what to do with all of your useless business cards
I've declared business cards as virtually unnecessary pieces of rectangular paper, but @benkunz points out that Samsung has indeed found a genuine use for the cards.
I don't know about you, but I'm totally walking around and throwing cards at people today.
Labels: creativeinspiration, design, identity, viral
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:44 AM
0 comments
live free or die, yo.
I don't know why it took this long for this to happen.
Or why the New Hampshire tourism board isn't all over this. But if you're from the NH state or even New England, your day just got a little more awesome. From @ericfleming
Labels: creativeinspiration, music, parody, pop culture, viral
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:39 AM
0 comments
where future directors come from
This spot for the Young Director's Award is simply awesome.
Labels: adindustry, ads
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
0 comments
yummy donut identity
To celebrated their 60 years of donut and coffee making deliciousness, Dunkin Donuts has created a special 60 year identity that pays tribute to their past. Like their holiday donut boxes, only cooler.
They've also put some retro merchandise featuring old branding for sale on their site. (This t-shirt totally rocks.)
Isn't it awesome when brands have history so strong they're worthy of products?
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:15 AM
2 comments
Thursday, April 01, 2010
maybe these guys can figure out the nyc street parking signs
The Denver Egotist reports that the Honest Bros have created an iPhone app that reminds you to move your car on street sweeping days. They've even built it so that brands can sponsor the reminders. (For now, the app is only available in Denver.)
If they could update this to clarify NYC street parking rules, the bridge and tunnel citizens would be forever grateful.
Brands: putting useful tools like this in the hands of your consumers is a good idea.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:03 AM
1 comments
meet carl.
One of our favorite internet citizens Brian Shaler is up to some goodness again. Way back in November, Brian was one of the many participants in Movember, where he grew a stache and raised money for men's health. Only Brian never shaved his stache. Instead, he named it. Carl.
Now several months later, he's thinking of shaving it. But this is all up to you. You can vote to save Carl, or vote to shave Carl, by making another donation.
If awesome had facial hair, this is what it would look like.
Labels: creativeinspiration, nonprofit
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
0 comments
what the people in the video are thinking
Powerade has just released a cinematic wonderpiece featuring soccer, soccer and more soccer. With the FIFA World Cup coming up, you can expect a lot of soccer hottness coming your way.
This one's engaging even if you've never played the sport, as it's added another channel to the production: inner thoughts. At several points in the program, you're given the opportunity to see the inner thoughts of characters from within the production. Short excursions from the main program that return you right back to the story where you left off.
Really awesome idea and excellent execution.
Labels: ads, beverage, sports marketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:43 AM
0 comments
how to shake your money
Stop what you're doing and watch this gorgeous animated piece about the value of design. The message is totally awesome, the design work is beautious, and the execution is the most bitchin way you've ever watched animation. Ever.
It's all to promote Icograda Design week in Vancouver, which now, we'll all be paying attention to.
Labels: creativeinspiration, design
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:19 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
because weather needs a new mascot
It's a blog. It's illustration. It's a creative weather report.
Introducing the Weather sKwirl. He's cute, he's pink, he's got big teeth. And he shows you the weather like no teleprompter reading cheap suit wearing weatherman could ever do. Because pink squirrels are the new purple robots. Hot.
Labels: creativeinspiration, illustration
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:01 AM
1 comments
yummy cereal makes tasty animations
Share your ridiculous job search story, and the makers of Golden Grahams may choose to turn your tale into a ridiculous cartoon. It's all part of illustrating how Golden Grahams is the perfect fuel for the new job interview.
Even better - if your story is selected, you get 12 boxes of golden goodness to share with your friends. Or to hoard at your house. Yumm.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:57 AM
0 comments
a social network for earth
Got land to spare? Live on asphalt and just want a garden?
Shared Earth matches land owners with garden growers. If you're a land owner, you allow someone to utilize your space in exchange for free flowers, vegetables or fruits. If you're a gardener or a farmer, you grow your stuff for free in exchange for leaving some of earth's loot for the land owner. Everyone wins.
If only you could use this to talk someone else into mowing your lawn.
Labels: green, social media
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:42 AM
1 comments
the key card as part of the brand
Key cards. They're not only the key to your romantic love nest off the highway, they're also extensions of the hotel brand. Or a cheap place to put pizza delivery ads.
Fast Company has a nice gallery of hotel key card art that you can enjoy without the expensive room tax.
Labels: ads, hospitality, travel
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:38 AM
0 comments
the new tron, better than the old tron
There's a new Tron movie due out later this year, and geeks everywhere are wetting their pants in anticipation. To help pass the time, some fans are already creating their own trailers. You'll like the Tron vs. Saul Bass version, above.
Labels: film, pop culture
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:26 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
three shoes. three views.
There are three new campaigns making their way around the internet, and they're all equally delicious, in their own brand ways. Proof that you don't have to copy anyone else to do something great.
First, check out the heart warming video from New Balance, that confirms they're the only athletic footwear manufacturer making shoes in the U.S.
Next, take a trip across the world to South Africa with Puma, and get inspired to kick a soccer ball like you've never been inspired to do before. Beautiful cinematography and an inspiring clip.
Finally, make some time to watch an independent film about pirate radio, commissioned by Palladium boots. A wonderfully engaging movie that shows indie culture is alive and well, while capturing the spirit of these super cool shoes.
Let's go shoe shopping, ok?
Labels: ads, creativeinspiration, fashion
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:45 AM
0 comments
devo discovers the internet
If you haven't already seen the PowerPoint presentation from the SXSW panel featuring Devo and their agency Mother, then you're going to want to check it out. It's Devolicious like nothing you've seen before.
Then send the video of the live focus group to your friends in research. This is internet awesomeness on fire. From Saul Colt.
Labels: creativeinspiration, music, sxsw
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
0 comments
just a quick move across town
If you are an agency with a name like SapientNitro and you're moving to a new office, you've got to tell your friends in a nitro way. You might want to even consider building something with rocket boosters, fueled by nitro.
That's what SapientNitro did, to announce their move across town. Fun.
Labels: adindustry, creativeinspiration, london
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
1 comments
Monday, March 29, 2010
when do they sleep?
Twitter is awesome because you know exactly when your friends are eating bacon, or going for an epic run, or becoming the mayor of their local Mobil station. But how in the world are you supposed to know when your Twitter friends are sleeping??
Thankfully, someone has created a tool for this purpose. When Do They Sleep analyzes your friend's tweets and predicts the time they're most likely sleeping - garnered from their history of Twitter silence.
For me, it was right on accurate. From LaughingSquid.
Labels: mashup, social media, twitter
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:16 AM
0 comments
how to own a bookshelf
Where cover design meets point of purchase display. Excellence.
Labels: pointofpurchase, productdesign, publishing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:11 AM
0 comments
a social tool to be anti-social
Social media is absolutely fantastic for connecting you with people that you've lost touch with, keeping you up to date with your friends and coworkers, and staying in touch with family.
But what about the people you don't want to associate with? Like that freaky ex-girlfriend? Or that coworker who might still have people locked in his basement?
Avoidr is a tool that integrates with FourSquare and allows you to put together a watch list of people you don't like. Before you check into the neighborhood pub, you can confirm if any of the freakazoids on your watch list are there. Avoid uncomfortable moments forever! From @michaelsurtees
Labels: foursquare, social media
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:07 AM
0 comments
Friday, March 26, 2010
how a big brand embraces digital
Brand Flakes for Breakfast chats with Pepsico's Bonin Bough and Josh Karpf about their Refresh project, how to work with multiple agencies while keeping it all together, what to look for when hiring a digital agency and how their brands have adapted to industry challenges like obesity.
Some fantastic insight from a couple of our industry's marketers who get it and are doing it.
Labels: adindustry, beverage, humongo, sxsw
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:09 AM
1 comments
declare your mayorship on bing
Microsoft's Bing search engine will soon be incorporating FourSquare updates in their search results. This could prove to be a useful tool to internet users who aren't even using FourSquare. The FourSquare updates will add real time context to search results, providing a nice slice of local hotness for a user who is less familiar with a location.
For marketers, it could prove to be an added reason to embrace FourSquare promotions and get people chatting about your location - so that all searchers are seeing the buzz. This will be interesting to explore and see what tools we can develop, build and grow.
Labels: bing, foursquare, microsoft, search, social media
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:45 AM
0 comments
don't you wish your notes looked like this?
When Mike Rohde attends an event, his notes don't look like your notes or my notes. He doesn't sit with a MacBook on his lap, typing as the speakers are sharing their stories. He illustrates his notes, creating a set of drawings that are as interesting as the event itself.
He's shared scans of his Moleskin notes from this year's SXSW, which not only serve as a reference for the panels (and BBQ joints) that he attended, but are equally impressive illustrative masterworks. From @kevinalbrecht.
Labels: creativeinspiration, illustration, sxsw
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:13 AM
1 comments
Thursday, March 25, 2010
crowdsourcing: friend or foe?
Ben Kunz chats with Ross Kimbarovsky, the founder of Crowdspring in the latest of our series of interviews while at SXSW. Ross talks about the benefits of crowdsourcing for brands and agencies, and how they don't see themselves as competition to the agency business model, but instead a part of the changing landscape of the creative business.
Mullen's Edward Boches chatted in his interview about how he feels that creativity is changing - perhaps to be less idea based and instead more strategic based. In this interview, Ross confirms that strategy can't be effectively outsourced, and that strategy and implementation are still valuable agency functions. We think they're both on to something.
Labels: adindustry, sxsw, trends
posted by darryl ohrt @ 10:26 AM
0 comments
what a rock star can teach you about the creative business
Pete Meyer writes an inspiring post about what he's learned by looking back at Alex Chilton's life, after his recent passing.
If you're too lazy to read the entire awesome post, I've summarized the five key elements here:
1. Get an early start and master your craft.
2. You know you don’t have to. You can just say no.
3. If you do something great, don’t try to do it again.
4. People will listen to you more if they don’t understand you.
5. Be honest with yourself.
It's a great post that can apply to your personal life, your marketing plan, your business. Big Star, still inspiring. From American Copywriter.
Labels: creativeinspiration, productivity
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:58 AM
0 comments
are you doing things in the right order?
Here's an outstanding essay about the creative process related to game design, but that could apply to our industry as well. Less Talk More Rock points to the second part of every creative production process - the part where you meet, talk, analyze, plan and take the care that what you're going to create in the third step (the actual production process) is on target.
French creator Jordan Mechner suggests that we reconsider the order of these steps, and dive right into creation. We all know that step two can be laborious, hold things up, and give plenty of naysayers the opportunity to shoot holes through grand ideas. What if we just jumped in and created??
This is some excellent thinking, and if nothing else, could be a great inspiration to at least lessen the weight of step two in your process - if not entirely moving it.
Are you talking/meeting/planning yourself out of great ideas?
Labels: adindustry, creativeinspiration, gaming, productivity
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:40 AM
0 comments
product design perfection
So simple, so elegant. Fits in your pocket. The iPhone stand to end all iPhone stands.
Labels: productdesign
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:32 AM
0 comments
