Wall-E

I'm sure Pixar's new film, Wall-E, will be it's biggest hit so far. It's set on earth in the not too distant future. Wall-E is a robot tasked with cleaning up the planet while all the humans have been temporarily evacuated. The story has love interest in the shape of Jonathan Ive-designed Eve and a strong environmental message. Can't wait to see it! I bet we'll all be buying Wall-E merchandise this Christmas.

Posted by: Paul M

Superbowl 2008 Advertising

The Superbowl always generates great big-money ads due to the nature of the event and the millions of people that will be reached by them.

Check out these clips of Superbowl Commercials 2008 on YouTube:

The below ad is for a tyre manufacturer! Awesome simple idea….



The E baby Ads. The first is the buying stocks one and the second is the baby and the clown.





The Will Ferrel ad for his new film. Typecast as always, but I love this guy.



Pepsi’s take on the Saturday night live sketch….. simple and with a classic soundtrack.



Posted by: Bew

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE SO FAR

Stefan Sagmeister is among today's most important graphic designers. Since 1993 Sagmeister Inc. has focused on all things printed, including posters, brochures, books and graphics and packaging for music clients. His work has won nearly all the international design awards available. Born in Austria, he now lives and works in New York.

‘Things I Have learned in My Life So Far’ is a book based on a list of Stefan’s personal maxims.

The maxims were published all over the world, in spaces normally occupied by advertisements and promotions: as billboards, projections, light-boxes, magazine spreads, annual report covers, fashion brochures, and, recently, as giant inflatable monkeys.

Made by the graphic designer on his “experimental year”, where he took time out from working on commercial projects, the book holds 16 unbound signatures housed within a laser-cut slipcase (allowing 16 alternative covers).

Whilst stefan’s book could be considered as self indulgent, look further and you will find a Visually interesting, Funny & philosophical piece of work.


Posted by: Matt

Nick Cave is a bloody legend!

Went to see Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds last week, and as a fairly recent convert (thanks Matt!) this was the first time I’ve seen them live. They rocked the place and Nick Cave was just amazing. What a bloke!

http://www.nickcaveandthebadseeds.com/

Posted by: Tom

Missing Kirby Mashup at Ministry

Our Will (yes, the fabled ‘other’ Kirby brother!) continues to make waves in clubland as his DJ alter ego Santero, and last Saturday made his debut at Ministry of Sound. Top work fella!

Not really my scene but I couldn’t miss this momentous occasion, and I enjoyed the novelty of being in the DJ booth - which also had the brilliant effect of making me look less ludicrously out of place – result!

Posted by: Tom

Princess on Ice on Tour!

We recently produced some fantastic outdoor advertising as part of the launch campaign for Princess on Ice, the hit Nintendo DS game from 505 Games. They were placed on arena concourses and in washrooms throughout the Dancing on Ice Live arena tour, and looked great!

Here are a few examples to get you in the mood for some ice skating!

Posted by: Jemma

YESSSSSSSSSS!! Wednesday stay up!!

As a long-suffering Sheffield Wednesday season ticket holder, it was a joy to behold a sell-out crowd of 37,000 at Hillsborough on the final day of the season, our biggest attendance in over 8 years.

Better yet a thumping 4-1 victory over Norwich made sure we avoided the drop and gave something to be grateful for – if we’d lost that game it would have meant hello to Hereford and the like in League 1...

So well done to Lawsy and the boys, and here’s to a better 2008-09!

Posted by: Tom

J’t’aime le Paris

Catacombs

Versailles Garden

Versailles House

I recently visited my friend who lives in Paris, it was my second visit within the last 18 months and I fell in love with the city all over again!

This time my highlights were experiencing the indulgent Versailles palace and driving a golf buggy around the grounds. Dining out in the very posh and chic restaurants of Saint Germain and going deep underground to view the incredibly eerie yet interesting Catacombs – this is certainly not for the faint hearted! Approximately 6 million bodies were thought to have been moved from Parisian graveyards to the underground tunnels between 1786 and 1860!!

Posted by: Jemma

Where's the donkey?

Some of the more unusual sights to be seen in Barcelona ........it's cool for cats!!!!!

Posted by: Yvette

Microdot

I was clearing out the garage the other day and found this limited edition book by Microdot, a design agency with a reputation for producing fine single and album covers. It includes a concise selection of works since 1990, including The Verve and Oasis. I think for many contemporary music and design enthusiasts a Microdot sleeve is a hallmark of both quality inside and outside of the packaging.

You just don’t know what lurks in the garage as this is a pretty cool find as only 1500 were printed with mine being 1401. You might see it on eBay soon!

Posted by: Richard

...and off to the pub!

We completed our Race for Life last Sunday, another great day out and all in the name of 'chariddy'!

Thank you so much to everyone who sponsored us.

Posted by: Yvette

Party Specs!

We picked these up in Florida – they really get the party started. I look ‘best’ in the Tequila Slammer ones….

Woooooooooooooh! U-S-A, U-S-A!!!

Posted by: Dan

Watergate, Berlin

Steve Bug, phonique and Pokerflat Records at Watergate, Berlin.

Steve Bug is one of my favourite Dj’s, and once discovering he and the majority of his label mates were playing Watergate whilst I was in Berlin, it was a dead cert I would be there.

Watergate is one of the top clubs in Berlin, it has a fantastic soundsystem, an amazing riverside view, a floating chill out area and the best ceiling I have ever seen!

Posted by: Matt

Nike take it to the next level...

I like the new Nike football TV ad.

I first saw this at half time during the Man U - Barca champions league game.

Apparently directed by Guy Ritchie of Lock Stock fame. It's shot in the first person and shows (seemingly your own) rise from the lower leagues to being signed by Arsenal and onto the international stage.

Nice bit of art direction and very engaging with cameo appearances from all your favourite Nike sponsored footie players.

Check it out at: http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikefootball/en__EMEA/index.html

Posted by: Bew

Pod City

Ghost Pods of Sanjhih

I like this abandoned ‘Pod City’ in San Zhi, Taiwan. As seen on Flickr visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cypherone/167815028/ to see them all, haunting and strangely beautiful.

Posted by: Bew

24 Hour Arty People

Central Station are the Mancunian design trio responsible for producing some of the most amazing sleeve artwork for Factory Records.

Since the mid eighties they have created for the Happy Mondays, Black Grape, and the promo material and title sequence for Michael Winterbottom's film 24 Hour Party People.

They are holding an exhibition of this work (amongst other great stuff) at The Richard Goodall Gallery, Manchester entitled Fac Off. It will be running from 16 May to 21 June and limited edition screen prints will be available.

More info at:
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/crblog/central-station-24-hour-arty-people/

Don't miss it!

Posted by: Bew

New Sonic ID Web site

I know I know, a gratuitous plug, but I really like our new Sonic ID web site – it really captures the brand.

Our ‘reason for being’ is to demystify the exciting new discipline of sonic branding and identity, and this site is a great step forward.

Hear more at http://www.sonicid.com/

Posted by: Dan

Bopit!

I like the Bopit Extreme2 - it's a great hand-eye coordination game and lots of fun - rhythm and fast reactions are necessary... and not to be played after one too many shandies as it's shockingly difficult!

Posted by: Clare

I’m Wired...

I am really liking Wired magazine at the moment, some really interesting articles, and great typographical and graphic design…


Posted by: Dan

‘Well, it’s a cab, innit?’

A proud moment in the English language – a woman asks for a ‘cab, innit’ and actually gets a cabinet delivered!’ The company that delivered the furniture suggested ‘she speak more clearly in future…’ Classic!

Posted by: Dan

Chad Vader - Day Shift Manager

‘You have failed me for the last time’

…Man management techniques from renowned people-person Lord Vader…


Here is episode 1 on YouTube:

Chad Vader - Day Shift Manager




Posted by: Dan

Bling beyond belief!

This ultra-bling version of Apple's 1Gb ishuffle comes encrusted with 430 diamonds. The controls in the center are plated in solid 18k white and pink gold. The iDiamond as it's been dubbed is going under the hammer at some charity auction in London. The estimated final price is in the £20,000 range.

Posted by: Linda

GTA Coca Cola TV ad

I really like this ad of the moment by Coca Cola. It’s the little details that make it and of course all the scenarios and characters.

Plus it’s similarity to that of the Grand Theft Auto game is fantastic and as the next GTA game is due out at the end of April, timing is of course everything!

Posted by: Jemma

Window of opportunity

I saw this particular product in Mazda Magazine and I think it’s great! It’s a very ordinary looking window which at a touch of a button, folds out into a funky balcony. This is fantastic for modern city living with very limited space and it only takes 15 seconds for the full transformation.

It’s been designed by Dutch architects Hofman Dujardin and is built from solid aluminium and glass. It can be fitted to both new and existing buildings offering enough space for two people to dine alfresco!!

How much I hear you cry? It’s current price is around £7,500.

Posted by: Jemma

Butterfly House

I was in Stratford over Easter and took the kids to this Butterfly house just on the river. We all loved it as the butterflies roam and fly around you freely while you walk through. There’s some great species there with the added bonus of reptile house including some pretty scary scorpions. Well recommended.

Posted by: Richard

YO! Sushi serves up Cooking Mama 2!

After the huge award-winning success of Cooking Mama, our friends at 505 Games are enjoying some high profile activity for the sequel, Cooking Mama 2.

Diners at the Poland St or Farringdon Rd branches of YO! Sushi are being served up a helping of Cooking Mama 2, so they can chop, strip and fry to their heart’s content on a Nintendo DS in between courses! The promotion will be rolling out to other YO! Sushi branches nationwide in the coming months. Go Mama!

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/DS/Cooking+Mama+2/news.asp?c=6435


Posted by: Tom

Album of the year?

I just bought Consolers of the Lonely - the second album from The Raconteurs.

One of the interesting things about this album is that the band did no promotion before the album's release. The Observer said it was "one of the most exciting musical events of 2008" and I've got to say I couldn't agree more!

Chaotic and Raw - Very easily the best album I've bought this year.

Posted by: Bew

SpoonMug

I spotted these from a promo mag and thought what a neat idea to have your own spoon attached to your mug. Always handy to have a spoon available for getting out the biscuit that fell after dunking!

Posted by: Richard

Repo Man

‘An ordinary person spends his life avoiding intense situations. Repo man spends his life getting INTO intense situations. Let’s go get a drink…’

This cult 80's film was one of my faves as a young reprobate – the dialogue, bad attitude, and punk rock weirdness …

Released in 1984, British Director Alex Cox based the film on his own personal Los Angeles horrors and the tutelage of Mark Lewis, a Los Angeles car repossesser and neighbour.

Frustrated punk rocker Otto (Emilio Estevez) gets fired from his supermarket job and is later dumped by his girlfriend.

Wandering the streets in frustration, he is recruited in the repossession of a car by a repo agent (Harry Dean Stanton).

During his training, he is introduced into the mercenary and paranoid world of the drivers, and finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue concerning a huge repossession bounty on a 1964 Chevy Malibu driven by a lunatic government scientist (Fox Harris), with Top Secret cargo in the trunk...

For some cool pics from the film visit: http://www.repomanfilm.com/promopage.htm

Here are some clips on YouTube:

Repo Man (1984) - Intro

John Wayne was a ... (one of the greatest lines from Repo Man)

The Repo Code

Otto Asks for Some Dough

Posted by: Dan

WeLiveHere Website

Sheffield Icons


View of Castle Market



The Town Hall extension 'The Egg Box'



The New Roxy



The Cooling Towers



'The Scottish Queen' - Parkhill


WeLiveHere is an online gallery and store showcasing the design work of Sheffield based artist and graphic designer, Jonathan Wilkinson. The subject matter of the work reflects his exploration of the familiar and perhaps not so familiar surroundings of Sheffield and other places that he visited. These places that are still in existence, now defunct or close to demolition represent a rich seam of inspiration for him.

The works vary from limited edition runs to open editions, produced as striking lithographic prints and I just thought how cool they look and reminds me of my days as a youth especially Roxy as this is where I got my first Love bite, whey hey!


Check it out: http://www.welivehere.co.uk/

Posted by: Richard