May 30, 2012 Leave a comment
The New Statesman has been taking a look at the top 10 best (worse) Jubilee products and it really is amazing what people will buy.
A crown pizza from Pizza Hut, a solar powered waving Queen or even a loaf of Kingsmill renamed for the weekend!
See the top 10 here.
May 28, 2012 Leave a comment
This short animated film ‘Happy Food’ by Yum Yum is great fun and anyone who likes ketchup will be able to remember a time when they found themselves in this situation.
Luckily there would probably not have been any giant hot dogs around.
We featured one of their other films, Parallel Parking some time ago.
Plus, if you like the film you can also get the characters.
Enjoy!
May 28, 2012 Leave a comment
VW has created three new ads, which are currently running at independent cinemas across the UK.
Each one focuses on a famous movie – Taxi Driver, Silence of the Lambs and Jaws – and imagines what inspired the classic moments in the films.
The series is directed by Ivan Zacharias and was dreamed up by DDB London as part of the VW ‘See Film Differently’ campaign.
See the three ads below:
May 27, 2012 Leave a comment
A handbag?
Product design duo Maigrau’s tables were on display, all made exclusively in Germany - they’re just behind those large HANDBAGS which really grabbed us!
Corking
Meanwhile our good friends Deadgood were showing their Cork Coffee Table – the PR team like objects that are made of cork and are rounded in shape…
May 27, 2012 Leave a comment
Clerkenwell Design Week saw the launch of Imogen Heath’s first full collection of fabrics and wallpapers since establishing her business in July 2011.
Contemporary, but we thought with a whiff of nostalgia, her patterns have caught the attention of British retailer Heal’s and us too. An exclusive collection of colourful cushions were on sale and we were just disappointed we didn’t have our largest shopping bag with us… because when we saw SCP Contracts’ Ernest pouffe and Frank pouffe covered in some beautiful textiles we wanted them too!
May 27, 2012 Leave a comment
Review by Samantha Dawe, Director, The Think Tank
Clerkenwell Design Week 2012 basked in some very welcome warm sunshine but that didn’t stop us being inside and having a good look around. Particularly this year it seemed that lighting was at the forefront of some intriguing design options and what was being shown would certainly create an impact in any space.
As part of an expanded programme for CDW, a new site was included for exhibition space – the buildings and grounds of the Order of St John. Upstairs the light streamed through the stained glass windows but that did not dim the impact of Vessel Gallery’s display of unique and limited edition lighting.
Whilst Tsai and Yoshikawa’s sculpted piece ‘Blooming Spark I’ was centre stage, each piece displayed was a work of art in its own right.
While big is not always best, Guinness Book of Records holder Beau McClellan’s (world’s largest chandelier) eponymous company had presented a stunning large-scale lighting installation which hung in the Farmiloe Building and appeared to change colour.
Looking down from the upper tier of the Building on this installation and the Anglepoise stand was a moment to savour.
The heat was rising but we took the plunge and continued to climb where we spotted Lightyears’ elegant lamps, highlighting the best qualities of minimalistic Scandinavian design. Simplicity is beautiful.
Alongside this Swedese, exhibiting we were told for the first time at CDW, was showing pieces launched at this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair but again it was the lighting that caught our eye. Maybe it was that the pieces lent themselves so well to creating atmosphere and intrigue in this quirky building where they seemed right at home.
May 24, 2012 Leave a comment
Bloomberg Businessweek magazine has offered some light relief from the Euro crisis. We feel a brick wall may also be appropriate!
May 24, 2012 Leave a comment
The Think Tank PR team has been discussing ‘Earned’, ‘Owned’ and ‘Paid for’ media. This came about as we saw a quote in PR Week from Freud Communications’ chairman, Matthew Freud, saying that: “The basic model for media and marketing is broken”.
While media fragmentation has long been talked about we thought it was interesting that it is the interactive marketing space which is helping use define new universes.
Although full definitions may vary, the basic premise is that ‘Owned’ media is the channel you control such as your website, or partially-owned, your company Facebook page or Twitter account.
‘Earned’ media covers press coverage, however the term has evolved to cover the word-of-mouth that is being created through social media channels.
‘Paid for’ media does what is says on the tin, and covers advertising in its many formats online and in print, and extends into paid search for example.
Categorising your media in this way helps to identify the roles they can play in delivering your communications; understanding their benefits and challenges can be a critical next step, and of course that they work best working together.
But of course the real test is what you say, not just how you are delivering your message, and increasingly how you are then listening, engaging and responding is key in this new ‘networked’ age.
May 22, 2012 Leave a comment
Scary ad for IRN-BRU – puts you off blind dates for life!
May 22, 2012 Leave a comment
As part of the Cannes Film Festival Prada has launched a short film called ‘A Therapy’, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Helena Bonham Carter and Ben Kingsley in a beautiful 70s setting.
The film was premiered right before the official screening of Polanski’s film Tess.
A great twist at the end.
May 22, 2012 Leave a comment
This great little kitchen gadget was created by Taiwanese designer Chih-Ching Yang. ‘Gasper Pad’ is a dish pad shaped as a ghost.
Creating a decorative piece, that could be displayed on the worktop, whilst providing a heat protective mat it stands as a ghost when not in use and when a hot pan is placed on it the ‘Gasper Pad’ stretches down and outward into a protective mat.
Great practical design with a fun twist.
See more here.
May 22, 2012 Leave a comment
A town in South Wales has taken the step to promote its local landmarks through QR codes in a project called ‘Monmouthpedia‘.
The original idea came from TEDx talk in Bristol, where they suggested that Wikipedia should “do a whole town” using QR codes. With more than 1,000 QR codes residents and businesses have taken up the challenge and launched Monmouthpedia last weekend.
The Wikipedia entry for the project says “Lest you think this is a passing interest, the town of Monmouth is in it for the long haul. Many of the QRpedia codes are printed on ceramic plaques that should last for decades. The information in articles is backed by the Wikipedia community and will be continually improved and expanded. Physical guides and maps will become outdated, but the Wikipedia articles will always be able to be updated. This potential for on-site access to up-to-date information in any language is what makes the Monmouthpedia model so exciting.”
Speaking as someone who never has a guide book to and in a new town this is a great idea and very engaging.
Find out more on Wikipedia here.
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
This is a very funny ad that suggests what babies might actually be saying if we could understand them.
Made us chuckle:
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
QR codes have been a popular addition to marketing campaigns in recent years. Now BBDO New York has created a QR code on a beer glass for Guinness.
The QR code is only visible when the glass is full and when scanned it “tweets about your pint, updates your Facebook status, checks you in via Foursquare, downloads coupons and promotions, invites your friends to join you, and even launches exclusive Guinness content.’
A great promotional gimick and use of QR codes.
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
Get your football boots ready for Euro 2012 with this interactive video by Nike Football.
Featuring some of Europe’s biggest football stars, look out for the hidden videos to interact with from the Nike Barber Shop to training with Ronaldo.
Get you kit on for a high energy ride!
Enjoy
Click here to view
May 20, 2012 Leave a comment
If you’re looking forward to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee then what better way to celebration than with the perfect cup of tea in these gorgeous mugs featuring a London Skyline design.
These stunning homewares were created by Tobyboo and are decorated with unique designs from free hand embroidered illustrations enhanced digitally for printing.
They feature on tea cups, tea pots and a range of tea towels and soft furnishings to complete the perfect tea party. But it doesn’t stop there you can then use the patterned sticky tape with city skylines ranging from London, Glasgow and Manchester to wrap as a gift.
Find out more here.
May 15, 2012 Leave a comment
The design of the ‘2012 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion‘ has been unveiled and is a collaborative work between Swiss based architects Herzog & de Meuron and Chinese architect Ai Weiwe.
It will officially open on 1st June and be open to the public until 14th October
Visitors will go five feet beneath Kensington Gardens to see the hidden history of previous pavilions, represented by eleven columns. A platform roof with a reflective surface of water floats 1.4 meters above the recessed floor plane and is visible to people on the lawn of the park above. Apparently the water may be drained at times transforming the roof into an impromptu dance floor or event space.
See more of this pavillion on Design Boom.
May 15, 2012 Leave a comment
If you, like us, have never had the pleasure of travelling Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic then see what you’ve been missing.
The first Virgin Atlantic A330 flight took off from London to New York recently with a brand new bar and Upper Class cabin designed by VW + BS Studio in partnership with the Virgin Atlantic team.
Definitely not what you expect to see at 30,000ft.
See more of this amazing new cabin on Design Boom.
May 15, 2012 Leave a comment
This collection of miniature figurines frozen in small-scale narratives by Hampshire based sculptor Nic Joly are entitled ‘Under Foot’.
The concept originally started as a hobby in 2006, creating miniature toys to entertain his two children. It’s now become a full-time occupation, creating sculptures of tiny people, typically moulded at a height of one centimeter.
These are just a few of his interesting pieces – see a lot more here on Design Boom.
May 14, 2012 1 Comment
The New W Hotel in Koh Samui is just stunning. In an amazing retreat round lounge spaces emerge from the water to create a spectacular place to relax.
The hotel overlooks the Gulf of Thailand and this beautiful escape was designed by MAPS Design studio as a collection of imagined spaces shaping a welcoming paradise.
See more of the New W Hotel on FresHome.
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