'The Wilderness Downtown' interactive video project

On August 30, rock band Arcade Fire, together with Google and artist Chris Milk, launched an interactive video set to the band's track "We Used to Wait." Called "The Wilderness Downtown," the online project makes use of Google Maps and Google Street View to incorporate images of the viewer's hometown into the video.

Viewers begin the experience by providing their childhood address. The video experience then unfolds in multiple windows, taking viewers on a tour of their hometown to the tune of the Arcade Fire track. Users can also write a note to their younger selves in a tree branch-inspired font that is incorporated into the video.

Make a customized video for "The Wilderness Downtown"

Source: The Independent

Nicely executed Breast Cancer campaign for Singapore

Google Cool

If you search "google gravity" and then click "I'm feeling lucky" something awesome happens....

The Little Black Book iPhone and iPod Touch case

Carry your iPhone around in a Moleskine notebook with these Little Black Book iPhone + iPod Touch cases. I love the romantic, old-fashioned feel of them.

Thanks to Avishay Sweiry for pointing them out to me. You know me well, Avish!

Facebook Places on the iPhone

Facebook Places is now live in the USA. It does three things essentially. Allows you to share your location, find your friends and discover new places.

It comes with all the privacy settings. Either you can opt out of it altogether, so friends can't tag you or you will be notified every time you're tagged, so you can remove individual tags manually. Businesses can claim their shops on the map.

Right now, you need an iPhone to start using the app, but soon all mobile devices will be supported. The API allows developers to plug-in to the system and create games and other applications. It's not yet live in all regions, but will be soon. Wonder which agency and brand will take advantage of this new technology first for their marketing activities.

Source: Creative Bits

Messages from Mars

Masterfoods and FHV BBDO in the Netherlands encouraged 16 to 24 year olds to engage with the Mars Bar brand with “Messages from Mars”, a Gold Design Lion winner at Cannes International Advertising Festival. The campaign involved removing the iconic labelling from the bar, leaving it black, and providing consumers with the complete alphabet in Mars typography, including punctuation marks. The bar became an interactive object that gave people the possibility to create their own messages and give these to friends, colleagues or family.



Source: The Inspiration Room

Guilty...

Karen Cinnamon in Design Week: 8 August 2010

Design Week asked Karen Cinnamon, what alternative name she would have given the London bicycle hire scheme, which is currently called Barclays Cycle Hire?

"London's public spaces are being occupied by widespread swathes of characterless corporate branding. It's time to go against the grain with 'Bikesy'. A warm and informal name that alludes to the greatest visual revolutionary of our time, the one and only Banksy. All about the outdoors, it represents freedom, adventure, fun and creativity, it would also make the Barclays brand corporate cool, and the city feel inviting. I wonder who Banksy banks with?!"

Map Envelope

In today's digital messaging world, it's even more apparent that nothing can beat a good old fashioned hand-written letter. Here's a lovely idea that makes snail mail even cooler, and I'm already a big fan of it.

It's called Map Envelope and it's a free service that allows you to create an envelope whose inner lining is a custom Google Map featuring a satellite photo of whatever address you choose.

The lining is a crisp satellite image of the location you select, with your address and a custom message you write attached to the location pin, just as it would appear on Google Maps.

Very very cool...

BlackBerry planning iPad rival

Research In Motion, Canadian maker of BlackBerrys, is rumoured to be working on a rival to the iPad, dubbed the BlackPad by tech watchers.

The device is scheduled for launch in November, according to reports, and will be roughly the same size as Apple's device. RIM has already acquired the rights to the blackpad.com internet domain.

Users will be able to connect their BlackPad to the internet using the wireless connection of their mobile phone, rather than having to pay separately for 3G network access as users of the iPad must.

The introduction of the iPad, which hit UK stores in May, has reinvigorated the market for so-called tablet computers. In its recent results, Apple said it has sold 3.27m worldwide. But Steve Jobs' Californian design empire is unlikely to have the market all to itself for long.

Several computer manufacturers are planning tablet devices based on Google's rival Android software, which is already gaining a major foothold in the mobile phone market.

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy tablet before the end of next month while LG plans to introduce one under its Optimus brand by Christmas.

Source: Media Guardian

Back to School Campaign for Marks & Spencer

Just completed major projects for Marks & Spencer's 'Back to School' online campaigns.

Design work included Back to School branding, 3 for 2 and £6.50 Value Uniform campaigns.

www.marksandspencer.com/kids

Dog made of beermats