Hasta La Creative!

Congrats to Bryan Judkins, ACD/Copywriter of Young & Laramore.

[via 10ad]

I snapped this pic this morning at my local Starbucks. I need to go back and study it, because now I realize that the smudged chalkboard look and feel is a neat way to say “LOCAL,” even though a chain with thousands of stores can hardly claim to be a local institution. At any rate, I’m wondering if this POS really is chalked. Take a look next time you’re at Starbucks and I’ll do the same.

As far as deciding on which proper mode of advertising to turn to, it is no longer restricted to the big three, namely:

1. Television
2. Radio
3. Print

These are traditional advertising techniques. We have seen the evolution of other advertising strategies such as the Internet advertising era but that is too restricted to people who are frequenting the web.

With that in mind, check out the new way of advertising to get attention. The Sign Spinners who are hailed as the new sandwich men of the US are sure to get the attention of people in neighborhoods where they may be assigned. Paid at a fair $10 per hour to walk around and spin signs given to them, people are bound to take notice and become curious at what the sign being spun holds.

Read more about it here at the AFP.

Community? Check. Dialogue? Check. Expert advice? Check. Personalization and customization? Check.

In a move that combines the power of two well known consumer brands, and benefits from the latest interactive thinking, dove.msn.com, debuts today.

The new digital channel is the re-launch of Dove.com, providing what Unilever describes as “a unified worldwide digital presence designed to be a trusted source for information, education and inspiration.”

The channel is an alliance with OgilvyInteractive and Microsoft’s MSN.

“Our goal is to be become a global leader and a true digital media force by completely redefining the digital experience for women worldwide,” said Kathy O’Brien, marketing director for Dove in North America.

The site will personalize each visitor’s experience based on each individual’s choices and combines technical innovation with intelligent design. The site will also feature an editorial board of experts, inspirational guest editors and specially selected “ambassadors” all of whom will drive conversation central to the real beauty debate.

[see CosmeticsDesign.com or the press release for more]

After the captivating and beautifully interactive Get The Glass, I was eagerly anticipating the next Milk campaign. I can’t say I was necessarily anticipating anything, but I was blown away by the newest campaign, White Gold.

I have yet to fully explore the site, yet the interactivity is pretty inspiring, and the campaign is bizarrely different. Odopod has done some impressive work once again. And the series of YouTube music videos with White Gold and The Calcium Twins defies words.

And as it should be, even the YouTube and MySpace pages are awesome. I have a good deal of exploring left to do, as I try to wrap my brain around the epicness of White Gold. Pretty interesting stuff for something as simple as Milk.

In an interesting twist on brand-music partnerships, Jermaine Dupri has partnered with the Procter & Gamble-owned Tag Body Spray to form TAG records, which is part of the Tag brand's initiative to cultivate relationships with the urban community through the development of programs that provide opportunities for aspiring hip-hop talent.

In Punta di Penna sent us this spot for Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM). Produced by The Famil for agency Euro Rscg, a bunch of people — mostly naked, but not always — touch their toes to a cover of the Beatles’ All Together Now. All that doubling-over draws an association with the flip phone that appears at the end.

If you have ever, for any reason at all, wondered what’s on the Pope’s iPod, or how best to demonstrate your love of Christ with swag, now you can find out.

(TrendHunter.com) London design student Michael Chen came up with a concept for a jacket for bicycle riders he calls the Reactiv. This jacket uses a accelerometer to track movement. The high-tech garment has LEDs (light emitting diodes) on the sleeves that change colors depending on the cyclist’s actions–such as gre…

(TrendHunter.com) Leave the brown paper bag at home! Graf & Lantz has designed a stylish “Quiver” for wine transport.

The Quiver keeps the bottle cool and protected for a day at the beach or a visit to friends.

“The Quiver is made of elegant bi-color 3/16” (5mm) thick merino felt and vegetable tanned leather deta…