Creative Creatures

How cute are these little guys?

I was inspired by some beautiful superflat work I found online by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and ended up creating this wallpaper of creatures. I hope they make you as cheery on this sunshine filled Sunday as they made me while I was making them.

Just Add Sunshine

The world is one giant step closer to transforming into an episode of Glee.

Rather poetically, this Adidas spot has quite a lot in common with the US musicom. Glee takes a great song and simply adds a little something to make it more fun and well... sunshiney. And everyone enjoys sunshine.

Surely inspired by this, when Wieden and Kennedy made Nike Musical Shoes in Japan (aka this):


welcome to optimism: Nike music shoe by Wieden + Kennedy Tokyo

... Adidas came along and did the exact same thing with their MEGALIZER (sounds like a transformer, doesn't it?). Points for originality: 0. They did, however, do something Nike didn't. Make it applicable. Nike just dropped a 95lb bomb of cool in our laps and said, 'there you go' and no-one really knew what to do with it. Adidas have gone the extra mile and showed us something inspiring, outside of the laboratory. They took the idea and made it universal.

They Gleed™ it up.

I'm A Man Of Few Words

I've had some trouble with writing this post.

I've had trouble finding the words to explain my experience with during the D&AD awards. The truth is that there are no words. It was absolutely amazing. It was the glistening cherry on top of a delicious placement that I have loved from start to finish.

It has been so wonderful.

The people I've met, the inspiring conversations I have had with all kinds of people in the creative industry - I have been so lucky.

I have seen THE BEST CREATIVE WORK IN THE WORLD.

I sit here here humbled and inspired.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part and got involved (especially the Spring project crew).

Orange Power!

A truly new idea from Tropicana (I love Tropicana. Have I mentioned that before?) It's a billboard made out of oranges... Amazing!

Digital Stuff

(Imaginative title, right? I know, I'm awesome.)

Lately I've been playing a lot of hide and seek with digital work (it's obviously bit of a one-sided game) and my inner ego maniac is convinced that everyone wants me to share it and let them know my thoughts on it. Well, if you insist, I'll throw a few thoughts your way.



This is the new Carlsberg page on YouTube. It's not really 'new' for a page to come alive but there's something surprising about it. I think it's the subtleness of the onset. The screen just gradually begins to fall apart. It's quite an immersive experience once it gets going and completely kidnaps your attention. It may not be new but I have to give kudos for the execution. You can find out for yourself on:

http://www.youtube.com/carlsberg



Put a website address into this page by BMW and you can drive around the page, terrorizing banners and destroying text all over the web. It's actually pretty addictive. There's something genius about having an interactive extension that you can use on any page. I personally went on a joyride on Porsche's webpage (well I thought it was funny).

Go forth and play at : http://204.51.112.250/x3/



Pepsi's latest idea come in the form of this 'Tag a Tv ad' campaign. Honestly, this seems like a step backwards after iButterfly in Japan but it has rather obvious benefits; It closes the gap between advertising and sales, and encourages people to actually pay attention to their ads but creatively speaking, this seems a bit Fred Flintstone. Find more info at:

http://mashable.com/2011/04/20/intonow-pepsi-partnership/



THIS IS AMAZING!!!!

I've taken a shine to this. It's my latest love in the world of all things cool and digital. It's so simple and fun. I know everyone who watches it can't resist putting their finger on the screen and getting involved in the magical shenanigans. It's branded entertainment at it's best and it brings me nothing but pure delight. Another masterpiece from a brand that has a habit of creating amazing stuff.

I'm Not A Graphic Designer, But I Love My Mum

Being Mother's Day and all I decided to do something special for the ol' girl who gave me life and what not. Below is what I like to think of as an "optimist's effort" at designing my own card for my mum. Just seemed a bit more sentimental to create something myself, rather than chuck £2.50 on something random in Clinton's.

I created this nice little idea juxtaposing the "M" with the traditional heart design and I think it came off rather well.



The typography could be organized more effectively, but it made my mum happy and isn't that what everyone wants to do on Mother's Day (and the other 364 for that matter)?

Better Late Than Never

It's one of my resolution this year to explore London more this yurr (another is to use more unusual/invented words. I've been doing alright with that one.) Now I'm aware that Picadilly Circus isn't reeeeally exploring London, but I've been a busy little bee at D&AD and I like to consider any size step a positive move as long as it's in the right direction.

Anyhoo,

I went for a wander and came across some purdy illustration and design work on my travels. You may have seen it too. They are so wonderful to look at so I've put them on here so everyone can have a look.

This is a smoothie bar called Snog, which is home to some redelicious (ridiculously delicious) fruity stuff. On the walls are these bright illustrations that make a great environment while you drink your redeliciousness. It's so charming!



This little guy was on the opposite wall. It would be shame to leave him out as he is so happy to be here that he's strutting like he owns the place.



This murial was chalked onto the ground... somewhere. If I could draw dreams, I'd bet they'd look like this. The 60's/70's style typography and colours really gives it a modest "hippy" feel. I haven't seen many prettier things lately. If nothing else it has some fairly wise words to love by.



This isn't even art. It's just candy. But I love candy. I'm a complete sugar junkie, so here just might be as close to Heaven as I'll ever get. Seriously though, I may just have D&AD send my paycheck to them- cut out the middleman, so to speak. Back on topic, all the colours just caught my eye as I walked by and made me feel like a kid again. I love that feeling! When you're so excited you can't express it. You just kind of bounce on the spot. Like your imagination is exploding with possibilities. Like anything is possible.

Warning!

This poster campaign is, in advertising terms, simply perfect.

It's simple.

It's witty.

It's shows the benefit in a memorable, interesting way.

Perfect. It's a well-written piece of advertising, no contest. Also the typography is bee-yootiful. Wow.





So what if it's for adult movies.

Oh Dear!

Irresistibubble?



Micromoisture?

Has everyone run out of ideas?

Thieves!

I was recently outraged by a bottle of smoothie (I know, only me).

It wasn't out of date.

It wasn't expensive. I didn't even buy it.

The bottle didn't cut, bruise or in any way damage me physically.

It did however feature the 'Froosh' company logo, a clean simple font where to two 'O's are manipulated to look like cherries. This logo (infuriatingly) looks identical to one I designed for cherries in my portfolio, in a range of funky formats.

I know it's unlikely that a multinational company is getting their ideas from a jester in converse trainers but it's still ruddy annoying. Why, Froosh? Why? They don't even use cherries in their smoothies - Jerks!

OK, bad news:

Anyone I show this to (including future employers) will see the Froosh logo when (and if) I show them my work. I'll either look like someone who is same as everyone else or like someone who steals from everywhere else. Neither of which will brighten a gloomy day.

I'm the creative equivalent of Herbert Spencer...

Glad you asked! Herbert Spencer was the original proponent of the term 'Survival of the fittest' (sound familiar?), but then this joker, "Darwin" wandered on to scene and took the glory. Despite coining the term, Herbert was left a whisper in history and Charles the thief got all the credit.

In this scenario I'm inaudible to people more than two feet away.

The good news (and the point I'm going to focus on):

I have some good ideas. Good enough for a multinational organization. It's a charming little logo, regardless of who was the originator (I was!). This provides, a glimmer at least, of a silver lining, in that I have what it takes to do something in this industry. In fact, I have pushed my idea further than Froosh. I won't say how (spies everywhere) but I think it separates our ideas enough to satisfy my ego.

I can take this compliment, move on, develop, get better, until my ideas are unreachable to envious fruit companies.

So no more of this childish competition. We are brothers of creativity after all, and we should let each other's ideas live and let live.



Mine's better anyway.