Vintage commercials

“Lifeboy – makes women go WICKED!”
This is just a quote from one of many, many hilarious (mostly American) TV-adverts from the 50’s and 60’s included in this YouTube clip. They made me laugh so hard and I hope they will entertain you just as much.

It would be a good idea to re-use this as “retro-cool” with some new brand. If it is ridiculous enough I think it could make many people laugh. The “Lifeboy” product could have been an ad for Lynx instead, as they already use the ‘Chica wooaa woaahh’ (however they spell it) - they are already far out there and just waiting to be sued by some feminist organisation.

But with tongue in cheek a lot of these ads have something about them which makes them timeless.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Tape-tastic!

I’ve found this amazing artist which really creates witty and extremely eye-catching work. Mark Jenkins makes “people” out of tape and clingfilm, and more recently, he dresses them up as well. This makes them appear as real people since he finds ways of covering their faces. I would like to use this guy for several different projects - there are so many ways you can use his techniques for advertising campaigns. The reason for me liking this so much has a lot to do with me favouring ambient media campaigns. But besides that, I also enjoy the simplicity of his idea and the dark humour he weave into his projects.

Recently I have brought some Adidas and Nike adverts to your attention. Now use 1 minute to come up with a promotional campaign using Mark Jenkins art. Please post your idea as a comment. You should find it rather simple and consider it a fun exercise!

There are so many different ‘installations’ that are just so good but here is a selected few. At the end you can find video of how they are made.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

The son of God

Take a close look at this poster, stare at it for a while if you need to, and you will find that someone quite famous and well known will appear. Yes, I did give you a clue in the title for this blog entry but what else could I do?

I’m not so sure what this poster is trying to do or if it just someone showing of their knowledge with optical illusions. I like it enough to write about it but otherwise the optical illusions can be quite boring and feel outdated at times. They have been around since the medieval times but maybe that classify them as timeless?

Ps. When uploading this I all of a sudden become quite unsure if it is Jesus or maybe someone else?.. Hmm...Ds

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Vacation?...

Vacation? Well, not really. I've just been too busy (honestly!) to post anything this last week. But that is about to change starting tomorrow. I will be up and blogging again for good! ;) Thanks for all the e-mails!

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Nike = Trash?

Adidas also used trash cans as means to advertise, funnily enough it seems Nike has done so as well. I wonder if people stopped to pick up the trash they missed when aiming for the bin?
Otherwise I think this ad could have potentially good impact, generating good PR for Nike if nothing else.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Bang, bang! You're dead!

Watch this advert for Xbox 360. I just loved it… they must have had so much fun shooting this. It reminds me of an episode of ‘Spaced’ where they use this fake shoot-outs as a gag.
There’s an undertone of it being a bit too violent, considering the fight almost exactly like this in other parts of the world. But they do not use fake weapons nor do they consider it fun.

Still a good TV-ad, if they can get people to imitate them in their private life’s they have really succeeded.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Drop (dead) gorgeous

This advert was probably very expensive, as it appears to be placed in the middle of New York. But then again it seems to be very effective as well. Imagine having people taking pictures of your advert? If that isn’t a sign for a job well done I don’t know what is.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

A flap-top?

Why has nobody used this space before? I’ve flown with several different airlines and never have I witnessed such a great use of the space. I think I can recall some type of advertisement stuck to the seat in front of me, but nothing as clever as this.

I hope that they specifically targeted the business section of the airplane and that they focused on the routes which are most frequently used by travelling business men/women.

This space can be used to advertise so much more stuff than just a computer: for example food and other electronics. When I start to think about it there are so much that can be done with this space. The bored passenger is very easy to influence with various messages, as he/she is probably doing whatever he/she can to ignore the fact that they are several miles up in the sky, within a small metal object.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Lucky?

Somehow I doubt that this poster ad could be real. Would it really be possible to block the view for all those other apartments? Anyhow, it’s quite a good and funny idea, though I do not think luck had anything to do with it. This is an example of careful planning when it comes to researching and producing this advertisement.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Toys for BIG (boys)!

This subject has been growing on me for the last few years and I’m appreciating this area of art and design more and more. The word, ‘designer toys’, is itself pretty abnormal and ambiguous. Nevertheless, it’s what people have started to call this new art form. The designer toys are made by grown up men and women for grown up men and women. They are produced in several different variants of material/colours sizes and quantities. The designer toy can be used as a toy, but the designer toy is more the modern variant of a sculpture than a toy. It’s a piece of art which you put on a shelf to amuse yourself and to decorate your home with. As any piece of art which you choose to like or dislike it is something which defines you as a person. During the recent years it has become more and more popular and the values of the individual toys are increasing by the day.

I thought I would introduce a few of the biggest names/brands when it comes to designer toys, and to start of, I would like to introduce BxH Bounty Hunter which was one the first to start this new trend. Their pieces are among those which fetch the must money and have gotten a lot of press.

There’s a distinct difference between the artists and their toys, but they all have the urban culture in their roots. BxH’s work is darker and more ‘punk’ than the rest; working mostly in black and white.

Humour is a very important part to success for all of the designer toys. Political satire is also getting more and more popular among the artists as well. To be ‘cool’ is vital and a status which is not easily acquired.

This is the work of Gary Baseman, a successful artist in many disciplines originating from Los Angeles, USA. His work is recognised by the eyes on the characters and their colourfulness. (Some of his work is among my personal favourites).

Patrick York Ma (IWG) is another artist which creates more simplistic designs, yet easy to distinguish from other toys; the weapons and the black dots for eyes gives it away.

You can’t talk about designer toys without mentioning James Jarvis, a UK based artist which has been one of the driving forces to introduce designer toys to the European market (and internationally). Jarvis’ characters are very Simpsons-like, they all have a certain body type which Jarvis cleverly adapts to different characters. (Another one of my personal favourites).

To finish off I would like to show you the work of Nathan Jurevicius.

I also felt I had to include independent toy designers David Horvath and Sun-Min Kims ‘Ugly dolls’ which are too cute not to be included.

This new are of design is to me very exciting and it makes me wonder where else modern design/art can go. But lets not forget that designer toys still have a long way to go to get thoroughly established in the common art culture.
I wonder if we are going to see ‘Misha’ of the old Guards by James Jarvis next to Mona Lisa?

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Similarities.

I have recently been supplied with a large amount of potential material for this blog, which is very nice. If there are other people out there that feel they can contribute in any way, please feel free to comment/e-mail me a link.

This piece of advertising is in the same lines as the BRIS poster I discussed a while back. I found this one not as striking as the other since the message itself is not exactly being conveyed within the post. The poster has an impact on the audience, but what it is communicating is not as clear as it should be.

I found it very interesting how the designers, probably unaffected by each other, still have created such similar designs. It made me think about if it really is possible, in this intelligent and fast growing world, to create something that is truly unique? It is not the most uplifting thought that has ever crossed my mind, but I still think it is important that we think about this.

You can of course work against these sorts of things by keeping a watchful eye on what the other designer/ advertisers around the globe are doing. Maybe even start a blog?

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

More super-sticky ideas

Have I got superglue stuck on my mind? (Sometimes I’m so witty it actually hurts…) Anyhow, I thought this ambient media campaign was very cool and deserved a post – even though I’ve had glue ads on here before.

There’s more info if you click the image.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Spooky website?

VISIT:
http://www.quieroverunfantasma.com/eng/post_07158274.html

Watch the video.. and have a bit of patience. Please be warned – you could actually get scared…

“Experience terror in the promsite for the film Pulse, with a powerful viral tool allowing text, audio and webcam live recording. The site was translated into English for the release of the DVD in the UK, in March 2007.” – Creative Showcase.

The creators are CP Proximity Interactive, Barcelona – winner of Creative Showcase April 2007.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Inspiration: Typography

I thought I would provide you with a little website which contains some cute fonts. It’s not necessarily the best I’ve ever seen but I thought it would be inspiring if you’re in the midst of creating a font yourself.
Have a look and tell me what you think of it.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

VW team up with Peter Stormare

I can’t help it, there’s just something incredibly hilarious about the way Peter Stormare acts. He’s somewhat a genius in my book. He takes on a lot of obscure small acting parts, seen in Fargo, Minority Report, Constantine, Bad Boys 2 and the list goes on and on. So when I laid my eyes on this advert I was sold on the fist frame. It’s just brilliant and very, very entertaining stuff.

I think it’s good to play a bit with the German stereotype and to create this tv ad which could easily have been spread around YouTube as well.

Volkswagen is famous to be rebuilt, but now they want to show people they don’t really have to. My only question is, do they actually succeed doing this? I’m getting confused when it comes to the actual target market for this ad. It’s a small target audience, or am I being naïve thinking not everyone will be affected by it? I’m not sure; I think I will have to watch the adverts again…

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Super (idea) glue

I do not think I need to say much; another simple yet effective piece of design for us to enjoy.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

An example for the rest?

I found this website which contains the work of Aaron Jasinski.

His illustrations are quite orignal and I can see a wide range of commercial use of his work. But what really caught my eye was his website. I think it’s beatiful and I love the whole ‘pillar section’ where he shows of his paintings. His use of typography and graphic elements is very tasteful and the site runs very smoothly and feels fresh. I think he has succeded in creating a site that really can show off his work without taking over.

This is the reason for my choice of title – his website is really an example which all of us designers/ artist should follow (more or less). Have a look at his site and give me your opinions – would you do the site any different?

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Pong…pong, pong… pong.

Fabio, Paddy and Alan must have been talking about this kind of campaign when they were trying to tell us recently that there is more to ‘digital design’ than just flash websites. This ambient campaign is about visualizations on urban architecture, and allows users to use building façades as a background for the classic game PONG.

Just a very entertaining idea and something I wouldn’t mind trying out myself. Looks like great fun!
And if that isn’t a sign of success then I don’t know what is…

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

I've had meltdowns too...

This is a online viral for Cisco Systems, and I really think they hit the spot with this one. I can see this getting circulated on offices and sooner or later it will end up on an executive's desk who will decide to finally invest in Cisco Systems for their company. You’d be surprised what actually can influence the presidents of companys to make deals – it’s not neccesarily the ‘best’ deal, it’s the one that attracts their attention.

Well done Ogilvy & Mather LA & OgilvyOne SF. Visit the campaign website if you feel like it.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Imagine: Coffee - to go!

It might not be the most inventive business idea. But the poster is so nice, crisp and simple idea which could’ve been one of the ads that inspired someone to come up with the line “Less is more”… (Note: I know it ain’t).

When I first saw this I thought: Surely someone else should’ve though of this? It’s one of those ideas which might seem almost too simple and yet we all know that these ideas are not those that come easily. This ad was used to promote the opening of the coffee shop and to tell the people what they were about.

All you can do is to applaud the creators.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Grindhouse!

This is such a massive subject which I can’t even cover 10% of, it’s massive. But, this is my way of showing my appreciation of very good craftsmanship – visually, concept wise, and everything else for that matter. As films, Death Proof wasn’t as good as Planet Terror, but they were both very good. As with Borat, it’s the whole campaign around it that amazes me; the attention to detail and the originality.

If you haven’t heard of Grindhouse (Death Proof/ Planet Terror) I suggest you so do some reading on the internet. Start out by visiting these sites: Aint it Cool News Grindhouse info and the AMAZING official movie site.

Any film lover, designer, artist should, if not love it; respect the work of Rodriguez and Tarantino.

A bonus trailer in the theme of Grindhouse (sorry for poor quality):

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

I'd read a book.

I’ve posted a few successful ambient media which the general public would consider a ‘good idea’. There has been less talking about the ones that are less effective (at least in my opinion). This post is about a campaign for the Playstation PSP which I would like to class as an ambient media attempt. It involves getting the user of the Playstation PSP to use the cover of a fake book to hide the fact that they are playing the PSP and not reading a book.

I think there are a few issues with this idea. First one being the fact I doubt that anyone would actually bother to use it out in the public. It would be too much of leap from receiving this in the Playstation PSP box or in the mail and laughing at it – to actually take with you when you go out. Besides, I doubt that a teacher could actually be fooled by this piece of paper.

Secondly I think that it sends out somewhat ambiguous message. I would assume that the target group for this campaign is teenagers, rebellious and spotty. They might feel it is cool to sneak around with your Playstation PSP and hide it to others. But in my mind that says that you are not proud of your Playstation PSP and that you rather pretend you are doing something else.

Basically, I wonder if this campaign was any effective, in terms of the cost of producing it and if Sony Playstation were pleased with the campaign...

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Bananas are weird.

Have you ever thought about how different bananas are to every other fruit and vegetable? I can’t think of anything that even has two of the same characteristics as a banana.

It is similar to a cucumber in format, similar to a lemon in colour and has layers like an onion (or ogre – reference to Shrek). It’s a portable and good size fruit which lasts pretty long in the fridge thanks to it's remarkable wrapping.
It is possible to use the banana for a multitude of dishes, not just desserts. It's very stimulating visually and quite nice shape to create various patterns with, but it would also work by itself, as a logo for example.

On Wikipedia I found this:
"Ray Comfort uses the banana as a proof of the existence of a God. He argues that since it is easily held, has a ripeness indication (colour), is easily peeled, has a biodegradable wrapper and is nutritious must mean that it was designed. Comfort says this designer is the Christian God. However, he uses the cultivated banana to make his argument, and wild bananas do not have the same properties he describes as providing proof of God's existence."

Warhol also realised how interesting a banana is, utilising it’s shape for a very famous album cover.

And bananas taste good.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin

Got you jumping through hoops

As you all might or might not have noticed I’m somewhat in love with ambient media at the moment. I keep marvel at all the great ideas supplied to us from agencies around the globe.

This latest post of mine is about Adidas campaign to promote their new shoe, a shoe which apparently can give you ‘an added boost’ when jumping. They hung trashcans at high above the ground – at the same height as basketball rims…

With a bit of luck they wont piss to many people off – or inspire them to try to throw the garbage in (and probably failing to do so…). I guess as an advertiser you can’t be thinking to much about consequence, the impact of the campaign is far more important. Though sometimes you cant help to wonder if might have been intentional, surely there are some sadistic designers out there?


To illustrate the added boost new Adidas A3 basketball shoes give you, trashcans in the street of Paris were hung several meters off the ground - at the height of basketball rims.

The agency behind this campaign is TBWA\PARIS, France.

Sluta sluta, börja börja.

Martin