Autoblog

Toyota's "Harmony Floralscapes" bloom along LA, SF highways

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:39:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Toyota

Toyota's "Harmony Floralscape" - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota's TV ads for the 2010 Prius feature a world of flowers blooming whenever the iconic hybrid drives by. This visual message is now available in the physical world thanks to a living ad designed by Greenroad Media. Toyota is installing flowerbeds in the shape of the Prius along busy Los Angeles freeways, with the first unveiled yesterday along the Pasadena Freeway near downtown. Called a "floralscape," the image of a Prius in a sunrise is the first of nine that will promote the Prius around LA and in San Francisco.

The floralscape uses about 20,000 blooms from living flowers to make a 30' by 60' image. The green-ness of the ad extends to the solar energy and "ecologically responsible insect and fungi control" used to make the image. What's odd is that federal regulations require the floralscapes be non-commercial - no company names or logos are allowed - yet this is obviously an ad for the Prius. Somehow, the abstract nature of the flowerbeds allows them to be approved by California's department of transportation, Caltrans, and they are therefore okay to plant. Said another way, it's an ad that isn't an ad, but it really is.

Gallery: Toyota Prius Harmony Floralscapes

[Source: Toyota]

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Toyota's "Harmony Floralscapes" bloom along LA, SF highways originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche flower wheel found in Russia

John Neff — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Porsche

click above image to enlarge

According to English Russia, our favorite site of kitschy Russian culture, this unique form of self-imposed vehicular vandalism is all the rage in the former Soviet country. This particular example was caught in Moscow, and appears to be the wheel of a Type 996 Porsche 911 Carbriolet that's overflowing with flora. Hmmm... hippies used to rave about flower power, perhaps the colorful decoration adds a few horsepower.

[Source: English Russia]

Gallery: Porsche flower wheel

Porsche flower wheel found in Russia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oil exec says Europe needs biodiesel, not ethanol

Stuart Waterman — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:53:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid

In an interview with Reuters, the head of agricultural development for oil company Total flatly stated that Europe needs more biodiesel production rather than competing alternative fuel ethanol, saying "The European market definitely is, and for a long time will be, a diesel market."

Europe is a net importer of diesel, mostly from Russia, but an exporter of gasoline, much of which goes to the U.S. This year, diesel is forecast to surpass gasoline as the primary fuel for new European passenger vehicles. This lessens the potential impact of ethanol-gasoline blends as an alternative fuel.

The European Union has set targeted biofuels to provide 5.75 percent of transport fuels by 2010, but it's unlikely that Europe can economically grow enough biodiesel feedstock to come close to the target, making imports of oilseeds like rapeseed (pictured) inevitable.

Total is the world's fourth largest oil and gas company, and a European leader in biofuels. Among other initiatives, the company recently entered into a partnership with Finland's Neste Oil to develop a synthetic biodiesel refining capability.

[Sources: Reuters, Total]

Oil exec says Europe needs biodiesel, not ethanol originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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