Recession might seem like one big joke to those in Tokyo. Well, we don’t mean to only refer to the 12K yen that government shelled out per person in Japan to aid in the financial crisis, but also to the marketing strategy adopted by French jewelry store Mauboussin. Believe it or not, but as part of the launch of its new store in Ginza, the brand gave away 5,000 diamonds for free.

Each diamond was worth 0.1 carat with a cost of $55. This strategy was used to encourage people to invest in luxury gems during the hard times. But we do have serious doubts about the finances of a company who is offering diamonds like promotion cookies.

As a matter of fact, the little show went down pretty well with the public who waited patiently outside the new store. But there was a catch here too. The brand was also offering the prospective customers a chance to make the free diamonds into rings of pendants for a fee of $520. A very unique thinking  that sure got everyone’s attention across the world.

Via japantoday

Tai Shang Kuei is a Taiwanese designer who has created this beautiful and eco friendly concept of “Free”. The Free has already been listed in the 2008 Nissan design awards and earned the accreditation special award. This car design uses fuel cells in order to generate fuel and produces no polluting elements and thus has a zero emission technology built in to it.

It also creates no noise and is highly efficient in the way it takes to roads and highways. The car has been designed in a futuristic manner taking into account future space needs and demographic structure of the society. The fuel cells which are stored in a suitcase like enclosure can be used as a recreational and flexible space.

I would say, this is one of the best ways to save energy and also drive a cool car at the same time which is futuristic in nature. Such designs will surely change the way we travel around and it would make the world a cleaner and greener place to live in.