I’ve spent the past several months filling my brain with ideas about natural resources, sustainability, social responsibility, social marketing, alternative messages, and other cool stuff like that. It’s been interesting, and it’s certainly altered my perspective on lots of things. And then I find this:
It’s pretty much an actualization of what’s been floating in my mind for weeks now. I’m not saying I had this idea – in fact, far from it. It’s just that this idea makes sense. It uses a different medium to promote social change. And it doesn’t scold or leave you with that feeling that you’re killing the environment. It merely lets you know what you can do, if you so desire. It seems right, and it seems good. I could say more, but the website speaks eloquent verses on its own.
I finally finished a whole pile of stuff I’ve been working on and have regained a bit of time I’d lost over the course of this past week. I’ve stumbled upon this gem of a video on several different sites today, and every time I watch it, it makes me smile. And laugh a bit. And maybe cry a bit as well. An investigative look at “Internet” like no other. If you’ve got a few minutes to spare, it’s worth watching – you might learn something.
Ian Heathfield and Matt Doman, the creatives behind the AMV/BBDO Guinness “noitulovE” spot, are now at Fallon London and have yielded this spot for the Skoda Roomster. It’s a simple idea with a cool execution. Maybe I’m biased because of my Mr. Rodgers-influened childhood infatuation with assembly lines, but there’s somethin’ about this spot that just makes me smile – and yes, giggle a bit. The commerical does a great job in finding a feature of the Skoda that’s worth highlighting – something not all-that-successfully done in the past.
I saw this Audi Quattro outdoor poster from Grey/Dubai and while it’s not really a new concept or an entirely new execution, I feel like it works beautifully. It’s similar to the “missing link” poster that I mentioned a week or so ago, but with a bit of branding. Sure it’s simple. Maybe it’s not genious creativity. But it works. Proof that less is often more, and simple is often more complex.
This went online a few weeks ago, but I stumbled upon it again as I was attempting to clean up my bookmarks. It’s the most recent show of The Wurst Gallery, brainchild of Jason Surgill. The work showcases over 100 pieces of work from artists ranging from Chris Hutchinson to Leo Hillier, and benefits Dove Lewis Animal Hospital, one of the coolest places around. Every thing that comes out of the Wurst just gets better and better.
After watching and thinking about the ad I put up earlier, I realized that skateboarding in commercials for products other than the typical skater paraphernalia is proliferating at an interesting rate. The more I thought about it, I realized that the generation that actually grew up with skateboarding fully present in popular culture is not at the point of purchasing big-ticket items, like automobiles. I’ve seen several tv commercials in the past few weeks combining cars and skating.
It reminds me of an Audi TT spot from Germany directed by Mathieu Wothké I saw last year:
The skateboarding idea was given physical skater in the Nissan Qashqai spot from TBWA/Paris:
Which seems a fair bit like the Jeep “Urban Playground” spot from BBDO/Detroit:
And the Jeep ad reminds me a great deal of some of the Citroen C4 spots from EuroRSCG:
What am I trying to say here? Just that I find it interesting that various agencies from various countries all seem to come together with skateboards, cars, and robots. Maybe it’s just random, or maybe it’s a bit of the future. People are recognizing that skateboarding is the kind of thing that sticks with people, and will always mean something to the generation who was exposed to it. It’s interesting, and it even yields a few interesting spots here or there. Do you know of any other car/skate/robot spots out there? let me know.
This is just cool. I know it’s been done before. But I’ve never seen it done this well, and never branded so appropriately. I don’t have a problem with appropriating artistic styles and ideas when it’s done with taste. Margoets Fertitta Powell in NYC created this spot Sneaux, Directed by PES. To make it even cooler, they acknowledge that it isn’t really a new idea – which makes it that much better.
So I know this is almost over… but it’s great… i never really want it to end. Artist/Illustrator/idea guy Stefan Bucher, formerly of Weiden + Kennedy and assorted others, is finishing up his current project, Daily Monster. I love watching people draw and mapping out their creativity. And this guy can draw. Awesome idea… i can’t wait to see what he does next. check it out.
I’ve always loved Cap & Pep from a character standpoint, an art standpoint, and a messaging standpoint. And for almost as long as I can remember, I’ve loved shoes. Two design greats, together at last! It’s Colette’s ten-year anniversary next month, so to celebrate, French designers Kuntzel + Deygas, creators of the title sequence of Catch Me if You Can, among other great stuff, teamed up with Lacoste to offer a whole line of Cap & Pep/Lacoste stuff. The interplay between Cap, Pep, and the croc is genius – reminds me of an ad I saw once, except it makes even more sense. Check out more photos here.
Awesome pairing of designs makes me happy. Cap & Pep make me happy. Those shoes make me even more happy. Now i just need to get a hold of some.
What can I say? This is incredible stuff. I’ve been doing some heavy research on socially conscious ideas, particularly as they apply to advertising. My brain is treading on thin ice, on the verge of breaking from reality . I needed a break, so I decided to browse through Coolhunter for some brain fuel. About half way down the page, I found this stuff. The Art of Quitting. a pretty incredbile idea – so simple buy so beautiful and brilliant at the same time. This is the kind of stuff that makes me think. and impresses me. and makes me jealous. all at the same time. That’s when I know it’s got something goin’ for it.
