It’s probably rare to keep a car catalog around longer than the time it takes to make a purchasing decision, but BMW’s piece of work for the i3 may be worth the shelf space — assuming you get ahold of one. (For once, you actually have to buy the car first.)
The promotional guide is being marketed as the “world’s first fully sustainable car catalog.” Conceived by Israel’s Gitam BBDO, it’s composed of chip wood, rubber, glass, tin, artificial leather, marble, satin, corrugated cardboard, recycled paper, canvas… and even tarp from an old BMW billboard.
The catalog is a reflection of the car itself. BMW’s i3 model is 100 percent electric. The chassis is built with water power, through the growth of eucalyptus trees on factory grounds. Sheep raised on the outskirts of the plant — an environmentally friendly factory in Leipzig, Germany — provide wool for the car’s cushioning.
“Our mission was to tell the BMW i3’s unique story, and during our research and work process we realized that we can tell that story in a new way. Not only did we have a chance to create a sustainable car catalog, but we could actually complete the vehicle’s sustainability cycle. The result is a unique product that was not seen before, and a story told, in our opinion, in a way that the consumer will appreciate enough to stop and listen to it.”