The Milkooler products themselves have not changed one bit — still the same quality Avent bottles and Aussie-made neoprene thermally insulating jackets the world has come to vaguely recall when they try really hard to remember. The website, however, is all new and well… zushy.

So why did it take the best part of a decade?

For the best part of a decade since starting the business, I have neglected Milkooler. I’ve been rushing around busy with what seemed like bigger, more strategic stuff at the time — an online DVD rental business, a record label, a mobile social networking business, an online automotive business, and more. All that time, Milkooler has been pretty quiet, because as any experienced businessperson will agree, you only get out of a business what you put into it.

About six months ago I was running through my various business ideas with someone who I hoped might become a new client of my consulting business, Doing Words. Amongst other things, I said they should go checkout Milkooler.com. Later on, I realised I should go check out Milkooler.com too, as I’d just referred a potential client to something I hadn’t looked at for a long time, and what I saw… well, frankly, it horrified me. I certainly didn’t want potential clients looking at it any more, much less potential Milkooler customers.

State of the art a decade ago, the old Milkooler look was ready for a change.

A decade is a long time in web design, and the original Milkooler design was originally built for the now-defunct Yahoo! Store platform by Mark and Ranelle at Shine Media. The new redesign is by the dudes at Grox.

More about the site redesign than you probably want to know

So, why Shine Media back then, and why Grox now? What’s different about the designs? If you really wanna know, here’s the story.

Shine Media was founded by Mark and Ranelle Puse. Mark used to work for me when I was at Yahoo! and was one of the first designer/developers on the Yahoo! Store platform. Ranelle is a talented visual designer and Mark’s wife. Ranelle came up with the Milkooler brand identity and all the logos for the Milkoolers. Mark and Ranelle were perfect for Milkooler because they have more children themselves than any of my other friends. If anyone knew anything about babies, it was Mark and Ranelle!

Shine Media did a great job back then, but the interwebz have moved on and those static HTML pages were gathering dust, failing to excite and delight website visitors (if sales were any indication). These days people expect a CMS, SEO, blog integration, social media and big, bright graphics and visual elements (remember, in 2002 the average home internet connection in Australia probably ran to 48kbps if you were lucky — big images would have crippled the site back then.)

The new Milkooler design and build is by Grox, who are closely affiliated with Shine Media, since Mark’s younger brother Paul is a founding team member and the business is owned by Stephen, who also used to work with Mark and I at Yahoo!.

Whereas the old Milkooler was originally on Yahoo! Store and then hosted at Shine Media as static HTML, the new Milkooler is powered by a WordPress CMS, and relies on a bunch of easy plug-ins, which means even non-tech n00bs like me can get in there and make changes. It still uses a very basic PayPal checkout that I must make some further changes to (since everybody gets the same AUD5.00 postal charge, so it cripples me when I sell a bunch of Milkoolers to someone in Alaska or Ulan Bator!) But basically, it’s light-years ahead.

Shine Media could have also done a great job on the Milkooler redesign, but instead I traded some copywriting for part of the redesign, and helped Grox with their Foodditive web service and iPhone app (which is very cool if you suffer from food sensitivities). Doing the contra work saved me a bunch of money, and believe me, you have to sell a lot of Milkoolers to pay cash for these kinds of services.

I can highly recommend both Shine Media and Grox. Let me know if you need further inside info on their strengths (many) and weaknesses (chocolate, beer, karaoke, death metal…)

“My mum breastfeeds me but I do like to drink cool water especially when it’s so stinking hot in the Australian heat. My Milkooler is perfect for keeping the heat out and the cool in. It’s also a great cushion for when I throw it around and bump myself… does anyone else have that problem with their bottle? Mum is also super happy because we now have an extra Avent bottle and Dad is stoked now I have a look-a-like beer cooler (although mine is a lot nicer!) So I think every member of the family is happy thanks to the Milkooler Team!!”


Bubble – Milkooler fan

Bubble’s mum Stephanie is the creative and business brains behind Moo Bear Designs, a great online store for hand-made, organic, recycled 100% cotton clothes for kids in a range of really cool designs. You should definitely check them out!

One of the best things about the internet is how the good things that go around, come back around, in the nicest ways. Recently I got a couple of orders for the Milkooler Mighty Meal Deal from new customers. Then today I got a call from Julie.

It seems Julie had been at a party and someone had given a Milkooler to the newly-named baby as a christening gift. She thought it was a great idea and contacted me because she’s interested in stocking Milkoolers in her online store, Justforboys.com.au.

Well, I think that’s a great idea, and I think you should check out Julie’s great range of gifts, because some of them are absolutely fantastic. My favourites were this toddler tee shirt with the slogan My parents call me ‘no’ and these little baby AC/DC boots!

Julie’s clearly a woman of impeccable taste and great humour so she’s very much aligned with the core brand values here at Milkooler (which is code for “we’d like it very much if she stocked a few Milkoolers in her range.” Justforboys.com.au is based over in WA and has reasonable shipping costs to anywhere in Australia. If you have boys and you want them to wear something unique, different and fun, then this is the store for you.

To keep the goodness going around I’ve ordered a couple of things from Julie for my boy. Cheers, Julie!

Which means it’s time to start filling orders for Milkoolers again! They don’t exactly rush of the shelves at the best of times (cos you can’t buy them in any shop) but gradually the pile of boxes in the carport gets smaller and smaller every week. And who knows? One day I might even get to manufacture a second batch (and maybe build a bigger carport.)

While I go pack Milkoolers, here’s some photos I took in the Himalayas, and you can find the rest of them on my Flickr collection.

As you can see, we had an amazing time. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give anyone, it is to go do what you’ve always dreamed of, whatever that is. It’s not going to come and find you, and even if it is, what if you get hit by a bus the day before?

Go get started, now!

Hi,

Thanks so much for my super cool ‘Milkooler’. Mum bought me one and I love it! It keeps my milk at the right temperature while I have my photo shoot and a break from drinking my milk. Here is a photo of me showing off my ‘Milkooler’.

Cheers,

Imogen (age 3.5 months)

Winning Smile