy children who hate to lather up, hand sanitizers seem like a skincare dream. Available in fun scents and colors, these quick acting alternatives to cleanser are readily available. Yet, are they as fantastic as all that? A debate has been growing over the past few years, and it turns out that consumers may not be getting all the information when it comes to anti-bacterial products.

On the most basic level, overuse of hand sanitizers is dangerous for the simple reason that many people are using these products to replace regular hand washing. However, it's uncertain whether merely using a hand sanitizing gel is enough. Studies have shown that the only truly effective method of sanitizing hands is to wash for ten seconds using soap and warm water. Those who consistently replace hand washing with sanitizers may end up with perpetually unclean hands, spreading germs to others. For this reason, the FDA recommends that people use hand sanitizers only when soap and water is not available, and not as a replacement for hand-washing.

What exactly happens when you use a hand sanitizer? Simply put, the products strips away the outmost layer of oil on the skin's surface, removing bacteria from the hand's surface, and slowing down re-growth of new bacteria, as well. And just as the product claims, most bacteria are killed. However, complete sterilization of all bacteria is not an answer to germs, either. The body plays hosts to numerous forms of bacteria, both good and bad. And this bacteria is responsible for a host of important functions, such as metabolizing food and maintaining the pH of the mouth. Good bacteria are also found in nature, where they help to break down solid waste and trash, as well as enrich and fertilize the soil. Studies from the Immune Tolerance Network also reveal that in order to build a healthy immune system, kids must be exposed to all forms of bacteria in their early years. Kids who live in overly sterile environments are more likely to end up with allergies and other immune system complications.

Unfortunately, avoiding anti-bacs is not as easy as it may seem. Anti-bacterial products are not limited to hand sanitizers and these powerful substances are popping up all over: cutting boards, children's toys, sandals, toothbrushes, makeup, and computer accessories are all increasingly being made with anti-bacterial agents. The Soap and Detergent Association reports that about three-quarters of liquid soaps, as well as many other products, contain a chemical called triclosan, an anti-bacterial agent. And one of the biggest problems with this type of cleanser is that it kills all bacteria, both good and bad.

In an article on grinningplanet.com, the American Medical Association states, "It may be prudent to avoid the use of antimicrobial agents in consumer products." Not only is triclosan ineffective at preventing the common cold or flu in a healthy household (those are caused by viruses, not bacteria); this chemical may also be dangerous. According to livescience.com, anti-bacterial exposure has been associated with asthma in infants and researchers have also found a link between triclosan and dioxins, or cancer-causing chemicals. It is suspected that these dioxins form when triclosan is exposed to sunlight or chlorine, which is a concern due to the typically high amount of chlorine found in tap water.

The most serious concern about over-using anti-bacterial products is that germs are smart, and over time, will build up a resistance to these substances, resulting in "super-bacteria". Because triclosan kills bacteria in a way similar to antibiotics, researchers worry that bacteria will also become resistant to antibiotics, leading to even further health problems down the road. So before you reach for that bottle of fancy-scented hand sanitizer, take an extra five minutes to actually wash your hands instead. Turns out that plain old soap and water will effectively clean and sanitize the hands, with no safety concerns."

method roundup!

It's another video day here at method lust! (You know you love it! Yes you do. Why? Cause I said so, that's why!) The folks over at Green Gear have given us their own method home products roundup! Check it out:

method Home Cleaning Products Overview Roundup Review by Green Gear

Yee Haww!!! This here is a Method Home Cleaning Products Overview Roundup!

I have been using a few Method Products around the house for about a year and I am very impressed. They’ve been on my radar recentally becuase their line of products has been expanding dramatically. What used to just be a few products is now a gaggle of them.

Method’s products work well, smell good (but not overpowering), are not tested on animals, recycleable, made naturally (when available), and come in wonderfully designed packaging. I really can’t say enough about them, most of their products would score above a 3 rating on green gear with the only knocks against them being price (just above usually purchased alternative) and mass appeal. Some places you go you can find their stuff on sale for less than the usual stuff. They are situated in the boutique section of the market and usually are a little lower than meyer, green works, etc…

If you go to www.methodhome.com you will see that they have a very rich sustainability policy and it shows in their packaging and product offerings.

One thing that struck me about so many of their items is that they don’t seem to use too many chemicals. As a matter of fact, on all of their soaps, it says “if ingested, drink glass of water to dilute.” How awesome is that. These are products that anyone would feel comfortable sitting on their countertop as they are attractive looking and not too bulky.

Green Gear will review a few of these (like the Omop) in greater detail but (above) is a 12 product video overview of Method’s product offerings."

like, paper or plastic?

How cool are these girls? They do it all in fun, but teach us at the same time! I lust it!

+

Speaking of paper and plastic, how has your August plastic bag + paper towel challenge gone so far? What challenge, you ask? (Tsk-tsk!) You can read more about the paper towel challenge here, and the plastic bag challenge here! Ok, so perhaps I hadn't yet merged the ideas together, to create one grand CHALLENGE, but I'm doing it now! Can you live plastic bag + paper towel free? Try it for one month! I swear, it's easier than you think. No paper towels, no way!? Really, I can't believe how easy it's been to transition from paper towels to washable microfiber towels. So easy! And plastic bags? Away with you, Mr. Bag! Go totes!

You can read all sorts of plastic bag and paper towel commentary on method lust, just do a search and enjoy! Enjoy being beaten over the head, that is! Ha! And get ready, next up, those eee-vil plastic water bottles.

Before I go, Luster Sprocket asks:

"Nathan, do you know if there is any difference between the various Method microfiber cloths besides their colour? I'd think they would all (glass, wood, granite, steel) work just as well on any surface?"

I do think they're constructed differently texture wise, to clean the specific surface they're made for. BUT I have to admit, not having any granite surfaces, I have used that cloth as a general purpose cloth on many an occasion. But I'm rather conditioned to use the glass on glass, and the wood on wood, etc. What do you all think?

sustainable brands

Over on Cohn & Wolfe, Geoff posted this (and a video! Yay!) about the Sustainable Brands conference in Monterey. One of the featured guests happened to be Eric Ryan, one of method's co-founders:

"Everyone at the Sustainable Brands conference in Monterey was talking about the speech given by Eric Ryan, Brand Architect of ‘Method‘, an eco-friendly home products company, which is growing very fast in the USA. Method is a good example of the amazing proliferation of US-based companies offering a vast array of new eco-products - everything from recyclable dry cleaning hangers to solar-powered mobile phone chargers. The home product range, in particular, appears to be undergoing a green revolution in the US, in a way which is not so apparent, I believe, in Europe. Here is Eric talking to me about Method’s mission of engaging consumers who have never used eco-products before - by focusing on good product design, safety, efficacy and fragrance as well as the environment. I’d call that a true ‘Blue Ocean‘ strategy."

+

And here is another article focusing on the same conference, coming from Unicycle Creative:

"Eric Ryan – Method

This presenter reminded me of the dot-com junior CEO’s of the 90’s. Young, hip, dressed down with hair to match. And a company success story that makes one jealous. A lot. Method started with 2 guys in a flat somewhere around 2001. (Young eco-entrepreneurs take note: Their first meeting with Target stores resulted in one buyer saying, “Not a snowball’s chance in hell.”)

Their theories:
Make the cleaner look good on the counter… so you don’t have to put it under the sink. Don’t put biodegradable or non-toxic on the outside of the bottle (to begin with), because people still think green doesn’t clean. What’s healthy for your home is healthy for the planet it sits on.

The majority of the marketing message revolved around creating culture, rather than share of voice, focusing on their most valuable customers. To do this, they hired an in-house PR person and added their most loyal customers to the media list to receive all of the latest news, launch kits and samples normally reserved for the mainstream press.

In one telling example of community-building and proof of product need, the Method team ran a series of events at stores where customers could bring in their old-school cleaning products and trade them for some Method. After the event, they called the municipality to help them deal with all the old traded-in products. They ended up classifying the pile as hazardous waste, and calling in the haz-mat disposal team.

Love the Swiffer but hate the disposability?

Method also continues to push the new product envelope. Their O-Mop floor cleaning system features a corn-based microfiber cloth that also cleans better. And now the whole thing is available in biodegradable packaging. Of course their culture extends throughout their world. Their entire head office is LEED Certified (green-built) yet it looks incredibly modern and clean. As Eric says, “When you get the culture right, everything else is easier.”

did ya miss me? was I gone?

You know what, you set a precedent like I apparently have with ole' method lust (posting almost everyday, multiple times - a rarity with most blogs, I might say!) and suddenly you disappear for a day or two, and start getting worrisome comments such as the one from Robert:

"Where are you? Are you okay?"

I'm alive, I'm alive! I've had a long couple of days at work lately, and it's taken it's toll, resulting in me not focusing on what's important, blogging method style! Please forgive me, for it will most certainly happen again. (Wait a minute? Did he just say? Yes, I did. I'm only human, you know!) But anywho , it was a whirlwind beginning to the week with all the new hot product hitting shelves (I'm still searching for the hand washes that accompany the new marine naturals body line, though... patience, Nathan, patience!) But now it's begun to slow down. Never fear, though. I'm here!

with this ring...

Luster Nate (Ha ha! Not me!) wrote in to say:

"I love the new Method aroma sprays! I remember you said you don't know what the point of the ring is, but I knew exactly what to do! I got home and hung it on the hooks I bought from Ikea! It's perfect!"

I thought it was such a great idea to show us what he's done with his spray, that I'd take a quick pic of mine, as well! I've hung mine on a key hook (I have two, and have always only used the one for my keys) right next to the door! Now if I ever need to quickly freshen the room before answering the door, I can do it with ease. Yay method, you're winning us over with this new aroma spray bottle!

Show us your pics! Where are you hanging your new aroma spray? (Extra points for naughty pics. JOKING, just joking! Whew.)

praise be!

I've had a good number of lusters sending me exciting emails discussing their latest adventures to Target, and their new method discoveries!

"...I am happy to say that my visit to Target last night was a success...well at least in part. I got two airsprays ... lavender + lemongrass and pomegranate tea! Woo hoo! The candles were there and I REALLY like the new design but I have too many candles at my apt. right now and couldn’t justify buying another one ... we’ll see how long that lasts! They also had the bamboo ring which I think I might try one day. I was disappointed, however, that they did not have the new body washes ... I really want to try the refresh mint scent you’ve been blogging about.
- Karin"

"I stopped into Target today (since I was on that side of town running errands) and to my surprise there was new stuff. I cannot tell you how happy I was. I was a kid in a candy store for a moment. I purchased some stuff like the vanilla apple (my favorite) and pomegranate tea candles. They had some open shelving labeled with some other scents for more candles. Not sure if they were stocked and bought out or if they are incoming. I purchased the aroma sprays in citrus cilantro, lavender lemongrass, vanilla apple, and pomegranate tea. I was excited about the sprays in particular because when I became an advocate I just missed the sprays because they were discontinued. I purchased the lavender lemongrass night light and the apple vanilla aroma sticks, too.
- Netta"

and then there are the comments left here on method lust:

"Went to Target today, and they have everything BUT the marine naturals line. I bought one of everything (well, almost...)
- Steve"

"Guess what I got tonight?!? The new Pomegranate Tea candle. LOVE IT! I then headed over to the tea isle and bought some pomegranate tea... I don't even like tea but figured if it smells that good, it must taste even better... But please, don't eat the candle. Already tried that here!
- Jamison"

+

I plan on giving my reviews to many of the new products early next week (if I'm not lazy!) But right now I'm am so loving the new pomegranate tea candle (as seen on my very own coffee table in the pic above!) It's amazing what tea can do to what was otherwise a rather pedestrian scent (in the hand wash line.) And I gotta say, that old ceramic candle is so 2007 for me already. Ha! It's weird how much you can lust for something, and then when something new comes along, you forget it so quickly. It's sorta like whenever I see something shiny. Ohh, look, shiny thing. I'll call the ambulance in a moment, ok? Pretty...

SO, what are your thoughts? What have you found/bought/lusted? Tell us!

cat-astrophe

Oops! If ever I wanted to know if method was pet safe, perhaps tonight was my first experience?

I decided the cats had made quite a mess of the kitchen floor while I was away at work today, so I grabbed some lavender floor cleaner, and my omop, and started to squeeze away at the floor. The cats were eating their dinner, not moving, and OOPS a little too much whooshing of the cleaner resulted in hitting my little sweet black cat, Shadow, with it! She ran from the room, and I went after her, and did blot her dry with a towel; but finally went "Eh, it's method! It should be fine!" and went on my merry mopping ways. Time will tell, but I think she's none the worse for it! Cat-astrophe, averted! (How many times can I say cat-astrophe before you get sick of it? Huh? Huh? Oh, you're already sick of cat-astrophe, aren't you? Ok. Drat.)

And yes, that's her sitting so sweetly in the pic, on top of part of my record collection. (Come on, retro-Christmas vinyl rocks! And you know it! See, she agrees.)

ahoy sailor!

UPDATE OH boy! I (and many others from the comments people are leaving) have found the candles, and remainder of the aircare! I picked me up one pomegranate tea candle (burning as I type. Yum!) and a can of aroma lavender + lemongrass spray (my fav!) and I'm broke broke broke! But happily so! And I'm about to take a shower, and test out my new marine naturals refresh mint body wash! (I bet you wanted to know that, didn't you?) When you pop the lid, the inside says (around the hole) "save water. shower with a friend." Whew! Wait, I have no "friend" to shower with. Poo.

method's gettin' all sexy, sexy with their new phrases. Have you seen the latest on their site "wow. nice package." for the new wipes line? Ha! Too cool. Oh, and I forgot to mention below, but the body wash is $5.99, cheaper than the moisture line (at $7.49) so yeah! And for the same amount (18 oz.) I thought that was cool. So while things like candles and such go up, they try to help us out (or Target does, since I think they decide the pricing in their stores?) with cheaper (than we thought they would be) marine naturals body wash and smarty dish cubes! Thanks!

+

Yup, yup! Guess what I just found on my quick lunch trip to Target! The new marine naturals line is out! YES! I was so surprised to see these! This particular Target has yet to get anything else new in (with the exception of the pink grapefruit smarty dish cubes. You know, what's with the go naked? Everyone has the pink grapefruit, no go naked? Weird...)

The marine naturals look great! They had all three scents: waterflower (smells just like the bloq line), refresh mint (Heaven! I swear it smells like a mojito fell into their green mint body wash vat, and someone went "Ah-ha!"), and sea minerals. They also had the sea minerals body scrub. The hand washes weren't available yet, but I bet they'll be out really soon!

The bottle is wide, and skinny. It's not the same thickness all the way around. It looks great, though. And I'm so shocked they are keeping the moisture line out at the same time. This is the first time method has had two body wash lines out at once! Crazy!

One thing I did notice, that I honestly hope they reconsider down the line. The bottle is amazing, but they've put a flip top on it! Can you believe that? (And a big one, too.) Perhaps the bigger, the easier to open. But I'm so shocked they didn't use the same "bottle technology" they implemented with the original dish soap bottle; and their new improved version used in the baby + kid line body wash and bubbly bath. That way you'd just flip the bottle over, and squeeze! I thought for sure given the look of the bottle, that's the way they were going; but no, it's a flip top. Surprising. The plastic is pretty lite/thin, so maybe that was a consideration for the squeeze style (as the baby + kid line, and the older dish soap bottles sported thicker plastic.) Who knows, and it might work great when I put it to use; but right now I wish it had that cool squeeze-ability.

It's slowly starting to trickle in! I'm so excited, method (birthday!) month is starting to go full steam ahead! Yay for us!

wee one bundles

Well look here, I just stumbled upon a new method gift set bundle! And of all places, at Babies R' Us! (No no, I'm not planning on a wee one in the near future! I can barely take care of myself and my cats! Actually, usually my cats just take care of me. I've even trained them to replace aroma pill refills when they get empty! Isn't that cool! Ok, no well, I haven't really trained them to do that, but wow, that would rock... hmm.) Oh right, where was I?

Babies R' Us is carrying a new squeaky green gift set! The set includes one diaper cream, one body lotion, one hair & body wash, one hand wash, one all-surface spray, and one baby laundry detergent. The hand wash and all-surface spray appear to be in go naked. It retails for $29.99 and is available online at Babies R' Us. I'm not sure if it's also available in the store?

Also, you can purchase these items separately through the Babies R' Us website.

+

On a related note, a friend of mine from work recently asked me where I'd gotten "those hippy baby products" from? Ha! I bought him and his wife some method baby items for their baby shower months ago. And apparently the wife loves them, especially the baby lotion. But they weren't sure where to find them, so I let him know it was Target (and gave him a method baby product coupon I had just to push him along!) But he said his wife always calls them the "hippy products." Ah, some things never change, I guess!

method profiles - allyson willoughby

method profiles went on vacation last week. It was really tired and cranky, so I let it have the week off. I'm a good boss that way! So upon it's return, profiles felt so rested up, it decided to hand itself over early this week, and do a big Monday return! I think that's so sweet! After all, there's not much to look forward to on a Monday (besides a Tuesday, and that's definitely not much to look forward to, either.) So thanks, profiles!

Our method profile today brings us... Allyson Willoughby! Let's see what she's got to say, eh?

1+ Your name, please? And do you have a nickname at method?
Allyson Willoughby – I’ve never really had a nickname.

2+ What was your first method lust?
The original dish soap in the bowling pin bottle.

3+ What brought you to method, the company? (How did you become interested in a career with method?)
I decided it was the best way to track down whoever it was who decided to discontinue Cut Grass. Plus I love the combination of style + substance.

4+ What is your title/dept. at method, and what is it you do there? How long have you been with method?
Chief Justice (a title I will probably never have again!) I handle Method’s legal issues and have been here since March 08.

5+ What is the biggest thing you are currently doing, besides using method products, to help out the environment?
Some day I hope to build a green house, but for now just the little things like recycling, driving a hybrid and trying to convince my parents to be a little more eco-friendly.

6+ Who's the last person you've turned onto method?
My next door neighbor, Nancy.

7+ Which one best describes you as a person? Pink Grapefruit, French Lavender, Cucumber, or Go Naked?
I just can’t let Cut Grass go!

Thanks Allyson! No nickname, huh? Man, that's just not fair! How about we give her one, method lusters! I got it! Drum roll please... Ally McMethod! (Get it, get it? Ally McBeal, but instead it's Ally McMetho... ok, but she even worked in the legal field! Wha? Don't like that one? Well, hey, I tried! Who's Ally McBeal, you ask? Come on! Sigh...)

Check back Wednesdays (or whenever I get around to it, really. No, but seriously... really.) for the next method profile! And be sure to catch up on previous method profiles by selecting from the sidebar list!

brand new lustin'

I'm always excited when a new method luster (and long time method advocate! Or even new time method advocate!) comes along! And I'm especially excited when I get a really nice email from them (as I have from a few as of late! Hey Jeff, hey everyone!) Kirby happens to be one of those people!

"Nathan--

Yesterday I found methodlust. Finished reading it in its entirety today. Yes, I obsessively read your whole blog in less than 24 hours (interspersed with some inspired method cleaning sessions, leftover Thai, a house party and...sleep). If you're thinking, "Whoa, psycho woman!" and click out of your email program right now and have a bout of heebie-jeebie induced convulsions, I sincerely apologize.

My great-smelling clean little home is in Eugene, Oregon - this town is a little green mecca. Some people interpret that as meaning Eugene is focused on sustainable lifestyle practices, others believe it's pertaining to something else green, stinky, and sticky that is also quite popular here, but I digress. My point is - you can't swing a dead cat without hitting earth-friendly, animal-friendly (though swinging dead cats isn't particularly so) personal care and home care products around here because people here are pretty hip to that. But method is just so much prettier! And why should I choose function over form when I can have both?

I've been relentlessly hoarding anything and everything method for years. I just moved so my meth(od) lab is in disarray (seriously, I only have one bottle of hand wash in my new house right now, it's heinous) but I believe I may still have pumpkin spice hand wash in my collection. My best friend/fellow luster and I cleaned out our local Big Lots a couple years ago upon finding it.

Thank you for all the work you put into methodlust - I'm glad there's someone else who understands that method is completely worth being obsessed with! I look forward to more drooling over your little piece of online heaven (and wiping up said drool with one of my many choices of method products well-suited for this task).

- Kirby"

Thanks for the email Kirby! Pumpkin spice hand wash, I am jealous! One of the few method products I've never actually seen, nor laid my hands on (or washed them with, har har!)

+

Thanks to all the method lusters, and advocates out there that continue to head on over here to method lust and read this blog! You seriously make it all worth it! Keep telling your friends about method products (and perhaps throw in a little shout out to this cool method lust blog you happen to know about, and that they should check out!) I appreciate it!

weekend notes

Ooh, look here! I (literally like ten minutes ago) left a Target near me, having discovered some new method products! Yay!

My first discovery happened to be the new smarty dish cubes! They only had them in pink grapefruit at the moment (with a spot for the Go Naked) so I grabbed up some of the grapefruit to give a try! The package is so tiny, like you can hold it in the palm of your hand small! Wow! Really cool.

Then, I turned right around in the aisle, and was staring at the aircare area! It was a mixed bag, they have yet to get the candles in/or stocked, but they did have most other items. The new vanilla apple aroma sticks, the bamboo aroma ring, the pomegranate tea plugin refill; and the new aroma sprays. ALL of them, except the one I needed, the lavender + lemongrass. How odd? They had a space for it, but nothing was there. I cried a tiny tear, took a moment of silence, and moved on to: the new aroma pill nightlight! Why am I so excited about a nightlight?!? I have no idea, but I whipped it up, and ran to the checkout! (The bamboo ring looks really nice, but being on a limited budget at the moment, the nightlight and dish cubes won out!)

It looks almost exactly like the currently pill version. They've updated their logo to the method circle inside the house (I think they might be heading in the direction of using that for everything down the line, time will tell.) And it DOES turn on when the lights go out in a room, and turn off when they come on, automatically! How cool is that! It emits this subtle blue/white light when it's on, and I think it's great! I'll get the real test tonight, when it's dark out. I put it in the bathroom, I thought that was probably the best room for it, no?

The prices appear to have gone up about a dollar for many of the new items (the bamboo ring is one dollar more than the plastic version; the pill nightlight is one dollar more than it's plain version; and of course said here earlier, the candles are two dollars more.) Here's hoping the new candles pop up soon near me! (And you, too!) OH, and the smarty dish cubes are only $4.99! (Not the $6.99 suggested price we were expecting to pay! Yay!)

+

Oh, unrelated, I uh, totally realized I have yet to post up new polls! What is my problem? Man! Well, I'll get that remedied very soon, alright! So just bare with me for a bit. (Hmm, gotta think up some new questions!)

sneak peek - bamboo aroma ring

Wooden (ahem, cough) you lust having one of these in your house! Check it out, the new bamboo aroma ring will be coming to a store near you very soon! method is testing the concept in the sweet water scent. (But again, of course, you can refill it with any scent you wish!)

These look really cool, I'm very eager to see it in person. How about you?

rant on

Hold on, it's not gonna be pretty. I'm REAL glad it's Friday. Like so real glad you can't imagine. You see, while I've been putting on a really sweet, the world's so rosey, lets all dance around the maypole appearance here this week; my past week has been H.E. double hockey sticks. Let me tell you, atrocious.

So last night, leaving work at 7:30 (I've also been staying rather late this week at work. This is all work related. I love my job right now. I really do. I'm being sarcastic. I really am.) SO, upon leaving work, exhausted for a multitude of reasons (most of them mental), I decide to stop into the nearby Target and see if those darn method aircare products have arrived. Here's my internal monologue (which I have a lot of these.)

"Hey, let's run to Target and see if they have the new aircare line! Oh!"

"Oh, they aren't going to have it. Stop looking for it, give it time, and then tada one day you'll spot it!"

"But I don't have anything better to do. It's late, why not waste some time. And the Target near my home definitely won't have it, they get everything last. Let's go to the one near work, they might have it! It's just a skip off the interstate, and up the on ramp!"

"Ok! What harm can come of it?"

And... I fall right into an expired registration sticker state trooper check point, right there on the on ramp. LAME. OH week, why are you doing this to me?

And hey, ok, did I deserve it. Sure, my sticker was expired. Hey, you know, I love how I can't afford my $185. expenses to fix my truck so that it WILL pass inspection (because I went to get it inspected, and it failed, for two really lame reasons. But none the less...) but PLEASE Mr. Officer, give me that $146. ticket so I can add it to the $185. expenses I can't afford. It all makes sense...

The ticket: $25.00 - The "court fees" (that's what they're called, but please, court fees, I'm not even...): $121.00 - Total: $146.00

But if you would like to pay this ticket and "plead your guilt" you must pay the entire thing. NOT the $25. the ticket cost, no, that would make sense. But rather the $146., even though you're paying so you DON'T have to go to court. But... still have the pay the "fee."

So I took my ticket, rolled my eyes to the officer as he walked away (which was the least of things I wanted to do), and drove on to Target.

Where they did NOT have the new aircare line. Bah-dum.

Rant off. (No offense intended.)

popping up

Brand new method luster Jeff (welcome, Jeff!) lets me know that his Target store in the great state of Washington has seen the new aircare line pop up! LUCKY him! (I guess he's closer than us east coasters to method's headquarters, so perhaps the quicker turn around?) He picked up a bunch of goodies, but also let me know that while the candles now sport a sleeker, shallow glass jar, and a slightly larger size (6.5 oz. over the previous 6.0 oz.); they also sport a slightly higher price tag. The new candle line is going for $7.99 a candle (ouch!) over the $5.99 price for the discontinued ceramic jar.

A little steep for me (I was sorta turned off on last years $6.99 holiday candles; so $7.99 ugh), but let's see how it all shakes out. I'm still excited to check'em out, and pick up a pomegranate tea candle!

new hsn videos!

More HSN method videos are making their rounds! This one focuses on the new squeaky green laundry line (with college dorm needs being the focus.) And OH, ladies AND gentlemen (of a certain persuasion), there is some eye candy going on in this one (not to mention that English accent. And I ain't talkin' about the method products. Ahem...)

Anyway...



Here's another one, also focusing on dorm rooms, giving you a bit of everything (aroma pill, cleaning spray, hand wash, wipes, etc.) Check'em out!

ulta-mate!

Did you know Ulta carries method products? Neither did I!

Ulta is a new store that's opened up here in Greensboro, and I've heard it's a lot like a Sephora, so I decided to roam on in last night and check it out. (In a complete surprise, my old Banana Republic manager/boss is now running that store, so I got a complete tour!) And while checking out the hand wash/soap area, I noticed they are carrying method's hand wash line and refills! I didn't know that!

It's a pretty small selection to choose from, and no body wash, etc. for some reason (since they do carry body washes, and candles. Perhaps they'll carry more method down the line.) But I was rather impressed, and let him know I lusted for some method, and that they were an environmentally friendly line! He admitted he didn't know that!

So next time you've run out of method hand wash, Ulta might be the place for you! (You can even purchase it on their site!)

sneak peek - marine naturals hand wash

Continuing our August new products sneak peek are two hand washes that will debut with the new body line, marine naturals! These two new scents are (well, one is new, waterflower comes to us from the bloq line, but in a new color!) waterflower, and refresh mint.

I've enlarged the bottles here to show you the scent names displayed proudly. I'm loving the refresh mint, and can't wait for it to hit stores!

These two scents will come in both gel and foaming hand wash varieties. (And since sea minerals is already available in a hand wash, this will provide each marine naturals body line with it's own hand wash as well!)

sneak peek - you light up my life

Bling! I've got an idea! What about a method plug-in pill, but AS A NIGHTLIGHT! Wouldn't that rock!? Oh my word, I have to mention this to method, they'll just flip and...

Oh, dang.

CHECK it out, it's the new lavender + lemongrass nightlight pill! Isn't it the best! People have been asking for this for quite some time, and I'm so excited method has delivered! And I was really hoping they wouldn't mess with a good thing, and leave the pill the same, but integrate the light, and they did! Now, I don't have all the tiny details as of this moment, so I'm not sure, but it looks to me like the entire "non-glass" portion of the pill lights up!

The packaging calls it an "automatic nightlight." I'm not sure what that means. I'm thinking it doesn't have an on/off switch. Do you think that means it stays on all the time? Or is it light sensitive, turning itself on and off depending on the level of lighting in the room (light, not on; dark, light on)? I think that'd be too pricey for method to invest in. So I'm guessing it's just on all the time, as long as it's plugged in. But we'll have to wait and see! (Unless someone from the wonderful land of method reading this knows? Tell us, we'll be really appreciative and blow you kisses! I promise!)

These SHOULD be out near the end of August (my guess) simply because I think the entire new aircare line will be out on shelves by the end of the month; Target has already clearanced the current "non" nightlight version of lavender + lemongrass, so I think that's a good sign we'll be seeing this very soon. It's currently only being released in lavender + lemongrass (but of course you can purchase any refill scent you wish! But lavender + lemongrass deserves your lusting! It's awesome!)

I can't wait! (I say that a lot, I know.)