Les Oiseaux de Merde

Buy your Moroccan scarf and Indian herbs via a live stream

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0100

Les Oiseaux de Merde is about to launch a new online service that will make local economies flourish again: using a phone camera with internet connection. Here’s how it works:

The concept is simple. A team of two people live streams a visit to a local market showing the uniques products you can buy. Another fellow describes each product and posts the product on a live stream blog including price. 500 or more people follow the live stream local shopping online and press purchase at the moment they want to buy it.

Local economy is stimulated.

Want to know when our service goes live: drop your email here.

Shared Wardrobe

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:11:00 +0100

The Shared Wardrobe is a Pop-Up Fitting Room where people can rent Designer Clothes. These clothes are limited edition and especially made for the Shared Wardrobe. This allows people to wear the latest designer clothes and it provides much publicity for the fashion label.

Green fashion
By setting up this Shared Wardrobe, a fashion label shows that it is paying attention to durability and that it does not take part in the Buy, Wear, Throw Away fashion trend. Because, with the Shared Wardrobe people don’t need to keep buying new clothes to keep up with the latest fashion trends since the Shared Wardrobe allows them to keep wearing the latest fashion clothes. After the week is over, the clothes will be recycled, which is easy, because the clothes have to be returned to the Shared Wardrobe anyway.

The Product
The Shared Wardrobe is a sleek fitting room that can be found on multiple spots in the streets of New York. The users can find these Wardrobes via the app on their smartphone. When they arrive, they can check-in and then the Wardrobe opens. In there, the user can select his/her size after which he/she can put on the clothes. A cool bag for the clothes he/she was wearing before will be provided. If the user was already wearing a set from the Wardrobe, he/she can easily change it inside the Wardrobe for a new set.

Fun
The Shared Wardrobe is a great benefit for both the user and the fashion label. But Les Oiseaux de Merde thinks things should also be fun. To achieve this, the users have to be able to show their clothes in a fashionably manner. The Shared Wardrobe can be placed next to a subway grate where people can take a Marilyn Monroe-like photo of themselves after which they can share it online. An other option is to place a small catwalk next to the Wardrobe where people can walk the catwalk with their new rented clothes. Les Oiseaux de Merde has tons of other ideas for the Shared Wardrobe, it depends on the company what idea fits best.

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Video of the very first Airplane Food Event @ Amsterdam Roest

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:53:52 +0100

Video of the very first Airplane Food Event! Made by Erik Loots.

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Everyone Admin.

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:14:00 +0100

It is often said that a brand is made by its fans. Why shouldn’t it be?

The Coke page came to be when two fans who loved Coke just created a Coke fan page when Coke itself didn’t have one yet. Instead of taking over the page and making it their own, Coke decided to give them their blessing and help. By empowering the fans to keep their fan page, Coke ensures a passionate page owner.

Les Oiseaux de Merde thinks every brand should completely open up their facebook page and let everyone, every fan, have a same influence on the content. Social media is about interaction, but real interaction is allowing people to freely change something of the page when they think they can improve it. Wikipedia works like this, why don’t the brands do it with their Facebook?

Les Oiseaux de Merde makes a start. We rocket launched the page Everyone Admin; every liker is also made admin. This way, we democratize this Facebook page. On this page, everyone is allowed to post what he/she likes. If you don’t like a post of someone, you improve it or give a comment. If you love a post, you like it and share it with your friends. Everyone Admin will be the first truly honest page on Facebook.

Democratize Everything, Everyone Admin.

Tour de France in Africa

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:53:00 +0200

Photo: Ilona Kamps

There are several bicycle races held in Africa each year: Tour of Rwanda, Tour of Eritrea and the Tour du Gabon are only a few examples. Due to these races, the cycling sport grows enormously in popularity in Africa.

At the same time, infrastructure is one of the main problems of African countries. In Cote d’Ivoire for example, only 8,12% of the roads is paved. In a huge country like Congo (DR) only 1,82% of the roads is paved and in a smaller country like Burkina Faso only 4,17% of the roads is paved. (World Bank data)

The Chinese are working hard to build the necessary roads in Africa, but they only do this in exchange for land and minerals. There could be however a much simpler way to build and maintain roads in African countries: Organize the prologue of the Tour de France in Africa.

If the prologue of the Tour de France is held in an African country, say Uganda, it will most certainly cause a lot of media attention. Due to this international pressure, the government of Uganda has to make sure the whole race is held without problems. This also means that the roads have to be ready for the stage.

In the end, every party benefits from this race. Uganda will have a good reputation, the Tour de France will have an international scoop and the Ugandan people will have more good roads that can be used for transport and they will be able to take part of a great event like the Tour de France. This will increase cycling in Africa which in the end might also result in the first black man in the Tour de France.

Airplane Food Event photos

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:08:00 +0200

We don’t have to tell you the Airplane Food Event was a great success, just take a look at these photos.
Thanks everyone for their help, their presence and their culinary interest for Airplane Food, we had a great time!

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

P.s. More photos can be seen on our facebook

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST TO VIEW ALL THE PICTURES.

Airplane Food The Event @ Amsterdam Roest / July 15

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:06:00 +0200

You can buy your tickets (boarding passes) here. Dutch Press Release here

Fasten your seatbelts,

on July 15th, Les Oiseaux de Merde and Amsterdam Roest will launch the first Airplane Food Event! Boarding at 6pm. Once we are in the air, dinner will be served in such a fashion that airplane food will never be the same again! Expect 200 airplane seats, food talks, a fashion show of a famous designer, airplane food and much more.

Afterwards, a typical airplane movie will be shown and Amsterdam Roest will be filled with nice airplane music.

Boarding passes: 25 euro (includes a full meal plus drink, top-notch fashion, a movie and a trip around the world).

Click here to read our motivation to start such a bizarre event.
We also have a facebook page and a facebook event.

We thank you for your attention and we wish you a pleasant flight.

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Trailers

Metro Thursday July 14th

Het Parool Thursday July 15th

EU Crises in plane Les Oiseaux de Merde language. Piggy Banking...

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:32:22 +0200

EU Crises in plane Les Oiseaux de Merde language. Piggy Banking done the EU way.

Logos for diseases

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:32:00 +0200

EHEC Disease

Once in a while, the news warns us for a new virus or bacteria pandemic. Over the years, we tend to forget these diseases. Who remembers for example the swine flu of 2009, or the SARS pandemic of 2002?

Therefore, we think it is useful to design logos for these viruses and bacterias, since this makes it much easier for people to remember and to communicate the danger of these viruses. This way, a virus will never again be just another virus.

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

SARS

Swine flu

UPDATE: Thomas van Oekelen reminded us of this cool logo

Pecha Kucha Amsterdam #17

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:36:00 +0200

The moment we came back from the Congo, people wanted us to give a presentation about our trip for some reason. On the 6th april we presented in Trouw Amsterdam for the 17th edition of Pecha Kucha Amsterdam. Child’s teeth, socks, gizobazoba, development work/business, Congolese vs Western dancing, the wall of a theatre, black man with flute, defecation graphs, future Congo business opportunities, inspiring messages, it is all in it. Pick what you like. Or what you think you like.

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Airplane Food UPDATE: the event

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:37:00 +0200

Recently we wrote that we were launching an Airplane food restaurant. Now our dream is seriously becoming reality. Friday the 15th of July in the coolest spot of Amsterdam it will all happen: the first Airplane food event. This picture is a sneak peek of the location.

To be sure of a ticket ‘like’ us on facebook and send an email with your name (and if needed names of your attending friends) to airplanefood@oiseauxdemerde.com. We have a facebook event and a plancast event too.

Airplane Food Restaurant

Wed, 04 May 2011 07:54:00 +0200

/// UPDATE: We are organizing an Airplane Food Event @ club Amsterdam Roest on July 15! Tickets can be bought here. And this is the Facebook event ///

Les Oiseaux de Merde loves airplane food. It is something to look forward to when you are travelling. It is quick, it contains all the necessary ingredients and it always has very diverse tastes in one dinner. So why should this only be available in airplanes?

Therefore, Les Oiseaux de Merde is starting an airplane food Restaurant. This restaurant will be just like any other restaurant and will enable people that do not travel much to also enjoy airplane food.

Airplane food has a bad reputation. Weird, because the meals are designed by top chefs and they are meant to be liked by everyone. The Airplane food restaurant is the opportunity for airlines to show that they do serve good meals. Every day, a different airline dinner is on the menu. Dinner will be served by stewards and stewardesses and customers can choose if they sit in economy or business class. You can choose for a quick meal (five courses on one plate) or have a real dinner with every half of an hour a different course.

Because the Plane Food Restaurant will also be visited by professional culinary journalists, the airliners will do their best to serve good food. The customers can also have an impact on the food served. If many people ask for biological food, the airlines will have to respond to that wish. If airplane food is not good already, it will be with the launch of this restaurant.

If you want to know more:
mail@oiseauxdemerde.com

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Design of the wall of the K-MU Theatre in Kinshasa, Congo (DR)

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:36:48 +0200

In the commune of N’Djili, a suburb of Kinshasa lies a small but engaging theatre, called K-MU Theatre. Whom the founder, Toto Kisaku, invited us officially to head over to Kinshasa. The theatre happened to be there to stimulate art and to encourage people to take initiatives so they can evade people hoping that God or the lottery will bring them money. Concluding we, Les Oiseaux de Merde, found the theatre an inspiring place, but their wall didn’t really match that atmosphere. We, as designers from origin, decided to make a change and revamped the whole wall.

The wall was funded with the donations of people and businesses in the Netherlands. In exchange, their name was written on the wall of the K-MU theatre. Who else can say they have their name written on a wall in Kinshasa in the Congo?!

So we created in fact a win-win-win situation for all parties!

First, we had to arrange a painter. The artist first had to see the wall before he could know how much time and money it would cost to paint the wall. One big setback since he said that the wall first had to be plastered first befor he could start with the actual painting. This would take two days, we only had two days left. But the coordinator of the ‘project’ or ‘the garnaal’ of the K-MU theatre said us that everything would be all right. It would be in the end, but not because of him.

So the wall had to be plastered. One guy was assigned to do this task, preferably in one day. Since this was impossible (the poor fellow had worked for 8 hours straight while the others were watching him do the job) he continued the next day. Alone, of course.

After two days of hard work (not for us, we were only allowed to sit and watch like two old emperors who lived in the colonial era), the wall was plastered. In time (!). The next morning the painter arrived with a team of five (actually four).
In the beginning there were some difficulties explaining the design, since our design was made loosly with illustrator and the painters worked with a grid. Therefore the design turned out to be a bit smaller then we wanted. But the team worked incredibly professional and after a day of hard work, the wall shined like a diamond!

So in the end everything was allright and everybody lived happily ever after! And we created a win-win-win situation: talking about doing business in Africa!

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Arrival in Congo (hum pa dum, tadadada, hum pa dum!)

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:08:00 +0200

Internet in Congo is so slow (average of 0,005 kb/s), it took almost 4 weeks to upload this impression video of our arrival in Congo. But the patience is rewarded!

hum pa dum, tadadada, hum pa dum!

My father made me to know
that my great great gandfather
Came from the Congo in the Western Province of Katanga.
But I can’t remember his name,
because it was too long.
and if I called the name
I might have to bite me tounge

hum pa dum, tadadada, hum pa dum!

-Lord Brynner, Congo war

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Handing out Socks 4 Africa

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:18:00 +0200

In 2010 Les Oiseaux de Merde started the NGO Socks 4 Africa. After a year of hard work, we managed to raise 4 pairs of socks. In 2011 it was finally the time to deliver the socks. We have never seen African people so happy.

By the end of 2012 we want to have raised at least 12 pairs of socks. Believe in the impossible and donate your socks! There is no better way to redeem yourself from your feeling of guilt towards the Africans!

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Returning Africas capital

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:04:00 +0200

After years of slavery, war and exploitation, Les Oiseaux de Merde thinks it is time to return one of Africas most valuable properties: Ivory. Late 19th century, the ivory industry florished. In 1897 245 tons of ivory was stolen and exported from Congo to Europe (New York Times, 16 april 1899).

We obviously feel ashamed for our greed and we want to make things right. Since the ivory was used to make pianos and biljartballs, it is impossible to return the ivory as we got it: in the classic shape of tusks. Therefore, we think it is time to pay back with our own ivory tusks : our teeth.

Les Oiseaux de Merde took the first step and smuggled 4 of our childs teeth into the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is small, but it is a start. Our goal is to pay back at least the 245 tons of ivory we once relentlessly stole. Les Oiseaux de Merde alone does not have enough teeth to pay back the full 245 tonnes, so please donate your teeth and help us pay off our collective debt. This will make the Congolese people incredibly happy and it will releive us from our feeling of guilt.

Business in Congo à la Daniel Knoop

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Congo DR staat op vrijwel de laagste plek van landen waar je het makkelijkst een business kan opzetten. Ook al is het land inmiddels 50 jaar onafhankelijk, politiek gezien is het een zooitje. De VN staat ook machteloos: het is schier onmogelijk regels op te leggen in een land waar zelfs de politie en het leger tot op het bot corrupt zijn.

Daniel Knoop heeft gewerkt bij de Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) van de VN. Hij ergerde zich bij de VN aan het grote contrast met de werkelijkheid. Hoe kun je iets veranderen als je niet weet hoe de lokale samenleving in elkaar steekt, simpelweg omdat je je er nooit tussen begeeft en altijd binnen de veilige zone van de VN blijft? Daarom is Knoop bij de VN vertrokken en is hij zelf vanaf nul een business begonnen in Congo (videoblog holland doc). Volgens Knoop kun je immers het beste bijdragen aan de ontwikkeling van Afrika door er zelf volledig aan deel te nemen.

Zijn bedrijf Incentivators (about) werkt volgens een simpel principe: Knoop koopt maniok in op het platteland, verwerkt die tot meel en verkoopt dat vervolgens in de stad Kinshasa. Op het platteland is namelijk overproductie en in Kinshasa voedseltekort. Door boeren te stimuleren om volgens zijn visie te produceren wil Knoop onder andere de enorme boskap in het gebied tegengaan.

: De fabriek in Mukila

Om zaken te doen in Congo moet je flexibel zijn. Als je alles exact volgens de wet doet ben je jaren bezig. Bovendien is het zaak dat je je aanpast aan de cultuur en weet hoe de dorpsstructuren werken. Doordat Knoop precies weet hoe het spel gespeeld moet worden begint zijn bedrijf inmiddels winst te maken.

Met deze winst heeft Knoop grote plannen voor de toekomst. Allereerst wil hij meerdere fabrieken opzetten om meer boeren volgens zijn principe te laten verbouwen. Later zou hij graag in Congo een eliteschool opzetten met veel ruimte voor discussie en debat. Een soort Congolese BKB Academie dus. Wil je immers echt iets veranderen, dan moet je klein beginnen.

Daniel Knoop adviseert bedrijven over duurzaam ondernemen in Afrika. Hij is bereikbaar opdaniel_knoop@yahoo.co.uk, facebook en twitter. Hij schrijft ook voor IS Online. Over zijn tijd bij de FAO in Kameroen is een documentaire gemaakt. Knoop zelf echter kan zich niet geheel vinden in het beeld dat hierin van hem en van de ontwikkelingswereld geschetst wordt.

Barbies & Power Rangers

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Terwijl Wilders druk bezig is de samenleving op te splitsen in Nederlanders en moslims, zijn bedrijven juist hard aan het werk om de samenleving op te splitsen in jongens en meisjes.

In de jaren ‘70 (‘vroeger’) was Lego voor ieder kind. Jongens en meisjes speelden allemaal met dezelfde Lego. Daar was tevens de marketing van Lego op gericht, met een reclame waarop een stoer meisje met een Lego-bouwwerk te zien was. Zo’n reclame is nu ondenkbaar, want Lego heeft nu een aparte meisjes-Legolijn en wil dat alle meisjes dat kopen. Immers: hoe meer markten, hoe meer omzet.

Disney kende een zwarte periode in 2000. De verkoop van de merchandise daalde met 30% en films als ‘A bug’s life’ deed de verkoop ook niet stijgen (wie wil er nou een mier als knuffel). Totdat Andy Mooney, net overgekomen van Nike, het licht zag. Bij een show van ‘Disney on Ice’ stonden allerlei meisjes in de rij die van top tot teen als prinsesjes gekleed waren. Dus haalde Mooney alle oude Disney prinsessen uit kast, van Assepoester tot Pocahontas, en plaatste ze allemaal in eenzelfde reclame. Het succes was ongehoord, de prinsessen-hype was begonnen. Tot groot genoegen van Barbie, die de verkoop enorm zag stijgen.

Volgens Mooney is dit slechts een fase waar alle kinderen doorheen gaan. Meisjes willen prinsesjes zijn en jongens Power Rangers. Maar nu worden ook de jongeren ingedeeld in de categoriën mannen en vrouwen. Het duidelijkste voorbeeld is uiteraard Coca-Cola Light en Coca-Cola Zero. Allebei even smerig, maar de een is voor vrouwen en de ander voor mannen. Het meest extreme voorbeeld is het nieuwe telefoonnetwerk SIZZ (van RTL en Vodafone). Dit is geheel gericht op vrouwen, het is ‘makkelijk en leuk’, het helpt vrouwen met het maken van keuzes (om ‘keuzestress’ te voorkomen) en de slogan is ‘da’s lekker mobiel’. Dat maakt SIZZ toch wel het ultieme marketingvoorbeeld: een ontastbaar en droog iets als een telefoonnetwerk richten op één specifieke doelgroep. Mocht het aanslaan, dan is het SIZZ gelukt lucht te verkopen.

Deze blog is geschreven in het kader van de sessie Marketing, Branding & Pitchen voor de BKB Academie en is gebaseerd op het artikel van Peggy Orenstein in de NY Times: What’s Wrong With Cinderella?

Belgium in a nutshell

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Yeah… Belgium.
Made for an event of the Dutch cultural magazine hard//hoofd live with the theme Belgium. Hence the name, Belgium in a nutshell. Enjoy.

Sincerely,

Les Oiseaux de Merde

Socks 4 Africa

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:29:00 +0100

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Africans have no shortage of clothing. On a regular basis we donate T-shirts, pants, shoes and more to the African people. Without success. This does not work because development organizations do not look at what Africans really need. Les Oiseaux de merde did look at their needs and came to a shocking conclusion.

Socks. Every photo of Africans shoes that African people are wearing sandals, but apparently can not afford to buy socks. Sometimes they even walk barefoot! We, Les Oiseaux de merde, can not tolerate this poverty and we decided to do something about it.

Hence the action Socks 4 Africa. Buy a new pair of socks and hand in your old. Your old socks are then sent to Africa, so that poor Africans still can make some use of them. This way, they never have cold feet and they do not need to be ashamed if they have not cut their toenails.

Warm feet are the foundation of a warm body and development. So do not be selfish and donate your old socks in a poor African.

Les Oiseaux the Merde is a profit organization and therefore has a profit mark.