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Friday 31 July 2009

Simon's cat

I love these brilliantly observed cartoons. Here's a great one. Simon's cat is just like my cat.

Thursday 30 July 2009

Candy Floss Dreams

This is a magical beautiful and haunting music video for Lolly Jane Blue's track White Swan, directed by Sil van der Woerd.
The video was shot in a disused coal mine in Beringen, Belgium. Apparently all the candy floss was real. That's more candy floss than I've ever seen before. You can see that the film was shot backwards with the first shot being actually the last shot to be filmed, when the water has melted away the Candy Floss. How much do I love the Candy floss dress? Alot. I'd give the Candy floss hair a go too.


Architecture Projection

555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen on Vimeo.



This is the most impressive building projection I have ever seen. I couldn't explain to you what it means so I have copied what 555Kubic has said on Vimeo. Art direction by Daniel Rossa:

The conception of this project consistently derives from its underlying architecture - the theoretic conception and visual pattern of the Hamburg Kunsthalle. The Basic idea of narration was to dissolve and break through the strict architecture of O. M. Ungers "Galerie der Gegenwart". Resultant permeabilty of the solid facade uncovers different interpretations of conception, geometry and aesthetics expressed through graphics and movement. A situation of reflexivity evolves - describing the constitution and spacious perception of this location by means of the building itself.

Scrabble - some lovely films

How gorgeous are these ads for Scrabble? (Totally great is the answer). They were animated by Wizz: http://www.wizz.fr/v2/index.php
The Ad agency was Ogilvy and Mather in Paris. I wish it had been my company in London.



Yoga from Scrabble on Vimeo.



Blog shout out

I thought it wold only be fair to give a little shout out to some of my favourite blogs at the moment:

http://adbroad.blogspot.com/
A woman who really knows advertising and writes insightfully about the business. She claims to be the oldest working writer in advertising, so I see her in a motherly light.

http://blogdujanejane.blogspot.com/
This blog is partly written by a friend of mine but it's still good, I promise. It's the random and funny finds and musings of a girl in London, and a girl in Canada - both called Jane. As far as I know they are looking for more Janes in other countries to join them.

http://dailyobsessional.blogspot.com/
I love this blog... the posts are short and snappy and there's lots of interesting art/advertising/funny content. All hail The Daily Obsessional.

http://mycatgoma.com/
This is an utterly silly blog about a girl's cat. He is very cute though and looks a bit like my cat. He also has a funny voice.

http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/
Some days I think I don't like this blog. It's because I'm jealous. This blog is a great collection of artist's work, interesting ideas in design and advertising.

6) Will work for soup
http://willworkforsoup.wordpress.com/
Another advertising blog. This guy always has strong point of view about work. Plus he was inspired by my "It's not cool but..." entry into writing a list of true facts about himself. Check it here:
http://willworkforsoup.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/honest-list-of-me/

(6 is a rubbish number to end on but I really wanted to mention all these blogs - I'm greedy like that)

If you think your blog is better than these please send it to me so I can take a look. I love finding new blogs to read. Am currently trying to persuade Mental Aunty to start her own blog. What do you think?

Tuesday 28 July 2009

What to do at 1:30am when waiting for design work


When it gets to the part in a pitch when you've handed over all your scamps to the designers and you've got some minutes to kill it's time to visit popcap.

http://www.popcap.com
Popcap have some great games for you to play online or try for free. My favourite is Plants vs Zombies. But be warned, after you have played it for long enough to get well and truly hooked it will cost you £14 to finish. Boo. But still great fun! The aim is to defend your house from an array of zombies with different methods of attack. You do so by planting plants with different defensive powers.

Another good one for Copywriters or the wordy among us (that's probably all you bloggers) is Bookworm. I'm not sure of the points system and it's quite easy but still a good word game. It's like an advanced version of boggle. The plus is this one is totally free.

Peggle is the game for those who like pinball machines and Zuma is worth a go too.

Anyways have fun playing your boredom away. Like me. I'm playing Bookworm.

Augmented Demented.

All I have heard for the last two weeks is how augmented reality is so cool, the new thing, soooo exciting, so much possibilities. Everyone is so busy flapping their arms about how exciting it is that no one has noticed that most of the creative executions of this technology are, at the moment, gimmicky rubbish or just useless.

For example: http://www.augmentedbusinesscard.net/

Ok so this example looks cool, as all the examples do, but what is the point? Are people really going to bother filming your business card so they can read your twitter updates? Why not just put your twitter name on the business card and then people can add you?



Ok so there are some examples out there that are actually helpful.

Here's one from BMW (ignore the naff production and this is a good idea)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9KPJlA5yds&feature=related


Glasses Direct made a useful tool whereby you could try on glasses in their online store. This goes some way towards solving the biggest problem for the business - the fact that it's very hard to find glasses that suit you without trying them on (I know).



http://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/video-mirror

I guess when it will be really exciting for me is when Top Shop bring out a tool that lets you try on their clothes.

If anyone has some cool or particularly useless examples of AR to share please do. I'd love to see them.

Monday 27 July 2009

Texting with Mental Aunty

Textual conversations between Mental aunty who is renting out her lovely home in Gower in Wales for holidays (if you're interested drop me a bell) at 11:30pm on Friday. I was asleep on the train home to Wales. 

Mental Aunty:
"Have got a 3 night booking from Ealing studios. I am famous!"

Me:
"Have you googled them?"

Mental Aunty:
"Ooh Ealing have just texted moi. They r considering my house for new epic. Apparently Huge Grunt and Julian Robbins will be starring. Never heard of them myself but am sure they r fab."

Me: 
"No way! That's seriously cool. Are you pulling my leg?"

Me: 
"Ok have reread your message now I'm fully awake and realise you are yanking my chain. Poo. I was thinking hugh cud introduce me to Jude Law and we'd have steamy affair"

Mental Aunty:
"Oh trials and tribulations. In the middle again! Av just come off the blower wiv some Donny Ebb who wants me 2 put a word in 4 im. Got 2 be honest am leaning towards bryn and ness. Think ness could handle the neighbours. O m g! Hae you heard of someone called wriggly spot? Well looks like when he finishes robin hood he is planing new king arthur film modern style in Gower. PA just emailed!"

Me: 
"Who is donny ebb? Id speak to Thom Poos. He'll sort out your neighbours. Or Pie Salloon."

Mental Aunty:
"Am concerned that noone is taking me seriously. Am under the influence  of nothing other than a few haribo chews. I guess noone cares that I am currently chatting with Leonard Deecapricorn on msn. Personally I prefer the older man. Ooh av 2 go Forlorn Connery is on the line. He is mates wiv good friend of mine Catty Zitty Bones."

Mental Aunty again (she's on a roll):
"U won't believe this but this is true. Syphillis Stalloone is on the fone 2 husband. We wil never get to bed at this rate. 

Me: "Eek he might catch something. I personally am being stalked by someone called funny deep. He disguises imself as a pirate. I have to get Poor Lando Bloop to fend im off"

Mental Aunty:
"I understand. It's tough eh? Husband is on first name terms with Onher Knees Nightly so will have a word. Fear not niecey!"

Me: "What drug are you on? Did Fit Knee Jeers give it to you?"

Mental Aunty: "Av been dabbling with expectanty and special vat courtesy of Army Whingeflat".


Thursday 23 July 2009

I know it's not cool but...


I know it's not cool to admit this but...

I don't like Audrey Hepburn or Breakfast at Tiffany's. They are both irritating.
I don't like big music festivals: I'm too short to see the stage, I don't like being pushed or getting dirty.
I like stamps. I collected them when I was young and, when I retire I will do so again. 
If I  ever have a girl, I will make her the best dolls house ever, more for me. 
All I ever wanted was my own house to decorate.
I don't like Nivarna. Sorry. I've tried. 
I like fantasy films and books - vampires, wizards, witches, goblins. I never grew up.
I don't like sports. I'm rubbish at them all and I'm highly competitive. Doesn't go hand in hand. 
I still love Care Bears. When a love was that strong, it's hard to shake.
I enjoyed all the Dan Brown books. I don't care if his style of writing is flawed.
I like Richard Thompson. All those years at Cropredy festival when I was young.
A bit of me believes that the Spiritualist who spoke to my Aunty was for real and that I should try to talk to my Mum through her.
I want to live in a big house with all my family - Aunties, Uncles etc. Just call me Sheepdog. 
Some times I really like cleaning...and alphebetising. 
I like board games more than computer games.
I like making lists. Look, I'm at it again. 

Confession over. Anyone else want to confess?


Tuesday 21 July 2009

Albion Cafe

One minute walk from my work gets you to the Albion Cafe, of Twitter fame. 
Now Albion have been immortalized in an iphone advert! Weird! 

Flying Dogs

The real name of this video is Birds. It was produced by Pleix and Blink: http://www.pleix.net/films.html


I think it's both funny and artistically beautiful. Get the look on the face of the little brown dog as he goes up - complete bemusement. That dog has no brain!

The pitch.

It's 6:10 and I probably have about 9 hours left in work. Why? I'm pitching silly. I was briefed yday and it's got to be done by the time I leave tonight. I'm guessing it will be a 3am job. My job at this point is to look over what the art workers and digital guys have done and say yey or ney. Then someone who has more experience than me will look over my shoulder and say "That is bollocks, go and get a job in a sewer where you belong", or "good".  At one point we will probably eat pizza and drink diet coke. Then we will snack on the giant Cadburies Caramel bar that I won for tweet of the week for my Agency. It's all very predictable. There will be a lot of waiting around. And a lot of trying to be helpful. Then, finally there will be the guilt of leaving when some people are still ploughing on and waiting for a taxi for an hour because our last office manager was tight and insisted on contracting a taxi firm on the opposite side of london because they were cheap. But at some hour of the morning there will be a real sense of community. A sense that we're all in this together and that we are doing something selfless. For the team. And I just want to say at this point, hello to all those out there pitching tonight or working late. Pat on the back. Aren't we great?



 

Monday 20 July 2009

My Naughty Little Sister

Did anyone else read the "My Naughty Little Sister" series when they were young? If you did then you might remember the book where the Naughty Little sister cuts up a pretty dress with sissors. Or when she draws on the walls in crayon. I swear that the books were based on my sister. When she was young she cut up dresses, wrote her name on walls and tried to blame me, broke my favourite (and only) Sindy doll and let my dad take the blame, screamed through entire car trips/shared baths/every meal time for 3 years, insisted that our Mum gave her the most attention: "only look to me" etc.

When she was a teenager she was the daughter who sneaked out to clubs when only 15, lied in order to go to parties, was found puking in the bushes by my parents, missed curfews to stay out with boys.

Now? She's 23 and she is stunningly beautiful and popular. She got all A's in her A levels. She was wonderful to my Mamgu before she died and she is great fun. I love her and I want to protect her. But, she is still my naughty little sister. 

Toyota IQ's font - a font made by a car

Toyota's advertising agency in Belgium "Happiness Brussels" have thought of a really nice way to make their new car speak to consumers - a font created by the movements of the IQ car tracked by an overhead camera and programmed into a computer. 
The result is a nice viral video and a font to use in press. Very clever indeed. They could take this idea on creating pictures, works of art, topical messages etc. Online you could draw by using the controls on the car. It's an idea with real legs (wheels). 

iQ font - When driving becomes writing / Full making of from wireless on Vimeo.

"I'm Drunk and you're a Prostitute" and other great films


My friend Luke sends me jokes and funny things he has found on the net. Today he sent me this from Sky movies. I have no idea how they have translated these film titles. On some I think that the name didn't translate so they just summarized the film. 

I once had a BlackBerry advert that said something along the lines of using your Blackberry to stay ahead. It came back from translation as sound advice: "Don't throw your BlackBerry on the highway". Brilliant. 

http://movies.sky.com/movie-titles-translated

Friday 17 July 2009

Don't look at it

Don't look at this website it will blow your mind...(and if you have epilepsy really don't). 

http://www.themostamazingwebsiteontheinternet.com/

Thursday 16 July 2009

What's going on in the world this week?

Having a read through Campaign there are a number of interesting stories:

1) Shortlist are bringing out a new free mag aimed at women called Stylist!!! Hooray! My creative partner and I are so fed up of being handed the Sport one on the street. I mean really. Do I look like I would read Sport? I wonder if this will have an impact on weekly mags like Grazia. It's hard to believe that anything could shake Grazia of it's pedestal right now but who knows?

2) Food ads lead to snacking. From a creative's point of view YESSS! Big up your advertising spend food brands. Now I'd like to know which ads worked the best. Was it the food porn shots? Or was it the mere reminder of the existence of food? Does alcohol advertising work in the same way?

3) "It's enormously difficult to get to original thinking through conventional research...the chances of getting an ad like 'gorilla' through conventional research are tiny" This quote came from Steve Henry. I totally agree. Whenever the client likes work they are too scared to trust their instincts. It seems you've got somewhere and then you hear the words "we're going to put this into research" and your heart sinks. Not only does your CD, your account managers, your planner and the client have to like the idea, so do a bunch of random people sitting in a room trying to sound clever and earn their £50. People are like sheep. One decides he's had a bad day and has a rant and the idea is dead. Saying that, what is the answer? Don't research?

4) Is it about time we dropped digital?
Should we be thinking about agencies as integrated ideas generators instead? If so then who wouldn't want to be one of them? I have never minded what medium an idea was to be done in. An idea is an idea as far as I'm concerned. It must work in the best media to do the job and to reach the right audiences. This thinking really needs to filter into some of the advertising colleges. Steven Henry recently said that he was disappointed to see some students at D&AD this year turning out books with pure press and poster campaigns. 

5)Women in adland
There are far too few female creatives. My partner and I are the only ones in our company. There is one female designer. She is freelance. When we were students we went on a London week and spoke to about 30 creatives. Non were women. Was this an oversight or were we in the wrong industry? Could we get hired as a all girl team? A guy at Leo Burnett's set me straight - there are hardly any female creatives because women just aren't funny. I think this is actually believed by a lot of companies. 

Funnily enough being a minority has helped me get into adland. After we won an award at D&AD we were contacted by Krow who wanted us to work on a chocolate bar aimed at women. A stereotype we were happy to accept. Then recently we were headhunted by an agency who wanted to up their female numbers. It also makes me feel proud that I have made it where only a handful of women do. I always was a feminist at heart and it feels like I am still fighting on the frontlines. 

The next battle will be when I have children. What happens then?

Mothers - love and resent.

Cooking chilli con carni last night I plugged in my digital radio for the first time in months (funny how moving house gets you out of habits). I caught the new music show on radio 1 and heard "Treat me like your mother" by The Dead Weather and loved it.
Here's a link in case you haven't heard it:

It got me thinking about Mothers. Mine died 3 years ago. She was my best friend. Ever since I have been in some way seeking to replace her. I have thought about it but never talked about it. Then my Aunty told me she reckons that is what my sister has been doing recently and I thought, of course she has. We've both turned to our Aunties. I even lived with my Aunty Julie for a while and, if I could, I'd live with the other one too.

Perhaps that's the reason I feel resentful of my boyfriend's mother. She's a very kind, nice lady but she isn't like my Mum. She doesn't look like my mother. She doesn't listen to cool old music. She doesn't have the same sense of humour. She, in every way, fails to replace my Mum. It's the disappointment. My funny, beautiful feisty mother is gone. And it's noone's fault. But sometimes it's hard not to take it out on the people you love.

Wednesday 15 July 2009

The everlasting moonwalk

A nice little digital project here. Add your own moonwalk here:
http://www.eternalmoonwalk.com/
Albion London did a similar project for BT Fon where people could add themselves doing a Mexican wave in the hope of creating the world's biggest Mexican wave. I like the Michael Jackson one better, even though BT Fon came first. It's entrants are more imaginative and everyone likes to try to do the moonwalk. Sorry Albion. 

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Illustration refs for a website

We are currently putting together a mood board of illustrator refs to show the client and brief our very low budget illustrator on. I've come across some gorgeous work that I thought I'd share with you guys.

The first is my favourite illustrator of the moment Linn Olofsdotter. Her work is always intricate, beautiful, colourful and often surreal and strange. I originally found her on www.coolhunter.com . See more of her work at http://www.olofsdotter.com/

The second is an illustrator my Art director came across, Audrey kawasaki. She paints beautiful, almost art nouveau images of young girls which are often highly erotic yet still innocent, and sometimes melancholy. Eyes are narrowed as if the girls are thinking about their own images. Her images are painted on wood which perhaps lends them innocence.  http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com/galleries.php?g=1.

The third artist was one I stumbled across after seeing a book cover for author David Mitchell which I admired. Their natural images are intricate and build patterns and often work within confined pallets - different shades of green, different shades of orange. Take a look here:
http://www.kaiandsunny.com/

When it's worked

How can you tell if an advert has done it's job?



Last night I heard my boyfriend shout from the sitting room: "Oh yes! This hasn't been on for ages". The music was instantly recognizable: the Barclaycard swipe advert using the actor from cult comedy Gavin and Stacey. The advert is good because it demonstrates the product benefits whilst getting inside the mindset of anyone who has to travel to and from work. Everyone has dreamt that they could get in some kind of slide that would take them home. Haven't they? The music reflects the symplicity and Jason, from Gavin and Stacey isn't overly famous and comes with that edge of innocent and slight gawkiness. Overall I think that the fact my boyfriend was pleased to watch the advert, again, really says the most. That is my ambition.  




Monday 13 July 2009

Go ape? Go Gladiators more like.

I had the idea that hen parties were meant to be spas and belly dancing lessons followed by downing shots dressed in tutus and random snogging. So I was a little disappointed when I got the itinery for my mate Julia's hen do in Swansea. "Go Ape" in Margam Park followed by a night out. The night out was expected, yes. But "Go Ape?" I wasn't sure what it meant but I knew it would involve flying on ropes through trees, getting muddy, getting wet and possibly death. 

Saturday, in preparation, the heavens opened. This was Wales after all. We were strapped into our harnesses and signed forms saying we agreed to take part in a high risk activity (eek!). Then we learnt the laws of the tree climbers: Always stay attached (I add to as many things as possible) and opposites attract (just in case some weird freaky thing happens and both clips break at once I assume). After practicing on some low wires we were off. I discovered that when you're scared shitless you barely notice the fact that you are drenched or that you have bruised your arms holding on to balance wires so tight. My least favourite moments were the zip wire onto the cargo net (new sympathy for contestants on Gladiators), the jumping from one swinging log to another at the top of a particularly tall tree and getting cramp for the whole of the last obstacle course. But I did it and so did everyone else. Hooray! 

Friday 10 July 2009

The best of the web


Here's a list that somone else put together of the things you should have seen. I hadn't seen all of them...oops! But there's some really funny stuff so take a look. I picked "yatta" as my picture for this post because my Father has a strong attachment to cheese plants and they seem to be covering the genitals of these blokes. New use. I like it. Not that I want my Dad to follow suit. 

http://www.youshouldhaveseenthis.com/

Thursday 9 July 2009

RIP Anjool

It's been quite a shocking week really. First there was Michael Jackson's funeral and his poor little children. Then yesterday I heard the news that Anjool, or Jools as he was called in St Peter's where I knew him, had jumped to his death. It was shocking because his face was familiar and he had been present on so many nights out, but also because he was such an impressive talented guy. It seemed that he had everything to live for. A successful banking career, his own party business, a Spanish flat, friends, a family who loved him and a glamourous life style. But who knows what was under the surface. His mother was a psychologist. I bet she is trying to think what went wrong. My friends knew him better. One said he drank red bull and never slept. Maybe it was the constant need for success that drove him to the brink. Or was it the industry he was in? Either was I felt shell shocked to hear the news and the day passed in a bit of a blur. It was a sad day for St. Peter's. Jools will be missed.

Tuesday 7 July 2009

North Korea show us how it's done

Wow what an advert. They are Communist but seriously? Are they having a laugh? Oh if only I had this brief...



The show must go on.

I have just got back from a week in Egypt, where it was 38/40 degrees, to the rain in London. I thought there was meant to be a heat wave?

Anyways I went to see Coraline yesterday. I've wanted to see the film ever since I stumbled upon the Coraline website which is really cute. Take a look here:
http://www.coraline.com/
The film was quite good. The animation is brilliant and the film is beautiful to look at. Unfortunately some of the tense moments were over too quickly and the resolution felt a little too easy. My boyfriend made me promise the next film we see will have guns and bombs. The most dramatic part was actually before the film even started. We arrived at the Odeon in Covent Garden to find that it was on fire! Two fire engines arrived and there was loads of firemen running around. After 10 mins we asked if the film would be on and the lady at the desk let us buy tickets! The show must go on it seems.