Solid Poetry brings designs to concrete


Solid PoetryWhilst it is an important material for construction, concrete isn’t normally very exciting. That has all changed thanks to designers Frederick Molenschot and Susanne Happle, and their new venue Solid Poetry.

Based in the Netherlands, they have come up with a concrete that when dry looks normal and plain, but when wet decorative designs appear.

The main benefits for this sort of idea would be bathrooms or wet rooms but could also be a nice way to brighten up the world on wet, rainy days.

To showcase the product they have produced several videos which are shown below.

£1bn business district for East London


Docklands developmentDocklands developmentPlans are in motion to regenerate London Docklands, more precisely the area around Royal Albert Dock.

The plans, which will see architects Farrells work with developers Stanhope and commercial developer ABP China (Holding), will create 3.2 million square feet of retail and leisure space and 2.5 million square feet of office space.

It already has interest in the first phase from Chinese companies, including some banks, with the first occupiers to move in from 2017.

The project will see a £1 billion investment into the 35 acre area currently owned by the Greater London Authority.

Is social media working?


Social MediaThis post was written by The Think Tank’s PR Director Samantha Dawe as part of our ongoing sponsorship of B2B Marketing’s PR Knowledge Bank.

The PR industry magazine PR Week cites Bruce Daisley, UK sales director of Twitter, as commenting at the recent Adobe summit that too many brands are using social media campaigns because they are cool rather than as a marketing platform with clear objectives. Hear, hear Bruce.

It reports that Daisley said too many campaigns have been rushed through in a bid to increase fans and followers.

In the same issue (3rd May 2013), PR Week reports the Twitter has signed its biggest advertising deal to date with Starcom MediaVest, who’s clients include P&G, Microsoft and Coca-Cola. As well as access to data and new products, they will potentially receive “preferred advertising slots”.

If you listened to WPP’s Sir Martin Sorrell being interviewed a few weeks ago on ‘social media’ he was definitely in the “Twitter is more for PR” camp…

What are your views?

100 Year Anniversary of the invention of Formica laminate


FormicaAt the Think Tank, we’re very proud to have worked with Formica Group over the past 10 years.

This year is a BIG milestone for Formica Group – it’s the 100 Year Anniversary of the invention of Formica laminate. 

We are starting to celebrate the 100 Years Anniversary in Europe and visitors to the Design District in Holland last week got a sneak preview of the new Formica Anniversary laminate designs, designed by Abbott Miller of Pentagram in New York. 

Formica Group has also produced this short video where designers and architects around the world wish Formica laminate a “Happy Birthday”…

Charge your phone with this print ad


Nivea Sun solar adWe thought that Microsoft had created a great print ad with their Wi-fi advert, but this one from Nivea offers stiff competition.

Created by Giovanni + Draftfcb in São Paulo, Brazil, this print ad has a solar panel to allow you charge your phone. 

Whilst it may not work over here, definitely a clever concept and is another step towards making print ads more inventive and memorable.

Watch a demonstration of the advert in the video below.

IBM’s ‘smarter cities’ campaign


Smarter CitiesSmarter CitiesSmarter citiesAs part of their ‘smarter cities’ campaign, IBM has produced some clever and useful billboards.

Providing a ramp to help get heavy luggage up stairs, a shelter from the rain or even a bench to sit on, the new poster campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather France, has been created with the belief that cities should be designed with the needs of those that live there in mind.

The aim of the smart furniture is to encourage forward thinkers and local leaders to make their city smarter and therefore better.

Watch a video for the campaign below.

Skeeball comes to Chrome


Google Roll ItGoogle has created another of its interesting Chrome Experiments, this taking a classic American boardwalk game and digitising it.

Roll it is an electronic version of the popular Skeeball game, where the object of the game is to roll a ball into different holes to gain points.

The Google version works on the same principle and like previous experiments, utilises a link up between desktop and mobile.

The game requires players to have the Chrome Browser installed on both their desktop computer and their mobile device, and then allows them to sync the two, utilising the mobile as a controller.

Play it here (desktop link) and go to g.co/rollit on your mobile.

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