Traffic Light in Lisbon Has Everybody Dancing

No one likes to wait at the red light. It’s boring to stare at the red hand or a motionless red figure for minutes at a time. Pedestrians would rather subvert it, run over a crossing and expose themselves to an easily avoidable danger.

Smart, mini electric cars manufacturer, decided to change the context around the street crossing experience. To make crossing the street more fun – and safer – Smart came up with an endearing dancing red light figure.

As a result, people started paying attention, motionless, which is exactly the point of the red light. The solution was simple, human, and smart, true to the company’s name.

This activation is part of Smart’s new campaign, #WhatAreYouFor, featuring all sorts of urban joy ideas aimed at making “life in the city, easier, brighter and more carefree.”

Would this make you stop, look & listen?

Check it out.

Via Adverblog

Artist Turns Starbucks Cups into Works of Art

Korean artist Soo Min Kim draws the most insanely detailed and perfectly clever scenes on Starbucks cups and displays them as works of art. Most of them feature the brand’s famous mermaid logo and reimagines her within the scenes.

Check out his Facebook page for a lot more, and a selection of some of the best ones below.

Via Kotaku.

How inspiring!

Inglorious Fruits And Vegetables: A Glorious Fight Against Food Waste

It’s well-known that millions of tons of food is wasted each year and a big part of that number comes from stores discarding produce that doesn’t fit the standards of food beauty.

But one supermarket in France came up with a brilliant idea on how to get people not only buying those fruits and veggies, but actually seeking them out. Intermarché, the third biggest grocer in the country, launched a campaign called “les fruits et légumes moches,” or in English, the inglorious fruits and vegetables.

They gave the produce a 30 per cent markdown, some prettily designed ads, and some serious publicity — all in the hope to make ugly fruit and veg the new purchase trend.

Raising the question would you eat fruit and veggies that looked a little, well, like this?

Tiny Animals Enjoying Tiny Festivities

Workplace productivity has gone out the window once again thanks to “Tiny Birthday for a Tiny Hedgehog,” the latest time-wasting video from agency HelloDenizen that has first-worlders convulsively hitting replay.

The Los Angeles shop, on a self-promotional odyssey of precious proportions, unleashed “Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos” in April. It has nearly 8 million YouTube views (though you can watch it below if you’re late to the fiesta). Now the hamsters join their hedgehog pal for a bash that’s racked up 1 million views since launching a week ago.

HelloDenizen’s Joel Jensen describes the new video as an attempt to expand on earlier concepts and add some new layers. The results are mind-meltingly cute. You’ve got itsy-bitsy presents wrapped in fancy paper, itty-bitty balloons, eentsy-weentsy festive hats and widdle whiskers coated in creamy icing as furry faces happily munch away.

This birthday party takes the cake.

 
 
via adweek

Nescafé Inspires Shared Moments

Reading the morning paper can be quite lonely & those crowded commutes and emails on the go can make it pretty difficult to inspire readers to lift their eyes and interact with those around them. Nescafé however have constructed a newspaper advertisement that’s equipped with two foldable mugs packed with instant coffee.

Encouraging readers to unfold the paper mugs, fill them with hot water and share their moment with someone around them, Nescafé’s social experiment is a refreshing example of how brands are capable of reintroducing simple social elements such as sharing a cuppa back into consumer culture.

How Far Would You Go?

Delites rice snacks test consumers perseverance all for a free sample and of course a few giggles. Shoppers were asked to queue up for ridiculously long periods of time, even when there was no one standing ahead of them, to get a bag of Fantastic Delites Curls.

After making folks wait and then navigate a winding maze at an outdoor mall, ice rink and getting consumers all wet and wild in a pond, Delites has proven as it has many times before, consumers will go pretty far for a tasty freebie.

I wonder what challenges they’ll come up with next..

Would You Cook With Coke?

 
Venturing through the bookshelves at my local bookstore I came across something quite unusual.. the familiar red colour, bubbles and fancy font but what’s it doing in the baking section?

Yes, the beloved beverage has proven itself more than just a tasty drink but capable of spicing up your favourite foods too including everything from cakes to curries.

Dubious to try it myself, one savvy blogger went for the “Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake”.

credit: keepupwiththejohnsons.com

Looks pretty, but does it taste good? I doubt it, in my opinion if your going to bake a chocolate cake, just stick to chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate!

The book also reveals the compelling history of the iconic drink including the stories behind some of Coca-Cola’s classic ads.

Whether your a Cola fan, collector or crazy baker, I’d say give this one a read and if you dare cook, bake and marinade with Coca-Cola.

 

Creative Campaign for Lego

It’s a truly creative community cinderella story, in late 2013 Italian designer Marco Sodano received global praise for his creative pixelation of famous paintings remade with Legos.

Catching the eye of the playful brand, Lego commissioned Sodano along with Hong Kong based agency Geometry Global, to produce a new gallery featuring additional iconic works.

Simply called “campaign for Lego”, the four official executions have now become a global guessing game, arising the question; how well do you know your art..?

Fun right, well it sure does beat the old ones..

I’m Sorry

Some of you guys have been asking where I’ve been, well for those of you that are familiar with my bio I’m a student at Sheffield Hallam University and this year has been my last.

So I’ve been crazy busy with a multitude of projects & I’ve found myself with just no time to update you.

However done & dusted, I’ve got far too much time on my hands & I’m ready to keep you upto date with the latest marketing & advertising news.

Stay tuned,

Ad Watch of the Week

Ad Watch of the Week: Mercedes-Benz ‘Chicken’

It’s quite simple really: a single idea, ingeniously presented, showing a whole new dimension to the brand’s personality (plus it’s got dancing chickens!).

Coca-Cola: The Social Media Guard

Sure we’re all guilty of checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter a little too much, but Coca-Cola seems to have found the solution in it’s impressive new invention, the ‘Social Media Guard’.

Shaped like a pet cone, the Social Media Guard pulls people’s attention away from their smart phones and I’m told, cures those pesty social media addictions.

Okay so it’s all a bit of fun, in essence it’s a doggy cone with a Coca-Cola squiggle, but the message is a relevant one.

The Social Media Guard takes the “social” out of media and puts it back into your life.

The takeaway from the commercial, I guess, is that enjoying an ice cold Coca-Cola will put you back into the moment and makes it a little less easier to tweet about Grumpy Cat whilst kicking ass on Candy Crush.

Be honest, could you do with one of these…?

Pretty Peerrrfect Potatoes!

 
“Our tasty potatoes last longer in the sack…stop smiling we know what you’re thinking” is just one of many tongue in cheek headlines created by ad agency Aesop for fast growing potato brand GreenVale Farm Fresh. The TV ad uses witty humour to project the down-to-earth and charismatic personality of the brand.

Featuring two animated potatoes chatting to each other, yes that’s right, the advertising campaign takes place in an imaginary home inside the GreenVale potato bag. The chat swiftly escalates into a witty tongue twister with the two characters agreeing that they are “pretty peerrrfect potatoes, picked and packed in paper.”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNcUihFYrdc]

Leon Mundey, Head of Marketing for GreenVale, said: “We believe that this ad, which is really good fun but also communicates our key messages of taste and freshness, will deliver a real step change in consumer awareness and growth for the brand.”

It’s great to see a brand have a little fun, you can bag your packet of spuds in Tesco stores and online at Ocado.

Freebie Friday

Over the course of three years at Sheffield Hallam University I’ve gathered a substantial amount of graphic designs that at present sit filling up my computer drive. So I had an idea, why not share some of those designs with my friends and followers.

Today’s freebie is a truly fruity countdown, originally used for a healthy eating graphic brief.

(click the image to enlarge)

All my Friday Freebies are completely loyalty free and can be used at your dispense, all I ask is if someone were to ask you where you got it from, you kindly give my blog a shout out.

So if your working on a healthy eating piece, something children based or simply fancy grabbing my design for future keeps, go ahead and download the file below containing all the Photoshop documents and typography you’ll need:

Fruity Countdown Download

Enjoy & remember Freebie Friday is listed here, every Friday!

The Family Breakfast Project

Cheerios have partnered with The Family Dinner Project to introduce The Family Breakfast Project.

In favour of bringing back traditional family dining, The Family Breakfast Project encourages families to rise, shine and dine together.

The Cheerios site hosts all the tips families need to follow the program, providing a series of conversation starters, advice and themes, even coupons for your second box free.

So if you fancy an easier, more fun and meaningful morning why not download the Cherrios 7 Day Guide today & participate with your family.

Join in the coversation at #FamilyLove

Selfie

“Selfie”, the word of 2013, but what does it mean?

Dove as part of it’s growing Real Beauty campaign sort to undercover the truth that lies beneath these personal snapshots.

The beauty company looks at a group of teenage girls and the ways we all alter our imagery to establish the perfect, seemingly “natural,” reflection of ourselves.

Watch as the group create a new type of selfie – one that celebrates their unique beauty.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFkm1Hg4dTI]

Dove so beautifully continues to inspire women to redefine beauty. Join the conversation on Twitter at #BeautyIs.

 

 

KitKat Weird & Wonderful

Sure I enjoy the odd KitKat, wafer GOOD, chocolate GOOD, do I ever fancy a European Cheese KitKat.. not really no, although we don’t all agree.

A whole “Chocolatory” boutique of the weird and wonderful has opened in Tokyo, Japan.

Considered a lucky charm in Japanese culture, flavours of the Nestle bar sold in Japan already include European Cheese, Purple Potato, Bean Cake and Wasabi.

With the addition of three limited edition tastebud-ticklers – Sublime Bitter, Green Tea, and Special Chili, all 500 bars available on opening day sold out in only one hour forty minutes – so you’d better get in line early!

Still no takers for a Wasabi KitKat then?

No worries I don’t blame you!

TopShop Bloom

Topshop’s Oxford Circus flagship has partnered with design agency NEON to create a beautiful window display with a difference. NEON’s design entitled “Bloom” is composed of 159 individual rose petals which gently rise and fall in response to computer-sequenced pulses detected from bewildered shoppers passing by.

Just what we need during Britain’s freeze a sprinkle of Spring!

Mo Farah fronts Quorn Mince campaign

Quorn has a new 2014 brand ambassador, Olympic double Gold medal winner Mo Farah.

Long distance runner, Farah was revealed as the new face of the brand yesterday for New Year, featuring in a new advertising campaign and sharing tips to Quorn fans on their Facebook page.

A healthy protein source, Quorn is a must for kick start New Year dieters and a personal favourite of mine also.

YouTube top 10 ads 2013

Another year another set of fantastic ads, lets take a look at the UK round up:

10) Sony – “Sound, Vision, Colour, Detail”

9) FIFA 14 – “We Are FIFA 14”

8) Pepsi MAX – “Bus Levitation with Dynamo”

7) PlayStation – “See It First At E3 Teaser”

6) Honda – “Hands”

5) O2 – “Be More Dog”

4) Dove – “Real Beauty Sketches”

3) Three – “The Pony”

2) John Lewis – “The Bear and The Hare”

1) Evian – “baby&me”

Evian baby ad crowned most popular on YouTube 2013

Evian’s “baby & me” advert has been named most popular in 2013 according to YouTube, beating off Dove’s “Beauty Sketches” and Internet Explorer’s “Child of the 90s“.

Clocking over 67 million views and counting, the ad features Evian’s trademark babies, a set of curious big kids and yes some questionable dancing.

How sweet!