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Unilever Headquarters unusual interior design
Sunday, 5th February 2012 at 2:37pm
This interesting interior design has been created to inspire the highest levels of creativity and innovation. What do you think?
See a complete range of images on Contemporist.
Photography by Soguel Fotograf
Award winning ads of 2011 - the Gunn Report
Sunday, 5th February 2012 at 2:10pm
It seems that it was a pretty good year for the Wieden + Kennedy network.... For the first time in the Gunn Report's history, Wiedens has won the top two places in the Most Awarded Agency category, with Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam coming top, and W+K Portland in second place.
The UK came second in the most awarded countries:
Most Awarded Countries in the World in 2011
1. USA
2. UK
3. Brazil
4. Argentina
5. Germany
For the complete list winners from the Gunn Report visit the Creative Review blog.
And, below is the most awarded TV commercial for Nike:
People spotted flying over New York
Saturday, 4th February 2012 at 2:01pm
Actually these human-shaped RC planes were part of a viral marketing stunt for the launch of a new superhero movie, ‘Chronicle'.
Amazing video and would have been even better to have seen it in person.
See the video for yourself below:
All cooked up in the microwave!
Friday, 3rd February 2012 at 8:10pm
But please don't try this at home.
A great ad for Bounce? Or is it?
Friday, 3rd February 2012 at 4:51pm
Good viewing.
View in full screen for the full impact.
How PR stunts can go horribly wrong
Friday, 3rd February 2012 at 8:26am
The problem is that the stunt involved paying to name the cold front, now sweeping Europe, 'Cooper' after the Mini Cooper - a cold front that has claimed many lives.
Germany's meteorology institute allows the sponsorship of weather systems and the advertising agency says on its website that naming the front after the open-air vehicle was a "wind- and weather-proof idea".
It encouraged people to follow the path of the weather on meteorological websites and has also named a warmer weather front that will follow this one "Minnie". BMW has apologised for the stunt, which cost the advertising firm 229 euros (£190).
This just shows how careful you need to be with PR stunts and how they can back fire! A great shame as it was a good idea.
By the way, can you get weather insurance for naming a weather front?
Click here for more info on the BBC
'Trendfear' and how it's impacting upon communications
Wednesday, 1st February 2012 at 8:51pm
While marketers traditionally referred to such groups as early adopters, in the digital world where many of us find ourselves now living and working, just keeping up with what’s going new is often a challenge; there is a potential for information overload, and conversely for only sharing information within or between specific groups.
Tom cites the circumstance of finding yourself baffled by the rise of ‘dual screening’ – ie watching television and posting instant reactions on Twitter. However, for ardent fans (or critics) of a programme it's probably just the outlet they have been looking for. What if you do feel left behind when you read a story in the newspaper when you could have been watching it unfold through digital media?
In communications terms it adds a layer of complexity to how we, as professionals, need to approach media strategies. But as consumers we also becoming more aware that trends, like some products we may have experienced, can fail to live up to the hype?
For example, we’re keeping a watching brief on Pinterest* here at the Think Tank, and we think it will be great for sharing design ideas and inspirations. We’ll keep you updated.
*an online pinboard where you can post images and inspiration (already in the top 10 social networks in the USA). Find out more here.
The latest installment in the VW saga - 'The Dog Strikes Back'
Wednesday, 1st February 2012 at 7:57pm
360 degree view from the top of the Shard, London
Tuesday, 31st January 2012 at 6:34pm
Will says 'You can see the police helicopters hovering over London above the demonstration. Technically this was a very difficult shoot, I was on the crane at the top of the Shard, and I had to wave at Andy the crane driver so he knew when he could rotate 45 degrees between the exposures.
The temperatures were well below freezing and if you look in the distance behind Canary Wharf you will see the snow on the hills. Technically this image is not perfect but I find it fascinating nonetheless.'
Find out more and see the 360 image here.
Getting ready for a crisis
Tuesday, 31st January 2012 at 6:21pm
One outcome was the development of a ‘crisis manual’, one that is comprehensive but also succinct, avoiding the danger of becoming so ‘big’ that no one will read it when it should be a useful, easy reference tool.
For multi-site locations, the development of a common core element of company best practice can easily be supplemented with pertinent local information, added into each site-specific manual. Any organisation operating internationally should also ensure that appropriate ‘early warning systems’ and international information networks are in place that operate across borders.
Another key outcome was the importance of your organisation being the principal trusted source of information for your own affairs, i.e. ensuring ‘ownership’ of your stakeholders through provision of information. This is increasingly a challenge in today’s networked world, with social media and ‘citizen journalists’, meaning there is little time before an issue becomes live and spreads across networks, potentially out of control.
Lots to consider, and thanks to Magnus Carter of Mentor Ltd for all his input into the day too.
Volkswagen takes to the skies for parking
Tuesday, 31st January 2012 at 6:13pm
16 storeys high, the silos are composed of glass and galvanized steel and are illuminated by night. A conveyor belt system transports finished cars directly from the adjacent manufacturing plant to the towers' basement and then lifts them into position via mechanical arms that rotate and run along a central beam.
Each silo can hold up to 400 cars at a time and deliver, with fitted number plates, around 600 vehicles to customers each day as well as acting as part of VW's Autostadt visitor attraction.
Find out more on DesignBoom
Olly and Molly reward your social interactions
Saturday, 28th January 2012 at 5:38pm
Linking to web-based social applications, Olly emits a fragrance when you receive emails, retweets, instant messages and various other pings across social channels.
Joining Olly is Molly, a robot that dispenses
sweets in a similar way. They are both available on Kickstarter for $50 each.
Great fun and nice to be treated occasionally!
Molly - turns your retweets into sweets from Olly Factory on Vimeo.
The Singing Ringing Tree
Saturday, 28th January 2012 at 5:09pm
Constructed of stacked pipes of varying lengths, each layer differs from the next by 15 degrees to respond to the changing wind directions. As the wind passes through different pipe lengths in different layers it plays different chords. Each time you sit under the tree you apparently hear a different song.
It's situated on a hill overlooking Burnley, Lancashire - we will definitely keep a look out for it next time we are in that part of the UK.
See a video of the sculpture below and turn the volume up.
singing ringing tree | tonkin liu from tonkin liu on Vimeo.
Amazing YouTube stats in an animated video
Saturday, 28th January 2012 at 4:48pm
A bit of fun but some interesting stats.
George Seurat's Bathers at Asnières recreated at Olympic Park
Saturday, 28th January 2012 at 4:32pm
Neville Gabie, the Olympic Park's artist in residence, has created a reimagined version of George Seurat's famous 1884 painting Bathers at Asnières with builders from the Olympic site.
Set on the River Lea in East Stratford it is a far cry from the original stting on the banks of the Seine in Paris. The photographic portrait is called Freeze Frame and Mr Gabie said he was struck by the similarities in Seurat’s painting and the visualisation he was shown before work began on the Olympic Park.
‘There is an obvious and surprising physical connection between the two landscapes, but the concept for the work explores the more striking similarities between the social and political contexts of the two,’ he told Metro. ‘Now, in the east end of London, we’ve reimagined a post-industrial landscape using sports
Read more on Metro
Cadbury Dairy Milk launches latest 2012 Olympics video
Saturday, 28th January 2012 at 2:40pm
The music video sees some of the UK’s biggest fans going to extreme lengths in a bid to get up close and personal with 10 unsuspecting racquet sport athletes.
Below you can get a glimpse of it in the making as well as the video itself - what lengths some fans will go to!
Bus stops come to life in London
Sunday, 22nd January 2012 at 7:31pm
Bus-Tops is an interactive art project, one of 12 around the UK commissioned for Artists Taking the Lead - an initiative set up by the Cultural Olympiad 2012 and Arts Council England to showcase the nation's creativity to the world.
The concept is to make London bus journeys more engaging and inspiring by installing LED screens on top of 30 bus shelters. The screens are being fitted with red and black LED lights and show designs from professional artists and members of the public.
Find out more about this project and where you can find the installations by clicking here.
Get your own 'They Might be Giants' pink hearse
Sunday, 22nd January 2012 at 7:04pm
Well now you can get one of your own. Download and make your own by clicking here or watch the video of how they made the original one below:
'The Bark Side' by VW
Saturday, 21st January 2012 at 8:43pm
It has received more than eight million views on YouTube in just a few days so seems to be having the right impact.
Great viewing.
Clap for your photos
Saturday, 21st January 2012 at 8:23pm
It apparently records up to 30 seconds of video, has storage of between 2GB and 16GB and also acts as a USB drive.
It has been available through Amazon, however they are a bit short on supply at the moment so if you want one you will have to keep hunting.
