February - Miami, Hellohikimori, Virgin Atlantic, We are ideas, The Bat, Visual Mapping, Surf, New York City, Wedding

1/ Miami
I discovered Miami for the first time. It kind of reminded me LA. Not a walking friendly city. I have to go there a lot now, for work. At least it’s sunny. Yeah, At least it’s sunny.

2/ Hellohikimori.com
Hellohikimori is a design studio, based in Paris. In August, I worked on the copy of their new website. It had an FWA some time long ago. Not that the copy had anything to do with it. What I found challenging was to keep one style through so many pages of content. This is a small thing I wrote about them:

Hellohikimori is Nathalie Melato and David Rondel Cambou. Colours walk with us. Together we fight. For brands, for design, for interaction and even for glory; sometimes. We breathe creativity. Together, always.
We love to walk and ride but always out of the beaten tracks. It is painful, sometimes, but it’s worth it. Really.
They say audacious. We say proud.

3/ Hello Gorgeous! Virgin Atlantic
Forget all the hyperbolic battles raging between international airlines. I have travelled on quite a few… Nothing comes close to the experience of flying Virgin’s Upper class. Yes that sounds a bit yuppie yup, but spare me 5 minutes while I demonstrate through time log:
> (Whenever) You book a flight
> (48 H) They ask you to call them back
> (24 H)You call them and give your passport number + check that everything is all right + update your flying club account
> (1.30 H) A Virgin limo picks you up
> (1.25 H) Limo driver checks you in via blackberry
> (1.00 H) The Virgin limo drops you at the special Virgin check in
> (0.57 H) Guy grabs your bag, security asks you the usual three questions, girl hands your boarding pass
> (0.50 H Pass customs through special Virgin desk
> (0.45 H) Bim Bam Boum, you’re in Heathrow Virgin lounge with a delicate atmosphere: wicked tunes, tasty breakfast, cosy furniture…
> (0.15 H) Buckled up and ready to go…

Now, I am not paid by Virgin Atlantic to write about them (yet… R.B.? Call me!), but this has changed my experience of flying.
It’s clear that the fight is not just about on-board services: who has the biggest… seats, or the most…in-flight entertainment.
It’s about the whole journey. This is the real consumer experience. Every little thing, every little attention counts. Before, During and After. Right now, Virgin ticks Before and During. After is still up for grabs, in my opinion. Wouldn’t it be great if after your flight Virgin sends you a satisfaction enquiry or calls you?
The only problem? This level of service and efficiency is highly addictive. (Oh, did I mention the head - shoulder massage, on board?)

4/ Weareideas.com, new and improved
Hopefully, I will be able to maintain and update this version after the crackdown last August. It’s a shame because my stats were off the roof but hey, a new job and other things to concentrate on…
I added some nifty features: Plazes (so that you know where I’m at?) and Twitter (so that you know what I’m up to?). Also, the RSS should work properly now. Images are bigger. Google search bar. Cleaner look and feel. Digg it! fully integrated.
But, really, the main thing is this new concept: The monthly nine. Every month I am going to talk about nine things that I stumbled upon, that tickled my fancy or that are just so out there that they should interest us. This will not be exclusively web related, websites or digital. Nor only advertising driven. Anything goes. Weareideas is opening itself.
So if they’re any cool bits and pieces that you love, please share.

5/ The Bat
This is my new job. I have left the agency world behind me. All hail to the client side. It’s quite interesting to live the “other side”. The politics, the dynamics, the processes.
For Death or Glory, I guess.

6/ Visual Mapping
I have worked on this baby for sometime now. It focuses on the main digital areas and how they are interlinking with each other. Since it’s all about networks, the challenge is to see where does *my brand* should engage its user? What is relevant? Where is it relevant?
Creating this visual map helps a lot in articulating the strategic vision in a very plain way, without the fussy web2.0 trendy bullshit keywords.

Simple questions > Complicated answers / Visually simple

Visual Mapping intraveinous inspiration: Visual Complexity

7/ Surf
Since I arrived in the UK, I have only surfed once on the North Devon coast. My brother, Skoya, came to visit and off we went to see what Croyde had to offer. Well we were unlucky. It was really poor. The kind of waves that test your will and determination, even when it’s sunny. And, it was raining and windy. We had fun.
It seems that sometimes, Croyde can fire some serious steaks though.

8/ New York City
I haven’t been to NY since 1992. I used to spend one week there during summer from 1985 to 1992. This is where I scored my first Jordans, where crazy people hanged out on Times Square, where Harlem was not friendly and nobody really cared about Brooklyn. So yeah, it changed a lot. For the best or the worst.
Whatever, there’s still nothing like it.

9/ Wedding
Hectic. Time Hungry. Crazy & Happy.

The life of a blogger

This the reason why I am taking some time off. It's a hard knock life, for us, bloggers.



This viral was shot and directed by Sibling Rivalry for ButternutJelly, an eBaumsworld.com me like. Oh and by the way, the name of the head editor is Jhidekim.

Ray Ban Wayfarer viral

The most iconic Ray Ban model, the Wayfarers, get wet in this nice little viral.



Never Hide, Ray Ban

Welcome to DMBDO, the puppet agency

It’s always interesting to know how people in our industry like to describe it.



Nice copy. Cool and entertaining.

They want us to participate, so send your stories here.

Watch The puppet agency, DMBDO

Show me Perrier ... NOT!

What happened to Perrier? This print campaign was running when my girlfriend was in NYC last summer (she actually sent me a pic the ads).



And now I stumbled on this Show me perrier website. The concept is fairly simple: around different themes (sexier, crazier, healthier, riskier), this microsite embeds entire websites or webpages. You can then rate the content etc… nice idea in theory… well actually not even in theory.



Why on earth anyone would want to go on a brand website to get content that you can have on any linkdump? What Perrier has to do with a bread shaped penis? Should they even want to be associated with it?
"Oh, come on it’s just fun. It’s like a ride in the dark side of the web… Show me Perrier" Maybe, but again, other websites do it. Much better.
Perrier is a brand that I love. It has strong equity. Again the print campaign was really cool. It had legs. But the web campaign is running the wrong way.
Really bad interactive experience. And very bad branding.
Show me perrier

Replace Banners

After replacing ads by art, you can now, thanks to ProWebSurfer, control what you want to replace them with. Picture of your girlfriend or your weekend at the beach...

I wonder what will happen if this kind of applications flourish. Could this be the end of a business model?
They harness the true spirit and specifications of the web compared to TV or print. Very interesting because unlike TiVo or other DVRs, this is a free service, tailored to your taste (yeah, since you're choosing the pictures...doh)

Demo here (annoying voice)

Sprint Ahead

I have already posted about this Sprint ahead new campaign and the cool little e-card app they created (apparently a rip off from this).



Anyway, I still think this is a very impactful campaign. The visual concept matches perfectly the sprint speed (think "speed of light") concept and gives more depth to the brand promise and benefits. It has and creates emotions. I can see it, hear it, interact with it. It communicates something that I want to be a part of. It looks simple and it looks good.



As usual with GS&P, it’s integrated and it’s not dull.

HP Bi Reality - Best Fake Viral or Best Real Viral?

Yes, this is the real question here. Is this for real? We some priceless voice over comments: “the user can see all around their presence at their remote location simply by turning around, which is very natural and immersive.”



More information here

YSL and SHOWstudio, Edition 24 live event

The web is becoming THE platform to broadcast live events with atypical formats. After Diesel Heidies or their latest fashion show, here comes YSL & SHOWstudio who will be staging a live 24-hour shoot of the new “Edition 24” collection, with Jessica Miller as the Actress / Model, Stefano Pilati as the Creative Client and Nick Knigth as Visual Guru.


The shoot will be organized in 4 acts each divided in 6 scenes. Prior to the shooting, SHOWstudio asked users to send their script for the different scenes. Submissions are now closed. You can read them here.

Transparent and integrating the user, this campaign is a very interesting and bold move by YSL. Letting users create its content for the launch of a new collection is good, but to take the risk of actually shooting it live, this is excellent.
Courageous and rewarding PR campaign. Very now, very digital. Is someone at YSL is listening to what’s happening.

So, Sunday the 15th of July, go there and enjoy the show.

La Redoute and Christian Lacroix collaboration

We saw so many collaboration between high end designers (and not so high end) and high street retailers.
This one is even more unexpected: Christian Lacroix, famous French Fashion designer, and La Redoute, a French Catalogue company that does mail-order business only.


Anyway, the website to promote this line is a nice, soft and easy video experience. Think Alice in Wonderland.
The video of the model plays with angles and sizes to give it an original perspective when interacting with its surroundings.

Relearn to drive - BMW USA

BMW USA would like to take us back to that unique, sweet, one time only teenage experience...
Learning to drive that is. Sweet memories. At relearntodrive.com you can watch several (funny?) videos of cliché instructors. All of that to promote the BMW Performance Driving School where you can learn to drive seriously a BMW with some ex NASCAR dudes. It seems that seriously implies to skid and drift.


Anyway, all that for $2,995 only. Oh, and the website has some really nice angled car racing videos that are worth watching.

Xbox, Master your environment by AKQA

AKQA has just created this online movie to promote three games for XBOX 360 in the UK. One movie...three games? Yes but one idea: Master your environment. And the film is developped solely around this insight and not the games.



It looks really good. Not the most interactive project in the world but the production is really high end and everything just looks so much better in slow motion.

Nike Football, The Perfect Kick, T90 campaign

Nike Football is at it again. Funny little online video with young boy Rooney.



T90 Laser is a cool feature with multi angle video showing the perfect kick in slow motion.
They also have a competition where you can upload your video of your perfect shoot at the T90 target.


Maybe not as powerful as "The Chain" but nevertheless good stuff

Levis Vintage Clothing Japan

Greatly crafted website for Levis Vintage Clothing in Japan range, exclusively sold in selected shops and in their own Aoyama shop, just across Bathing Ape.
A lot of attention was spent on details and animations. 3D is well integrated even if it runs a bit slow (always the case with japanese website).


What I am really enthusiastic abou here is that no sacrifices were made between Art Direction/Design and Flash/3D implementation. Both are great and support each other to push it to the next level.


Love it. Here.

ps: Yes we all have seen most of the fx but who cares... It looks great.What matters is "not where you take ideas from but where you take them to" Jean Luc Godard.

TOTO is coming to refresh us

TOTO is big in Japan. TOTO has a message. Clean is HAPPY. Washlet brings you happiness. From the bottom up. (sorry couldn’t resist)


So now install TOTO washlet. Refresh yourself. Restore yourself. Pamper yourself. Be clean. Be Happy.

Mercedes Class C - Agency Republic

Good interactive effort by Agency Republic for the new Class C. Small interactive experiences that tie in with some of the product specs.


Sweet here. Not sure how this is related to the mercedes class C target though.

Little Deviant - Scion xD - ATTIK

I have already written about how Scion and ATTIK are pulling some of the most interesting car campaigns. Their cars polarize the public into a “hot or not” poll. The "no opinion" doesn’t really exist. You love it or you hate it.
Ballsy products with a gutsy communication.


This little deviant campaign is to celebrate the launch of the new Scion xD. The world has been conquered by some sheeples (kind of a subtle mix between a suit and a ship: likes to follow and to conform) but a gang of little deviants are ready to take them on.

The TVC is cool.



The micro site is really tight. Great art direction, strong storytelling. I really enjoyed playing through the whole experience.


Three thumbs up for Scion and ATTIK.

Share The Air - Panasonic

Always tricky to see big corps trying to co opt skate, when, truly, they don’t have anything to do with it. The leap here is taking on by Panasonic. See, skaters, they listen to music, take pictures, make videos and then have to watch them… This is where Panasonic steps in.


They have aligned a serious roster (Koston, Jenkins…) and some new kid that I don’t even know of (I’m getting really old).
The skaters have blogs, they post videos and they even do the freaking product demos.

The art direction is nice and appropriate. I think this kind of operation can work. I am still not sure how pertinent it is for Panasonic to enter the skate scene and to target this audience who might not be the prime buyers of their product… but maybe I am wrong.
Anyway, share the air

We Are Ideas DNA

My blog DNA.


Serious stuff if you ask me.
ps: It doesn't work well on Mozilla.

iTunes Festival and the ICA

Great operation by iTunes. They are organizing a music festival, in July, with the institute of contemporary art. Every night, one concert.


So what’s the catch? It is invitation only. And how to get invited? Well, just enter the draw.
What’s in it for Apple? Apart for the cool branding operation, a lot of cool data collection on a perfect core audience for iTunes.

Simple, efficient but expensive. I would like to know the cost per head entering the draw.

The Line Up


Air Traffic Amy Winehouse Aqualung Ash Athlete Beardyman Ben’s Brother Beverley Knight Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Candie Payne Cherry Ghost Crowded House Dhafer Youssef Duke Special Editors
Elisa Ghosts Gianna Nannini Goldspot Good Shoes GoodBooks Groove Armada Imogen Heap Jack Peñate James Wolff Jamie Scott & the Town Just Jack Justin Nozuka Kasabian Leash Leon Jean-Marie Little Man Tate Ludovico Einaudi MIKA Mr Hudson & The Library Mutya Buena Nine Black Alps Paolo Nutini
Paul McCartney Raul Midón Rebekka Bakken Remi Nicole Scott Matthews Stereophonics Terra Naomi The Bad Plus The Coral The Dead 60s The Go! Team The Hoosiers The Maccabees The Pigeon Detectives The Rakes The Rumble Strips The View Tiny Dancers Travis Wir Sind Helden

Every band has its own page, with a full bio, a direct link to their iTunes store section. Tight user path. Seamless.

Sign up here to enter the draw.

And the winner is...

It’s quite clear. Now.


Lesson learned?

Just love the internet...

This reminded me why I am working in this business.



1 million views on YouTube and going...

Wirebreakers for MOTOROKR

Now there is a lot of positive things I wanted to say about this wirebreakers operation: the way they use the "not so new" krump trend (I mean how can any thing be new after David Lachappelle tries to make a documentary out of it...Oh wait, actually he did.) and associate it to their main product benefit: wireless headphones (wire breakers...doh). So you can just "Krump it up, Kid, Gansta Style"... Sorry.


Anyway, the website destroyed anything cool I had to say. I am not for the "amateurish look and feel" when professionally done. Plus, its content is not socially enabled. Can't share the videos, cannot download them... You are going to tell me: "But they are on YouTube". So what.
It's about how the brand engages its target on its own turf, YouTube is one touchpoint. Not THE touchpoint.

Anyway, if you want to look at the website… here it is.

And here’s a video

Diesel is having a Live Fashion Show

Seems like they can't have enough of this live thing at Diesel (think Heidies, Cannes Cyber Grand Prix). We will see tonight how it looks. 9.30pm CET.

Here's the preview video.



And they don't hesitate to shut Diesel.com normal content to solely focus on the event.


Some people at Diesel know what they are doing! Really.

Hydro - Viral Campaign

Very cool virals from Hydro, a fortune 500 company that sells Oil&Energy, Aluminium and other cool stuff like that...





"There are many young engineers out there. We cant wait to see them grow up."
Well if they can do some cool things like that, me too.

Choon, Nokia Music Recommenders

UK microsite to promote Nokia’s latest effort in captivating the music territory with their ambitious project “music recommenders”.
Choon = Tune in brit slang. Just a small precision in case you didn’t get it.


So, what do we have here? A game, easy to understand, easy to play, funny and hip graphics and I have even managed to be in the top five (for now).
Overall, a cool experience, right on spot, fresh and clean. Nice job.

Nuf said! Go & Beat me.

Collaboration between RGA London and designers David Rondel + Nathalie Melato

Reminds you someone?

It has to if you ever worked in an agency. If you have three minutes to spare...



Visit the site for behind the scene footage.

LOVE Cartier

The LOVE collection is inspired by the bracelet created by Cartier in 1970. For the launch of the collection, 12 short movies were directed by Olivier Dahan, a famous French director. They are exclusively broadcasted on the microsite. Reminds you something? Ok, moving on.


I am not feeling the Art Direction of the website at all. Kind of cheap. A pale imitation of luxury. You can make your own opinion, this is just mine, for what it’s worth.
The short movies can be watch one after the other or in an interactive experience, with two call to action at the end of each short. I suppose the concept is to let the user create his own LOVE experience, to immerse him in a Parisian atmosphere, suave and precious, from viewer to creator.
The films are well produced, well written... Little voices back in Paris told me that the production budget was around 900 000 euros.
Overall, my experience was nice, but not sure it was worth this price when globally the microsite is really poor.

Uniqlo

Uniqlo has become one of the most interesting mass fashion houses in the digital arena. And they continue to roll out some very strong ideas.


Uniqlock is right now just a casting of girls pulling some interesting “(q)lock” moves, blended with classical moves. It is very different to what we are used to see. Contemporary but no too much. It is supposed to launch on the 15th of June (tomorrow).



Keep tuned.

Also, Uniqlopaper presents their new collections. It is a nice blended mix of products and content. Content that matters. That is right on their target. Young, trendy, a bit hip, but not too much. Zara, Gap, H&M beware. Uniqlo is happening. Fast.


Uniqlo is embracing content in everything they do. They have understood that it’s not just about your product anymore. Brands are not their products, nor are they just their advertising. They are becoming content producers, built around their values, their product, their lifestyle. Products are put back into perspective. Products are put back into our REAL life. They become content as well. To read, to look, to feel. Consuming is so not about buying a thing anymore. And maybe it has never been.

BMW Series 1 Japan

Very strong integrated internet centric operation from BMW Japan for the new Series 1.
The microsite features a webmovie in three episodes. I watched them during my lunch break and I got really, really excited. The production is of very high quality, the sound design is great (think Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield), the actors are class-A… It all communicated a really great experience.


The website is supported by print ads, a TVC, flyers and a mobile site that you can access from the website via QR code. I wasn’t allowed to visit the mobile site (maybe restricted to japan ip only) but the transition from a QR code on the web to my N95 was an amazing thing. We are going to see so many more of those in our countries.

Don’t surf it, just walk it.

Small online app, very visual, interactive and playful, which let you “walk” through linked sites.


It doesn't work well with weareideas, linking very different site from Technorati or Alexa...

Ineffective media buying and ad networks

I really like this example because it's neither extreme nor shocking. It's simple and shows how ineffective and dull mass media buying on big ad networks is. This is something that frustrated me on almost every digital display advertising campaign that I have worked on.


So, I am watching this great video about this iconic surf director on surfermag. This guy, Albert Flazon, is talking about how, when he produced one of the most deep and beautiful cult surf movies “Morning of the Earth”, he was having the time of his life, experimenting new ways of living in community, travelling, surfing, discovering etc… and then to the right, I see this banner for the US Special Forces.
I don’t know who the Special Forces are trying to target on surfer.com but my guess is (just a hunch, heh) “young blokes, 18-24, sporty, fit, adventurous, ready for a challenge”… Yes, yes and yes. It ticks all the boxes, but certainly not the main one: is my product relevant to this audience?

Future is not tomorrow, anymore.

The future of Digital is emerging faster than I could have thought. More new techs are coming out and it’s getting hard to keep up.


Watch Surface. You’ve read about it everywhere. Well it’s coming. Fast.

iPhone? Out the 29/06.



There’s also this new app, photosynth.


It generates images and compositions by hyperlinking numerous images related to the composed image. Think multidimensional spaces, think zoom, think navigation. Think tagging, semantic connection, social experiment: think collective memory. It’s really hot.


Not clear? Watch it here.

And then Google Street View, that aroused some very internet centric concerns about privacy, rights, usage of the data…



And some nice, huh, well, funny stuff.
Wonders of Digital.

New Era is hot... new branding hot.

Surprised? Well think again.
I am aware that this tech stunt of making your logo or a picture out of lots and lots of smaller images is now almost passé, but NE does it with their buyers, wearing their products (caps for those who have been sleeping on some other street fashion island for the past 5 or 6 years), and giving some fresh poses.


They have developed an amazing positioning inside the street industry without going for the easy hip hop "celeb" endorsement. And it all ties in together. Community, Positioning, Experience, Branding...

So the question is: Are you part of the New Era?

MOTOROKR Z6

Cute little site for motorola's new phone.


ps: I said cute, not groundbreaking or amazing. Clean&Cute.

Bake a Skoda

Cute TVC for Skoda by Fallon London. Qwerky approach that works really well and is clearly different.


They created a microsite integrated with TVC: baking of documentary, baked car in 3d... Nice effort but very, very far from the level of experience given by the TVC.



Now the £100,000 question: is it worth it to have a microsite if it doesn't match the quality of a TVC? Are you hesitating? Yes...No? Let's rephrase the question: Is it worth spending any money on average advertising?

It's good when they talk...

Always inspiring.

Let's have a KODAK moment!

Will KODAK emerge from its digitalphobia?

This video is long but execllent. I don't know the whole story behind it, if it is "official" or unofficially official, but it's great. It is one of these that make you shift perception on a brand. Let's wait and see if it's going to happen.

Why nobody believes in advertising?

Sometimes we might have a tendency to confuse persuasiveness, inspiring and just taking people for dumb *ss.
One thing to remember: “The consumer is not a moron, he is your wife”


More here
Anyway, it's still selling, no?

Axe / Lynx... Becoming a real digital brand?

Very cute little viral for Axe. Play via a webcam with the temperature of a beach shower. The reveal is a bit dull, or tacky when you have the special one. Nevertheless, nice effort.


Play with it.

Axe / Lynx... Becoming a real digital brand?

Mega bucks, Hollywood style production and very engaging for Axe Shock.






































It’s more of an enjoyable short movie to watch, with a click to go to the next chapter than a real interactive experience.
First, I’ll be the last to complain and secondly on which medium would it be reasonable (cost wise) to broadcast this kind of advertising except on the web?
So maybe it’s not very interactive, but profoundly digital.
Axe Shock, be shocked...
ATL Agency: BBH New York
Digital Agency: Mindflood

Politics, women and the web

To promote civic responsibilities, this young candidate is offering 40,000 free blow jobs. Now that’s dedication.


Vote for her and get a blow job.

Her party, NEE works around political awareness and offers voters in Belgium the option to vote 'NEE' if they find that none of the parties deserve their vote. NEE votes would simply go to empty seats in parliament, resulting in a loss of income and power among the other parties and giving the voters the power to sanction politicians if needed.

And here is the American version, Hilary engaging users and empowering them.



Choose Hilary’s campaign theme tune? Don’t you love it!

Honda, on the righ track

Honda is turning to become so much more than just a car manufacturer. Every new campaign develops a fresh perspective on Honda, as an emotional brand. This positioning, Power of dreams, gives so much space, so much air, that the brand is pictured as a modern solution thinker, where Honda’s innovations and activities fit together (power boat, engine, car, inventions, robots, etc…).



Hondamentalism TV spot has been running for several weeks now. It a strong metaphor on dedication and it reminded me this famous scene in 2001 A space odyssey…



Integration, integration...


There’s a website, of course, with a challenge to see if you are what it takes to be a Hondamentalist. I did the whole thing, nice. Not great, but nice. Gave a different perspective to the TVC.
Agency: W+K UK

Good news, naked still sells

The analogy is simple: Elave's products are so pure (no chemicals, yadiyada...) that they have nothing to hide. So what's more natural than to show naked people that have nothing to hide also to sell the products?

Here's the "viral"



The website is presented by the same naked spokewoman (is this a good thing or a bad thing?) but is basically just a shop.


Now, if we consider that the job of advertising is to sell, well, "Ovelle has seen a 500 per cent rise in sales, both online and in the High Street, since the campaign was launched on May 5." So be reassured, naked girls and boys still sell.
Remember, Less is more. Less is more.

Break up

Nice viral from Microsoft.



The campaign structure is interesting, since the website/blog bring the love back is owned by a guy working at Microsoft as Trade Marketing Manager, commenting casually and in a very open tone the success of the viral. Very appropriate, very now, not very Microsoft... or is it not?

Reminded me a bit the classic Truth in advertising, for digital.

Sprint Sweets Mother's card

Cool, colourful, customizable ecard by sprint. And by the way, animated GIF still rules.


make your own

Shame does not kill, anymore. Lucky Cuervo!

Everybody here remembers the awesome “The Chain” campaign created by Framfab for Nike Football. It won most awards last year(One Show, Cannes, Eurobest, LIA…).


Well, I was quite surprised to see that Cuervo and Tribal DDB worldwide is ripping off this original idea, without any shame, without any class, without any success.



Nothing to add. Appalling.

Web Art vs Web Ads

Lots of hype about this addart app that replaces web ads, or banners if you prefer, by "art" work. The idea is too make the net a prettier place, and to get rid of a nuisance, ads. Right now it uses stock art, but it will feature young artists and can even work as a gallery with exhibitions etc...


Top of mind consequences:
The art created by the artists will have to obey the same format as banners, which, for most, are simply the worst ever developed (think 468x60 or 120x600).
On the same idea, the work will have to obey a certain file size limit, or else, well what was supposed to enhance the user experience (make the web a better looking place) is just going to make website pages longer to load.

No need here for a toy debate Art vs Ads, it is just nice to see that the web is still keeping, in some ways, its rogue spirit, through technology and community.
see it here

Ford, For the next generation

Sweet and emotionnaly charged. Cuteness overload.

Agency: Ogilvy Sweden

The end frame of the TVC pushes to www.forthenextgeneration.co.uk, and here it is:


Nice! I guess the digital experience will really be for the next generation...

Frucor

Claire of Wanda Prod sent me this cute TVC for Frucor (apparently an energy drink in Kiwi land). It has been animated by french but kick ass motion company def2shoot.



Production company: Wanda Productions
Director: Wilfrid Brimo
Animation & Design: Def2shoot

I didn't say "revolution", just cute.
Talking about a fully integrated user experience, Frucor needs a serious revamp of their digital presence.

Adobe CS3 interactive installation

Interactive installation for Adobe CS3. It will tour worldwide at various shows and conferences. Nice graphics.
I preferred the motion on this one (Barbarian Group) that I blogged a while ago.
Still very cool work. Can’t wait to see some of these on proper outdoors and watch real reactions.



Agency: GS&P
Production: Brand New School
Interactive Studio: The Studio for Interactive Media

HP Hands, Vera Wang

New TV Ad for the now classic HP “Hands” campaign.



They have a microsite also. Only interesting content is the “backstage” explanation by Vera of her new collection. If you’re into this kind of things really.


It seems that the new trend is for every new TVC coming out, you have to have a website up there. And because it sucks to only have the TVC on a website about a TVC, well, you just put exclusive stuff with it.
"Online? Yeah, we do it, it's like bonuses on a DVD." Nice!

Agency: GS&D

Trident Gum website - AKQA

New UK website for trident. This website is not a website, it’s a DVD. And because the whole content is basically just a movie, then this justifies that. (a DVD, a movie, got it? sorry...)


The look and feel, content and concept reminds me of this: TBS Humour Survey by Big Spaceship, a last year Gold at Cannes.
Well more than a reminder, it’s like the same thing transposed in the scientific world of chewing gum and trident.
I still had a good time watching this “DVD”.
10mn Lunch break here
by AKQA

Get some nuts - Snickers digs T

“This guy is a sissy. Don’t be a sissy and Get Some Nuts.”
“If I ever catch you acting like some crazy fool again, you’re gonna meet my friend PAIN”. Classic Mr T.

New snickers campaign, website here (small microsite, insignifant content but funny graphics).


Tv Ad below. (Sometimes I'd like to be a very tiny mouse to listen at how a Creative Director sell this kind of ideas "mmmh, and then, coming to the left of the screen will be a TANK, crushing everything... yeah and then Mr T. appears and throws a snicker bar in the face of the so called sissy football player..." - priceless)



Agency: AMV BBDO

Audi TT

I have been appalled by the overall quality of Audi’s online campaigns and digital presence. Reading on several blogs that this one was good, I went there with high expectative , ready to live an interactive, immersive Audi TT experience or something like that.

Nice 3D intro. I thought it was promising, but globally, the aesthetic of the website feels dated... you know like when it was trendy to have .8 fonts because it’s technical and when shiny grey was "feels like metal" and it’s so modern.


Then, I also read that they have a cool “I build my TT” section. Very original. So I build mine and then? Well then nothing. Nada. Zinc. Zip. No movie where I see my TT racing vs the elements, no interactivity, not even a simple wallpaper… not even send to a friend (not that I would have used it, but hey…).

The only part that I have enjoyed watching is all the different movies. In a nice 320x240... Have they not heard about full screen or big size videos at Audi? Do they know that their target is heavily broadbanded?

Check for yourself

Kah Ra Shin - Wieden Kenney Amsterdam

Sometime ago I read that Wieden Amsterdam poached one of Double You's creative director.
Anyway, this project checks a lot of my advertising / interactive boxes:
- Tight art direction (check)
- Selling without showing the product (no screenshots or demos) (check)
- Concept dramatizing the emotion of playing with the product (check)
- Small and funny videos (check)
- User generated content linked seamlessly with the concept (check)
- Flawless navigation (check)


A small advertising campaign website, well thought, well crafted... I guess there's still hope. I guess they are right: Talented people create good stuff.
Kah Ra Shin

Suda el Jamon - Nike Women

Ok, last post before you enjoy this spring weekend. Extended version.



A very nice twisted reference to the "extreme make over" shows that have been invading our screens, and particularly in Latin America, where the Number 5 scalpel blade is more than popular and the liposuction, also known as lipoplasty, a national sport. Come on ladies, just SWEAT that FAT.

Campaign for Body By Dance, Nike Women
Making of here

Miranda July - No one belongs here more than you

Miranda July new book is out. This is the website she created to promote it. Miranda is behind one of my favourite movie -ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW- the kind that gives you the “hhmmmm, me too, I like chocolate” feeling in your belly if you’re into food, or that makes you cry, if you’re more into swimming.


Anyway, take 5 minutes and enjoy the wonderful world of Miranda’s kitchen appliances.

This guy is in loves with brands

and is blogging. Nothing of high interest, yet, but Kevin Roberts does have a nice CV (CEO Worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi) and does have the skills to play around with words:
- The future is open. Digital explodes all boundaries. Jesus has landed in MySpace. If you can dream it, you can do it.
- The future is uninhibited. Fail fast, fix fast. Most importantly, just do it. Velocity is the new black.
- The future is saturated. Brands look like wallpaper and kids are walking by. That's why we've got to get beyond brands, to Lovemarks. Now.

Ok that's it. For the rest, read "his" blog

Nike Air Force One - 1thology

Nuff said. Check it now.

By R/GA

Webby Awards

The webby nominees have been announced. Two projects that I managed with love and care before moving to London have made it to the people's choice vote. Nice.

BEST VISUAL DESIGN - AESTHETIC
>> Coca-Cola BlaK

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
>> C Koi Ce Hold Up


Check the finalists and pay your online civic duties: Vote!

What's in your pocket?

After the pseudo viral / sales presentation "Great Pockets", Nokia NSeries is rolling the heavy artillery for the N95 launch.


While the TV ad is clean and inspires, the digital campaign engages the consumers with a UGC competition. They have to upload their own “what’s in your pocket” video to win a N95.
What is right for a product is not necessarily wrong for another one? (Did that make any sense?) Anyway, this digital campaign taps directly into the product usage. Film, Upload, Download, Share. It’s what computers have become.

Some nifty features, not groundbreaking, but nice. Key words for every video, a map to locate the most active countries...


























The uploaded movies are not the most inspired or creative, but I guess that’s the downfall with UGC, it’s more than a 24/7 job to be a Jonze or a Gondry. Actually, it would be really tight to see what they could do with this brief…

Anyway, for a competition site, nice global effort. Cool site.

Nike Air Force One

Another good good, courtesy of Nike. This content website features a short documentary in two parts about the uptowns. Think JUST FOR KICKS. Same director, Thibault de Longeville.


Relax, lay back. Best lunch break anyone could wish for.

Nike.com/af1/

Nike Air Force One - 25

Motion piece inspired by the evolution of Nike's true classic, the AF1. It's on nikebasketball.com. It's good to see some kick a** motion design solely dedicated to visually enrich a website.

Agency: R/GA
Production: Stardust
Lyrics: Rakim

Chanel - Le Rouge

A website solely dedicated to the new Chanel's new lipstick TV ad, Le Rouge. The ad is directly inspired by Jean Paul Godard's "Le Mepris", a classic Nouvelle Vague, and they used the same music. Yes, the music matters. See it as a tribute.


Beautiful picture, beautiful model (lousy voice off screen voice, my personal opinion) but the ad is as original as a luxury brand can afford to. Meaning not original, but inspirational (aspirational?).
The website is an extension of the TV, with added features, explanations, script... like the bonus on a DvD. Again, nice model, nice picture. Pleasant.

See it for yourself.

Absolut Pears - Blow it and Love it

I would like to criticize this website, but there’s something quite exhilarating and refreshing at seeing “things” just being blown up in a very orchestral and stylistic way.

Yes, there is no interactivity. Who cares?
I don’t. I just wish it would have been a Rolex that’s being blown up.


And they let you make your own movie.



Go Pears
By Greatworks

Coke Zero campaign - Can we sue us?

CP+B does it again for Coke Zero. Can we sue us?


So can we?

What’s going on at SCION?

I have no idea. I just don’t see any point at everything they have been developing for the past month and how it all fits together. Don’t get me wrong, I like what I see, but I don’t understand what I see. Scion has had this Hip Hop / everything Street / positionning for some time now, but that want2besquare campaign is the on another level.



By Buck LA

And maybe that’s the whole point of this multichannel want2besquare campaign. Maybe it’s just a branding campaign targeted to people that can relate to this shifted, animated and experience driven campaign.


By Shilo Design

Now, I hate that question. Well, I hate it but I love it:

Is this campaign going to sell some SCION? Only time will tell.

Agency: Attik Not sure if any other agencies are involved.

Tune Glue

I guess everybody reading this already knows about Last FM and why it's a killer web-two-point-zeroish tool.


This little generator was built on Last FM's data of connections between artists. It's nicely developped. Then, you can buy the albums on amazon.

Get the glass

Get the glass is the new spin off of the "Got Milk" campaign by veteran Hotshop Goodby Silverstein



They teamed up with uber famous digital production company North Kingdom to produce an immersive game around the quest of the Adachi family for the Glass of Milk.


To be honest with you, I haven't played the game yet, but from the high scores it looks like it's pretty long to finish (best score right now is 10 mn to finish the game).
Check it.

PS3 European Teaser

This is living. 23.03.07.



thisisliving.tv

Overage 4 Design

A nice splash page on overage4design.


Quite hot.

Stunt Mail - Kessel Kramer for Bavaria

A maly (maly: 20-35 old males, like to drink booze with mates, outgoing and all the yadi yada yada…) concept brought to us by Kessel Kramer for Bavaria.


Now I have always been a huge admirer of Kessel’s work and integrity. This website has a good AD and the animations are nice. This “Say it via Stunt Mail” is well targeted and on spot. Some of the videos:





Ok, to be really the site is not OUTHERE but it’s nice. I have spent 10 minutes messing around and sending movies to mates.

Another thing about Kessel Kramer, here's an advertising agency, doing some tight work across media, that doesn't preach around saying they "GET" digital, they just go and do the job.
A lot of ATL "gurus" should do the same instead of putting digital slides they don't understand in their presentations or interviews.

AF1- BRKN PRS TKY LNDN

Air Force One 25 years I have just made for the sneakerplay contest. Brooklyn Paris Tokyo London. $275.


More than 2777 shoes have been designed as of last night. Not too bad, for a mouth to mouth invitation only community competition.

Processing power

Some really cool code / processing user interacting experiences here
Like this one


or that one

Adidas Your World - Sid Lee

Adidas Your World


Created by Canadian web agency Sid Lee
So, Let’s wait and see.

Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake goes ASCII on our browsers to present its new 2007 Women's Spring Summer collection.


It is interesting to see how Issey, as a brand, embraces Digital’s particulates. His collections are concept-based content, his catwalks being one way of experiencing this content, his shops another one and his microsites again another one but this time adding another element or layer of concept into the original concept.

The new Men’s collection is also quite attractive.


In front of such work, such reputation, I feel like it is hard to criticize, but there’s something that tickles me. I mean the animations are killers, the AD is great, the sound is inspiring, loadings are fast... but the interactivity is repetitive... click the arrow >> transition >> new images. Click, Click Click. It would have been great to have a more intuitive use of the navigation and interaction.

Interactive Designer: Etienne Mineur

The One Titan... an advertising understatement

HP iPAQ. First, lame name. Anyway, to promote their “all in one” phone, here is a digital effort by HP.
Not original, not mind blowing… but a nice copywriting and some cool interaction with the mouse.

Now, let’s be serious. User route was thought in a very strange way: they are two different entry points into the microsite. But once you’re in one, it’s impossible to go to the other one. The user has to close and open again.
I generally don’t do product reviews… Simply because I think it’s boring to read… Convergence of devices has been the “new” thing in product development for 10 years now, but the website's strategy “The Titan is everything you need, so smash up all your other devices" is pushing me to react:
1/ Smash your MP3 player >> With 64 mb, I think I’ll keep my iPod, and look cool.
2/ Smash your camera >> With 2 millions pixels and a bad optic, I’ll keep my digital camera, and take good picture.
3/ Smash your Wireless laptop >> With no keyboard, it would have been difficult to even write this small post with your stylus, sorry, I’ll stick with my laptop.



And last but not least, the product is ugly, which brings me to two positive points of this website:
1/Hiding the iPAQ behind nicely designed wallpaper was inspired
2/ It oversells an average product
Now the one titan is here

Pirelli Film - Uma Thurman

New movie for the Pirelli Film saga, featuring Uma Thurman in a yellow Lamborghini (reminds you of something?). Apart for the use of heavy machine guns, a bazooka and heavy pursuit action... and Uma, not much to talk about. Well it's entertaining for a Wednesday.
The script is really poor. The end is a joke. The movie also. Apart for Uma. I like Uma. She rocks.


Pirelli tries desperately to re-do BMW Films, but it lacks originality, surprise, wit, creativity. The only thing clearly not lacking is budget.
And don't start talking about the website. The flash game is awful, exclusive screensavers and wallpapers? Come on! Calling that a digital experience?
It seems that all the money/effort was put into the production of the movie and not the outlet it is featured in. Mmmmh, big production budget and crappy website... Sounds familiar?
Watch it here

The Human Pointer

I have been playing with this for about 10 mn... It's a straight killa.

The human pointer

Prime Objective

Very cool website with great pics, super8 footage and concept.
"Chris Keenan a.k.a. Prime Objective believes that in a previous life he was Charlie V Bravo, surveillance pigeon. The feathers and wings may have been dispatched but he’s still flying round the globe on missions with cameras…"


Browse, discover, learn.
Website created by Tak Tak - Bristol power

Nokia N Series

The new NSeries (Nokia’s High End mobile phones) website is out.
Consider them not as phone but more like an extension of your life or desk or yourself. You know the whole, Music – Photography – Internet Mapping – Movies. Have it and Live it.


This website is a good attempt in the next generation of consumer’s catalogue. The product demo integrates 3D showcase of every product. That’s more than 15 products. And it’s not your usual deceptive “turn around” the phone 3D style. It’s all properly animated, with good copy (sometimes a bit forced: “Slide into the groove”... hmm... ok...pause........ Right I just slide into my groove, now I’m back), good ergonomics.
And every experience in the website is product related, so well, the user route is a circle and is complete.

The website features loads of goodies: rss for global and specific news, a navigation browser supported even if it’s full flash, delicious, digg, direct link to each page… Sweet.

The mobile industry is going to live a major change. Things are going to be less and less technology focused in consumer’s mind. Why? Because of this baby.

iPhone. Yeah, we all know him already. And there is nothing rational when people buy Apple. It’s just pure design, pure love, pure emotion and pure brand equity. It’s a statement.
Even if your product has a sucky battery, is less reliable etc… It can still own 70% of the market.

Let’s see how Nokia and its NSeries are going to embrace that change.

This website is a nice step. Bring it on with the rest. And show us some Love. Nokia. Uppercase L.

Site by the big boys & girls @ R/GA.

Quiksilver Viral

It has been around a lot for some time now, but I don't care. It's solely dedicated to my Bro': Skoya.

Director: Jonas Arnby
Agency: Saatchi DK

Guinness is hot

Since I arrived in the UK, I have been quite amazed by Guinness’s communication. A lot of wit and an old mate spirit with a positive irony twist. Love them.
- Men of substance by studio AKA



- Good things come to those who wait campaign by AMV BBDO
TVC + Print + Website. Horizontal integration. Sweet. Top o’ the morning to you.







Really nice website.
Produced by IChameleon Group

Nokia second nature.

Nokia’s new claim, developed by Grey. I know that the TVC is out in Spain but did not see it in UK or France… Here it is.




The standard campaign website features blue screened video integrated in a fancy horizontal huge background. I stopped the “experience” when they tried to explain me how to take a picture with a mobile phone. A picture. Come on.
But there’s a nice UGC content where users can send their video of spinning Nokias. (I think it’s UGC, my Spanish is not what it used to be)



On a more techy side, this site was way too hungry for my processor. Got my new laptop all bumpy.
Check it here: HERE
















There’s a second microsite, much more immersive, original. Design by Build, it features a small tutorial to learn how to spin your Nokia. The design is out there and so not “Mobile Looking”. Refreshing. It also features some small freshly squeezed videos



Spin it!

Nike Homegrown

Homegrown is a Nike Air Max 90 produced in the heart of the Netherlands. Hyperstrike by Nike vs Patta


Check them

Absolut Lomo

Absolut & Lomo join forces to put talents out there. The site has a lot of "up to date" web 2.0 facilitator functionalities (vote, blog this, blog that, send this or that or download this and that etc...).
Always some strong work from Absolut, with cool featuring from various internationally hip artists.
Dalek

Your destiny is no longer in question

No it isn't.


check

Hello Moto, Colours

Nothing more than experiencing design and colours. Each colour matches a Motorola phone. It’s nice to see that experiments serving nothing but brand value and customers affection are still possible.
When one have finished his piece of art, he can generate a screensaver with the step by step construction of his design, a mobile wallpaper (too bad you cannot send it directly to your cell phone via MMS)

Created by FCB Draft Paris

Starbucks - It's red again

check it here
a W+K production

Nike ID Japan - Cosplay custom

I have just made my customed Cosplay costume @ Nike ID Japan. I blogged this video sometime ago and just realised you can buy it for 25000 yen.
This is my new outfit for client meeting!

Do yours! Now!

Absolut Bling Bling

Great website for Absolut's gift pack. created by swedish hotness, Great Works.
You can enjoy a shifted history of bling, and its evolution. Cool copywriting. Below, as an appetizer, check the Roman period.



Bling your life.

A new trend?

The nice peeps at Tribeca sent me this video of a new "French" fashion designer Stephane Monzoen.
Credits: Grey / The Viral Factory

Story Telling

Hi-Res! are still the best storytellers. Even if everyone who know will say “too much like Donnie, yada yadi yada”… I still think that this is so well crafted. Every screen impose a highly designed and subtle atmosphere.
Live it

Tiger Beer hearts Dr Jones

Big bucks and big production for this new website for Tiger Beer, the Singaporean beer. The concept is based on the awards that Tiger won during its history.
There's definitely an Indiana Jones vibe here.


Lay back and watch some action

PS3 - PL3YBEYOND

This site lacks interactivity, virality, is not blog friendly, there is just a "coming soon" for most of the section without any further information... but seriously who cares?
It is damn good!

Eyecandy Is Here

Two articles today on Adage about UGC.

NFL is asking his fans to send them their concept for the perfect, the greatest, super bowl ad. The site is quite poor, nothing special, but the embracing of consumer generated content is an interesting turn for the NFL.
see the site
They give their fans the possibility to express what’s the super bowl for them. This might not be appealing for us, little Europeans, fans of football (the other one) or rugby, but, in the US, the superbowl is closer to thanksgiving than to any sports event, and almost everybody have something to say about it.

On the other hand, David Jones tells us to take back creativity from users, using the term ‘crap’ (shocking?) for most of the content on youtube or heavy! I like this bit:
"We've got to stop thinking that consumer-generated content is an idea," he said. "It isn't. It is a phenomenon." Regular users "rarely create content with your brand strategy in their pocket."

Personally, I think he has a point. UCG is "crap". But they are many levels, colours and intensity in "crap". It might smell most of the time, but sometimes, one little gem can be hidden in this ocean of shit. And it can gain huge exposition. And it deserves it.
But it’s clear, the same applies to advertising, which produces a huge majority of "crap" by the agencies/brands. The only difference is that ALL ads, good or not, generally have a good/great/huge exposition. Which, i know we will agree on this, is not always deserved.
That's how the business goes.
Read the article here

An interactive installation by...

Everybody is talking about digital outdoors. When I look at this, I can only imagine what kind of creative interactivity will be developped in a not so far future.



see the whole project here

By the awesome Barbarian Group
For the great Goodbye
and by the way, the client is Saturn...

Truth well told

The website
Truth Campaign
CPB Miami

Burton Series 13

Up&Running. Kick some serious *ss when riding down the Alpes this winter... Who said customed was becoming normal?

Here's mine
Do yours