// Rethink Vancouver created this clever and crafty spot for Langara College, it makes me want to dig up my paintbrush collection. The college was looking to raise awareness for their $18,000 art & design scholarship where winners are judged on their sketchbook. I really like the ideation behind the “How To Enter” digital workbook that was created alongside the video here. Thanks Stimulant!
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27Jan
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20Jan
// Amazing campaign initiative by Leo Burnett Beirut (above) on raising awareness on women’s rights in Lebanon. Interesting that the whole campaign was built around kasra, an accent/symbol above or below a word to typify gender, usually favoring males when used in major ads or billboards across Lebanon. The campaign won a gold Lion at Cannes, 5 gold and 2 silver awards at the Dubai Lynx Festival and grand Prix at the Cristal de la Mena.
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08Jan
// For the last few months, energy beverage brand, vitaminwater, handed over its experimental license to the public in a facebook contest that allowed anyone to basically help develop the next vitaminwater flavour under the name “Connect”, the flavour winner? Back cherry-lime…Mmmm, tasty. It’s slated to be released sometime in the spring of this year. Energy brands also does business as Glacéau, which is a privately owned subsidiary of Coca-Cola based in NYC. Check out the winner here. The initiative was supported by a campy but amusing endorsement in an infomercial hosted by Steve Nash (above) and includes more than a cameo appearance from 50 cent, who owned 10% of the business and was the first to produce his own vitaminwater version called formula 50, years ago.
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03Jan
// 2010…it’s not time for a new start, once again…Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.~Hal Borland. My favorite new year design is the first one, thank you, artists at Phidev Inc, USA! Also, designer Katie Kirk throws out some alluring and stimulating prints @ http://www.katiekirk.net (the Willy Wonka inspired “Sugar & Sweets” print is adorable). Happy New Year to all.
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18Dec
// With the blessing of Canadian Industry Minister, Tony Clement, wireless carrier WIND Mobile launched. The commercial spot titled “monumental change” is invigorating and refreshing! Here is what WIND says, “Our launch isn’t about us, about big logos, or spokespeople or stunts. It’s about acknowledging that we’ve come this far by having real conversations with Canadians, and we look forward to continuing that dialogue for a very, very long time”.
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09Dec
// My favorite colour, turquoise, was selected as the colour of 2010 by Pantone. Besides reminding me of being on a beach, a sense of renewal and being playful, it’s actually attractive to more people than I thought. Jane Schoenborn offers more insight, “Turquoise is universally appealing. It puts everyone in the same state of mind – on vacation, turquoise for us is a really big colour. A lot of times it’s transporting, whether you’re going to a resort destination or not, ” she says. Pantone’s colour for 2009 was mimosa yellow, which some say indicates assurance, positivity and hope.
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04Dec
// If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s time. If you have a minute to spare, watch at least a portion of the rip of a new take of the music video of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” above. Still love the muppets, the interesting part is that this video was apparently viewed more than 8.6 million times on YouTube (compliments of marketing magazine) and Muppets Studio even holds a a Twitter handle @ http://twitter.com/MuppetsStudio, and facebook page here. Muppets Studio general manager said the online push for the Muppets was designed to help reboot the franchise and quickly get new content to fans.
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24Nov
// Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Number 9 built a wicked web site claiming to be as tall as Mt.Kilimanjaro for a new celebrity and charity-infused Hewlett-Packard campaign, SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT, here. The cause? global clean water. Climbers signing up to scale Kilimanjaro with HP notebooks include: Alexandra Cousteau (her grandfather is Jacques-Yves Cousteau!), Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco and Kenna. They’re using the HP notebooks to log their experiences through blogs, tweets, video and photographs. The interesting part is that the site matches their spot on the mountain. Sponsor a foot here.
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06Nov
// Dry stout beer brand Guinness (that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness in 1725) created a new television ad campaign called World (Bring It To Life) by agency AMV BBDO in London. The slogan ”Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” has been the longstanding tagline for the brand until the recent debut of their new campaign line “Bring It To Life”. You can head to http://www.bringittolife.tv to get a full screen experience of the commercial. Wait until the end of the commercial and you get to see behind the scenes footage, download wallpaper or reserve a spot to bring your own world to life using Google Earth…the ad was shot in New Zealand, Canada, Fiji and the UK, credits here.
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28Oct
// Have you seen any colossal interactive vodka bottles around town lately? Vodka marvel, ABSOLUT, grew its “In an Absolut World” brand campaign in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver with the help of Titan Outdoor, Isobar & Carat Canada. They created a bunch of massive vodka bottle street-level installations you can approach. Expect to experience stepping onto a web activated motion pad that will stream live video to www.absolut.com/ca. Check out the site to have some real f-u-n.
Video clip above: A group of artists comes together in locations around the world to create art pieces that spell out the philosophy of Absolut Vodka.
