CRITICAL INTENT | Gavin Breyer's Advertising & Design Blog

This Blog Has Moved!

2009-09-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

This blog has been relocated!! My blog has moved to the new blog page of my website. Update your bookmarks and thanks for stopping by!

Let's Go Get Lost Trailer

2009-05-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Minnesota during the early days of snowboarding it was never about $80 lift tickets, high-speed quads or one hundred foot kickers. Isensevens Let's Go Get Lost feels like a day in the city park with slightly more expensive camera work. Nice.

Sorry I'm Late

2009-05-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

A stop motion short film shot with a stills camera in the ceiling pointing straight at the floor. There's tons of 'making of' stuff at the website sorry-im-late.com

Advertising still not learning

2009-04-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Flea Marketing

2009-03-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

This looks fake to me and it's a strange choice of perspective considering how many people walking over this ad are missing the message but it looks fun none the less. If anyone knows anything more about this piece feel free to shoot me an email.

Thanks Joe!

I stand Corrected! The ad is real. You can read more here.

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Jakarta, Indonesia
Chief Creative Officer: Andy Greenaway
Executive Creative Director: Juhi Kalia
Art Director: Aryanto Salim, Joel Clement
Copywriter: Pancaputera, Juhi Kalia
Photographer: Heret Frasthio
Producer: Annisa Mulyani, Muhammad Iskak

via I believe in Advertising

Thanks Ali!

Street Signs

2009-03-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Cricket Calling

2009-03-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Cricket called on the Cultural Engineers of Seattle-based strategic non-traditional marketing and events firm NEVERSTOP to craft a unique campaign leveraging the creation of the world’s largest fully functioning cell phone. The campaign will included pop-up retail stores, inconspicuous wallet drops containing cards, coupons, and sometimes cash to drive traffic to the official campaign website. Commuters who spot fellow commuters reading green newsprint featuring the letter “K” and containing the campaign URL will be rewarded with Cricket-branded free subway or train passes. http://www.getsomerespekt.com

The Cricket pop-up boutique with the world’s largest cell phone will be active March 6th through 15th in Chicago. The campaign will launch in Philadelphia on March 20th.

Thanks Cosondra!

Kalle Lasn: Clearing the Mindscape

2009-03-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

Adbusters interviews Kalle Lasn on the state of advertising, Subvertising and cosumer culture. Lasn, one of the founders of the non-profit, anti-consumerist Adbusters Media Foundation is also the author of “Culture Jam: How to Reverse America’s Suicidal Consumer Binge – And Why We Must,” and “Design Anarchy.”

full interview here.

We're Going in the Hudson

2009-03-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

Hello Inspiration

2009-02-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

Hello Inspiration is a collection of daily internet links. No text, no opinionated rants just image links to the best of web. The blog is open to the public, simply email Helloinspiration@gmail.com for an invite. Check it out at Hello Inspiration

Article 2

2009-01-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

Andrew Sloat

25 Years ago

2009-01-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

Steve Jobs introduces the first Apple Macintosh in 1984.

Househub

2009-01-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

Scripted web video sunk to a new low when the U.S. Government opened an account on Youtube. Youtube really? America considers itself one of the most technologically advance nations in the world and our government finds it necessary to toy around in the 3rd world of internet video sites? Watch for over scripted and outdated buzz words such as "Transparency" "Orginal Content" and "Social Media". Is it January 20th yet?

Tight Knit Crew

2009-01-07T14:25:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of years, Chicagoan's have been delighted by the public crochet works of the Micro-Fiber Militia in the form of wonderful Crochet Graffiti covering bike racks, road signs and light posts. Now comes a video of what must be one of the largest pieces of public Crochet. A giant water tower cozy in New York City.

By The Book

2008-12-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

Via Wooster Collective.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T14:49:00.000-08:00

This is the Theater District Business Center building in Chicago. The front of the building facing Randolph Street contains a number of colored lights running on a pattern loop behind semi-opaque glass. For Christmas, the pattern was modified to include a number of traditional Christmas themes.

288,000 Candles

2008-12-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry AKQA but I have a new favorite holiday video. Famous from Brussels delivers an amazing year end video with the help of 288,000 tea candles.

Agency: Famous, Brussels
Creative Director: Christophe Ghewy
Art Director: Nicolas France
Copywriter: Olivier Roland

And of course there is a making of...

Money

2008-12-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

N.A.S.A.'s "Money" featuring David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge, Z-Trip and the iconic artwork of Shepard Fairey.

Youtube Hillifier

2008-12-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

We're digging the The Benny Hillifier. Add the Benny Hill Yakety Sax to any youtube video. Just enter the youtube video ID (the code after the "=" in the URL) into the box and blamo! hilarity ensues. Check out the one we made this morning.

You're Not Alone and It's Not So Bad

2008-12-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

A fantastic video from Anthony Ferraro about getting laid off. Finally, a bit of optimism from the land of unemployment. If you haven't been to the land of unemployment recently you may wind up taking an unexpected trip there soon so, watch the video and realize you're not alone and it's not so bad.

Travel Deals for the Living Dead

2008-12-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

We're digging Vice.tv's Guide to Travel Series. We're not exactly sure why Shane Smith and Pella Kagerman have to get drunk for their urban safari in Chernobyl but the series certainly explores topics and areas of the world left off of the map by the Travel Channel.

via Vice.tv

AKQA Nukes Christmas

2008-12-12T13:20:00.001-08:00

Perhaps my new favorite agency holiday video of all time.

Expedia's Coffee-tising

2008-12-11T09:20:00.001-08:00

In cooperation with coffee shops (Deli Star), stencils are distributed which are used to create the offer in cocoa on top of the milk foam. Underneath the cup is a paper coaster printed with expedia.de and further explanation of the offer.

Advertising Agency: Serviceplan Munich / Hamburg, Germany
Creative director: Ekki Frenkler
Art Directors: Patrizia Marroni, Pei Mueller-Lierheim
Copywriter: Petra Nachtigall

via Ads of the World.

Lost in a Moment

2008-12-10T11:54:00.000-08:00

A one take impromptu film made in Tokyo by Dennis Wheatley and Stefan McClean for the song Lost in a Moment from Shrift. "What we loved about watching this film back was the space that the camera was able to enter.. extremely personal and scrutinising but not too lingering."

The Mysterious Dinner Napkin (Solved!)

2008-12-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday we posted this fantastic napkin design after checking out the online fashion magazine, The Dinner Jacket which featured a photograph of it on their contents page. Ashley & Justyna from The Dinner Jacket just got back to us with some background info and it turns out you can get a set of your very own over at The Spoon Sisters. Thanks Ashley & Justyna!

Via The Dinner Jacket.

Business Cogs

2008-12-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

The incredible geared business card designs of Adam Mayer. Still in prototype development, Mayer's designs allow us to catch a glimpse into the future of business card design. Digital cards perhaps?

via Unique Business Cards.

24 Hours in K-town

2008-12-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

Critical Intent was recently invited to New York to explore the secrets of lower Manhattan's Korean Town and though, most of what we uncovered there wasn't appropriate to print or photograph for that matter, we were treated to a killer meal by our host and NYC food blogger Alan Kwon. Thanks again Alan!

Trick 17 Best Picture

2008-12-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

Intervelometer from Team DAK just won 'Best Picture' at the 2nd Annual Trick 17 Stop Motion Animation contest. Teams were given 52 hours to create a 1-3 minute film. Team DAK is made up of Deniz Merdanogullari, Aparna Kapur and Kunal Sen.

Mad Skate

2008-12-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Tim Nolan of Poke and Marco Cigini of McCann Erickson have created a skate club for the Ad industry set and have dubbed it MAD SKATE, naturally. How's it work? Join the group on Facebook here. Each member will be asked to fork over a bit of cash to help rent a park such as the The Autumn Bowl in Greenpoint, Brooklyn or the Shield Skate Park in New Jersey. Any left over money will be donated to charity.

via Agency Spy

Addidas Originals: Break Up Service

2008-12-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

Agency: TBWA\London
Production Company (Japan): Taiyokikau
Creatives: Mat Fox/Mark Nicholson
Producer: Satoshi Takahashi
Production Company: Blink, London

via Scary Ideas

Graffiti 2.0

2008-12-03T10:35:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of years, Italian graffiti artist, Flippo Minelli has made people acutely aware of the technology gap between 2.0 nations and the third world. Though the Internet has provided an extraordinary platform for the exchange of ideas, information and social exchange, it has broadened the gap between technological societies and those that remain "offline".

"The idealization connected with these experiences provokes a small-but-important detach of the perception of reality and what i want to do by writing the names of anything connected with the 2.0 life we are living in the slums of the third world is to point out the gap between the reality we still live in and the ephemeral world of technologies."

via Wooster Collective

The Elephant in the Chatroom

2008-12-02T16:18:00.000-08:00

Wired has published an article on their website that finally, FINALLY, confronts the 500lbs. elephant in the room when it comes to advertising on social networking sites. To paraphrase, it's invasive and it doesn't work. For the last five years, "Social Networking" has taken the place of "Viral" as the most overused buzzword in your company's marketing department and today, Wired reported on what any network user could have told you all along, that just because users are willing to volunteer information about themselves does not mean that they welcome that information to be used to bombard them with marketing messages. Speaking at a digital marketing conference in Cincinnati recently, Procter & Gamble's head of interactive marketing and innovation, Ted McConnell stated...

“Consumers weren’t trying to generate media. They were trying to talk to somebody…. We hijack their own conversations, their own thoughts and feelings, and try to monetize it...What in heaven's name made you think you could monetize the real estate in which somebody is breaking up with their girlfriend?”

Cheers Ted!

Read the entire article here.

The Mysterious Dinner Napkin

2008-12-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

I found a photograph of this brilliant little napkin on the contents page of The Dinner Jacket Magazine. A request to The Dinner Jacket for Art/Writer credits for the piece have not yet been returned but I will post them here as soon as I find out. If you know anything about the piece please email me!

Smart (Business) Cards

2008-12-01T18:07:00.000-08:00

Advertising Agency: Duval Guillaume
Creative Directors: Katrien Bottez, Peter Ampe
Creation: Tom Theys
Copywriter: Hans/Raoul
Typography: Stoffel Van den Bergh

via Ads of the World

Taxi Cafe

2008-11-30T20:26:00.000-08:00

Vancouver--For a long time now there has been a shift in the marketing tactics of companies who are moving away from simply advertising their product or service in favor of aligning their brands with particular lifestyle choices (think Mac vs. PC). A couple of weeks ago we covered the opening of BK Studios here in Chicago in which Burger King has desperately attempted to buy themselves into a subculture with their burger-free art loft. Now comes word that advertising agency, Taxi is getting in on the act by opening Taxi Cafe. I know what you're thinking, "But I work at an Ad agency and we have a coffee bar..." except your coffee bar is most likely hidden away on the 16th floor and exists only to impress clients and serve slacking employees where as Taxi Cafe is situated at street level and serves not only to impresses clients (the cafe itself is decorated with successful Taxi ad campaigns) and serve the occasional employee (no word on the discounts yet) but Taxi Cafe is 100% open to the public (you know, that bizarre outside population of consumers, agencies are supposed to uh, be able to interact with?).

via Ad Pulp

Japanese Ad Council Banner

2008-11-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Every once and awhile a web banner will come along that renews my faith in the creative future of banner advertising. This morning it came in the form of this totally out-of-left-field web banner created by Dentsu Japan on behalf of the Japanese Ad Council. It's simple, it's fun and it's affective. Check it out here.

via Banner Blog.

Immersion

2008-11-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

Ever catch yourself in the reflection of your computer screen or TV set and feel like you're staring at a stranger? A couple months ago a friend made a video of me working and though hilarious to watch a nine hour work day compressed into a two minute time lapse, it was also slightly disturbing to see how immersed I had become staring into a computer monitor. Now comes Immersion Blog, a fascinating look at user interaction with the various media that have come to dominate our daily lives. Most shocking perhaps is photographer, Robbie Cooper's Immersion study (above) and Godfrey Reggio's Evidence videos which record the facial reactions of children while interacting with a video game and television set respectfully. It should be noted that advertising agency, Fallon London attempted a similar execution in their CBBC spots a couple months ago that shows the joyous expressions of toddlers immersed in children's programing on the BBC. One idea, three very different results--all of them illuminating in their own way.

via Coups de Pub

Gong Unofficial Video

2008-11-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

A great SFX project for the Sigur Ros song "Gong" from Eric Lerner.

via Fubiz.

Spacey On: The Economy

2008-11-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

Sure, the economy is in the tank, job markets are dry but somehow hearing it from Kevin Spacey makes it a little more palatable. An amusing typographic take on the film American Beauty from Jessica London. Frankly, I wouldn't mind watching the entire movie this way.

via Scene 360.

The Dynamics

2008-11-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

The Dynamics - 7 Nation Army

Censorship

2008-11-19T09:56:00.001-08:00

A couple of of days ago I was having a conversation with a friend about SEO and I started to wonder about the challenges facing companies and agencies while marketing their products online overseas. How does a company or agency reach an international online community when governments are filtering your message and is it irresponsible for agencies to find a way to subvert these filters in order to reach their target? The Advertising industry has a long history of pushing the envelop when it comes to public decency but what about political censorship? It's all well and good to run a human rights campaigns targeted at China here in the states in an English speaking magazine, everyone will applaud you, but what about actually using that "web-savvy" agencies are always patting themselves on the back for to actually reach your real target overseas.

Theo Jansen

2008-11-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

Theo Jansen's amazingly creepy mechanical creatures were unveiled at last year's Ted conference in Monterey California.

"Since 1990 I have been occupied creating new forms of life. Not pollen or seeds but plastic yellow tubes are used as the basic material of this new nature. I make skeletons that are able to walk on the wind, so they don’t have to eat." Over time, these skeletons have become increasingly better at surviving the elements such as storms and water and eventually I want to put these animals out in herds on the beaches, so they will live their own lives.
-Theo Jansen

via Wooster Collective.

Unbranding 101

2008-11-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

Burger King Studio: Wicker Park, Chicago

Quarter Pounder: Shibuya, Tokyo

On oct. 12 BK Studio opened in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood at 1904 W. North Ave. A kind of artist's loft/think tank/art space blah blah etc. packed with things the kids are supposed to be into these days like DJ's, silk screen T-shirts, and sneakers. Noticeably absent, were actual Burger King burgers. Now comes word that McDonald's, not to be outdone, has opened "Quarter Pounder," in Tokyo's Shibuya neighborhood. The ultra modern eatery is almost entirely devoid of McDonald's branding even going as far as serving traditional McMeals in unbranded packages. The whole thing smacks of a "Denny's All Nighter" debacle. More information on Mcdonald's Quarter Pounder can be found courtesy of Neil Duckett in Tokyo.

Monday Encouragement

2008-11-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

BOOOOOOM! has just launched a new project called Free Encouragement. Simply send your message of encouragement to encouragement@booooooom.com. and see it displayed here after Dec. 5th or just look through the dozens of already uploaded messages and start feeling better.

Please Feed The Animals

2008-11-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

Please Feed The Animals is a new blog for the recently unemployed advertising professional. We predict that it will be getting a lot of hits in the coming weeks.

via American Copywriter.

Friday Inspiration

2008-11-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

Jemapur - Maledict Car
Directed by Kosi Sekine

Mad Women

2008-11-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

Forbes Magazine writer, Juliann Sivulka has just published AD Women: How They Impact What We Need, Want, and Buy. An interesting look into how women have shaped the ad industry.

via 5 Blog Before Lunch

Freelance-to-Fire

2008-11-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

In news-I-could-have-told-you-first-hand-last-Thursday, Agency spy is reporting this morning that Citigroup is predicting that Advertising in the U.S. may not recover until 2010. In an eerily relevant post a little more than an hour later Agency spy reports that Chicago's Mayor, Richard M. Daley, has told reporters that ...

"both city and private sector workers should get ready for a clusterfuck. The Mayor says that chief executive officers have told him to expect huge layoffs in the next month and into the new year. Hopefully, those execs that spoke with Daley do not include CEOs of agencies. Crossed fingers that Chicago's advertising industry can weather the storm and holding companies can assist where necessary."

For those who think Agency Spy, which is sponserd by Job resource site Media Bistro, is simply driving traffic to their job site, let me tell you that everything they have reported this morning is true. Believe me, it's true.

Minneapolis says moNO!

2008-11-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

In a perfect example of how people are willing to sign anything, Agency Mono stomped around my old neighborhood in Minneapolis and soon to be Mono's new neighborhood, in an attempt to gather signatures to ban the agency from moving in. Sound confusing? Watch the video. See you at Christmas Mpls!

via Adgabber.

Operation Homecoming

2008-11-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

An animated sequence based on U.S. Army Specialist Colby Buzzell's story, part of the film Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience. Animation by Christopher Koelle, Portland Studios, Inc. Operation Homecoming is a unique documentary that explores the firsthand accounts of American soldiers through their own words and is part of PBS's America at a Crossroads series.

Thanks Andrew!

Kraak & Smaak Get Flipped

2008-11-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

Thought you'd seen enough flip books in your time? Me too and then I saw this one. Kraak & Smaak will be appearing in Chicago this Friday 11.14.08 @ Subterranean (Hey, that's just down the street!)

Saved By Gimmicks

2008-11-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of talk within the industry lately about how people find Toyota's Saved By Zero ads so irritating. It's legitimate, the ads combine an ear-bleeding jingle with lame computer animation of Toyota vehicles rotating around a giant 0%. But for me, and at least a few others out there, Charles Schwab's rotoscope ads are even worse. Chuck Schwab is my Saved By Zero. Why? Because rotoscoping went out of fashion and was only briefly interesting in 2001. It was visually bland then and it's visually bland now. Combine Rotoscoping with depressing financial whining and you get a cringe inducing spot. During a time where everyone has something to complain about when it comes to finances, the last person I want to hear it from is charles Schwab. For this reason, watching this morning's episode of 3min Ad Age was particularly difficult.

via The Ad Feed.

Originally I had credited the Saved By Zero Ads to Ford, they are actually from Toyota. Thanks for the correction Andrew.

And to Think I Saw it on Sampsonia Street

2008-11-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

The Making of Street With a View

When I first learned about Street With A View it reminded me of one of my Dad's favorite books, the Dr. Seuss classic, And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street in which a rather mundane street becomes the scene of an unbelievable impromptu series of events. In this real life Mulberry Street, the street is actually Sampsonia Way in Pittsburgh and the medium is Google Street View.

Cat-vertising

2008-11-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

Corolla 2008

There is no way I could watch an ad this bizarre and not post it. Reminds me slightly of the Harvey Nichols ads from London last year. Similar ad, similar response WTF?!

Harvey Nichols 2007

Pot-O-Gram

2008-11-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

Larger view
Agency: Le Bureau, Stockholm

Bouquets of hemp (the kind without the THC) were sent out like a flower gram to press and media agencies to promote the premiere of the TV series Weeds.

via adgoodness

Help Me Obama1 Your My Only Hope

2008-11-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

CNN, the Mother Ship of election touch screens and indecipherable graphs unveiled their brand new technology last night... holograms? Taking the field out of field reporting, musician Will.I.Am beamed up to CNN live from...an isolated sound proof tent? And talked to Anderson Cooper on this historic night about...himself? Good lord.

Thanks Roger!

Rumble in the Park

2008-11-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

Late last night I scored a last minute ticket to what will either be a historic election celebration or a historic election riot in Grant Park. Either way Critical Intent will be ring side at tonight's main event to capture the madness or memories of what will surely be history in the making.

Put'n on the Schitz

2008-10-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Chicago

Remy Martin has begun advertising in Chicago using Audio Spotlight, a technology that sends isolated audio messages to people within the target range of a small disc like speaker. The experience, as you can imagine, has been described as sudden schizophrenia and was in fact utilize a couple months ago to advertise the A&E show, Paranormal State in New York.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Crimewave-(Crystal Castles vs. Heath)

Mirror Images

2008-10-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Interactive Mirror concept by Lit Studios.

Via MAKE:blog

Stop It, Just Stop It!

2008-10-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Uhg, Someone hand me a Crylon! Aside from the gem above in Brooklyn, comes word that Tampa-based agency Pyper Paul + Kenney have used graffiti to encourage New York City pet owners to spay or neuter their animals. The campaign, targeting black and Hispanic inner-city male dog owners reads, "Fix your dog, it's all good!" Feel free to punch your screen or the closest white copywriter in 3...2...1...

Via Flickr.

Sand Man

2008-10-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

To fully appreciate the large scale sand drawings of artist Jim Denevan, most of the photographs on his site are taken perched high on top of a cliff, overlooking the beach. You can find them at www.jimdenevan.com

via ffffound.

Eye Balling it

2008-10-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

I've seen a lot of projection projects but this is the first I've seen that uses snow as the canvas. This one was created at Mount Buller Australia. Yes there are ski resorts in Australia.

Via MAKE:blog.

Where's My Sign?

2008-10-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

For someone who admits that they don't know how to use a computer, John McCain gets interactive with personalized "Joe the Plumber" signs available on his website. Simply fill in your name, occupation and email address and you receive a personal McCain Palin sign. I'm sorry but this is genius. It's easy, it's well designed and it illicits email address of possible voters. I filled mine out hoping I could hang it outside my door by the end of the day but it's been about an hour and no sign of my sign. Make yours here. Thanks Joe.

Via www.JohnMcCain.com

The Simpsons Go Mad

2008-10-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

For The Simspson's 19th annual Tree House of Terror Halloween special, Springfield gets swapped for Mad Ave in the Mad Men inspired opening credits. See more stills from the opening credits here.

Via Best Week Ever.

Edit and Forget it

2008-10-23T08:47:00.000-07:00

2008 Before/After reel from myaka on Vimeo.

Ah, the magic of editing. I always wondered how they got those air plane shots.

Via Design You Trust

Al The Shoe Salesman Gets a Tax Cut

2008-10-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

Joe The Plumber might not get a tax cut under the Obama plan but you know who does? Al The Shoe Salesman. How about you? Find out at Obama-Biden Tax Calculator.

Via Joe The Designer.

The Gloves Come Off

2008-10-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

Oh snap! The new Mac vs. PC ad war heats up with new counter punch from TBWA. The new spot is a rebuttal to Crispin Porter's current "stereotypes" ad which was a rebuttal to TBWA/Media Lab's successful "I'm mac" campaign. TBWA goes for the low blow by calling Microsoft out on spending gobs of money on their advertising instead of improving their product. How much did Microsoft pay Crispin exactly? Rumor places the number somewhere around $300 million for creative alone. Ouch.

Who is Dick Whitman?

2008-10-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

A special episode of Jeopardy featuring an entire category devoted to the AMC show Mad Men will air tonight so cancel dinner at the club and pour yourself another old fashion. Can't wait until tonight? Play the online version here.

Also, check out today's feature on Wired.com Real Ad Men Talk About Mad Men, in which Anthony Young, Benjamin Palmer and others, separate fact from fiction in today's ad industry.

The Epic Ad of 2008

2008-10-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

122 years of British history, 762 extras, over 800 costumes, 1 loaf of bread. Critical Intent presents…Go On Lad, the epic ad of 2008.

Making of with MCBD creatives found here.

Rat Trap

2008-10-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

Amazing public art piece. I have no other info on this. If you know anything about it let me know and I'll post it here.

via Wooster Collective.

Now For Some History...

2008-10-15T12:38:00.001-07:00

At heart I’m still a Minnesotan. I was raised in Minnesota. I grew up playing hockey. I remember watching the North Stars before they were stolen away to an oil rich, ice-less land called Dallas. For this reason, I take a bit of offense to the new campaign from Austin agency Door Number 3. The ad refers to the Detroit Red Wings trumping of the Dallas Stars last season to clinch the National Hockey League Championship but for certain fans of the original Stars, the only Stars, The North Stars, it means something entirely different. Certain fans who remember when hockey players were helmet-less, the Grain Belt was bottomless and multiple fan letters from a fourth grade student in South Minneapolis to North Star starting goalie, Casey Jones went response-less. No Dallas I believe in this case, you have something of ours!

via AdFreak.

Dude, where's your blog?

2008-10-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

If you've been checking Critical Intent either this week or last week you might have been disappointed to find very few new post. Unfortunately, the helm of this blog ship (my beloved, macbook pro) was stolen last Tuesday meaning I have had to post from work, which means I have been posting very little. Fortunately, this devastating theft turns out to be rather timely as the new macbooks from Apple have just arrived. We'll be up and running soon.

To everyone who offered to lend me a computer these last two weeks thanks and thanks for checking in!

via The Bummer Dept.

Starbucks iphone App

2008-10-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

"Get your coffee fix, fast" iPhone/iPod Touch application that allows the users to purchase their favorite Starbucks drink without waiting in line. This application also includes QuickPay, a swipe transaction system using semacode technology.

soon you won't have to talk to anyone!

via .

It's Good to have Goals

2008-10-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Gum Thief Promos

2008-10-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

Glove Pond Pt. 2

To help promote the The Gum Thief, the latest novel from Author Douglas Coupland, Random house teamed up with Crush Toronto to produce a number of online teaser ads (9 in all) featuring Douglas reading excerpts from the book.

According to Crush’s managing director/creative director, Gary Thomas:
First off, we loved the book and we all love Doug’s work. We felt that the nature of the narrative lent itself to a less traditional form, and we thought Doug’s readers would be visually sophisticated and net savvy enough to appreciate this approach. We wanted the three strands to have a unique look, but when viewed as a group would feel coherent. Our designers, Stefan Woronko, Adrian Lawrence, Chris Rolf and Greg Dunlop each used a wide variety of techniques, and brought their varied design aesthetics to their pieces.

via ad-titude.

Bring the Payne

2008-10-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

I'm really digging the new Max Payne trailers. With a fanatical video game fan base eagerly awaiting the film version of the uber violent Rockstar game, I was really hoping that the new Max Payne movie website would be equally as interesting and in-depth as both the video game and the trailer but alas, a splash page, two movie trailers and a couple movie stills and a registration page? Huge missed opportunity there.

Who's Kid Robot?

2008-10-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Rotofugi, Chicago's very own designer toy store (just down the street), achieved commercial success in user-driven online advertising at least. The store's Youtube ad "The Collectors" hit the equivalent of internet gold by showing up on SwissMiss this morning with the help of the Hurley Sahimi where it was posted last week and now it's posted here! See how that works? Now you post it. Awesome! But seriously, go and buy something.

Add-Art Now Available for Firefox 3

2008-10-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Introduction to Add-Art from Steve Lambert on Vimeo.

To be used while looking through all of the other Ad blogs out there that critique and criticize bad ads while at the same time enabling applications such as adsense and google search words to cover their page in crap banners and other mindless word generated web ads. You can find Add-Art at Add-Art.org Now if the new Firefox would just stop crashing...

via F.A.T.

Web Quality Video No Longer Means YouTube.

2008-10-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Get Lucky Ski Trailer presented by The Discovery Channel
Uploaded by VASentertainment

With the quality of Web videos now rivaling traditional cinematic media, heavy hitters such as the Discovery Channel are teaming up to help produce video content with mind-blowing quality. Mutually benefiting from the sudden jump in HD quality on the web, industries that once lived only in VHS, DVD and in home TV screens are finding new life and a new audience on HD web channels while regrettably, YouTube continues to lag disappointingly with their quality restraints.

We do.

2008-10-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

via ffffound.

The Most Entertaining Man is...

2008-09-30T16:17:00.001-07:00

Dos Equis has announced that it has tapped legendary underground Ring Master, Jim Rose of the Jim Rose Circus for it's new "Most Entertaining Man" campaign. On the heels of Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man" ads, Jim Rose has signed on to perform a number of exclusive performances in bars and clubs around the country. Can the same man who brought us Mr. Lifto and Enigma (no pictures, this is a family blog) and who was a staple on the live music scene way back when Lalapalooza was still a rock festival, put the rebel back into beer? Lets hope so.

Sagmeister Talks to TED

2008-09-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Last Night I had a Dream That...

2008-09-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

E-ink

2008-09-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

NOTCOT: Esquire's 75th Anniversary E-Ink Cover from Jean Aw on Vimeo.

For the magazine's 75th Anniversary, Esquire took their limited addition covers to another level. Some of the Magazine's advertisers were more than happy to join in and experiment with the endless possibilities of the new technology.

Via MAKE:Blog.

The Progression of a Brand

2008-09-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

DC Shoe company, has launched easily one of my favorite campaigns of the year. The campaign, "Progression" was kicked off with a $25 coffee table book, Agents of Change featuring photography chronicling the shoe company's rise to be one of the most influential athletic brands of all time. Says DC President Ken Block of the book,

"It puts it all in perspective...People involved in the sports can look at the book for the stories on the athletes and the photos, but its reach is huge beyond that."

The campaign is equally far reaching, a recent relaunch of the DC website matches the solemn black & White photography and elegant story telling of the book and sits in stark contrast to how the public viewed the alternative sports industry in the 1990's. In August the company aired the first commercial toting the progression tag line and an equally solemn yet elegant track "Figure 8" originally from the show, School House Rocks provides a surreal sound track. DC seems to have tapped into something amazing in that they have realized that their customers like the company itself, has grown up in the last couple years and that the 14 year-old year athlete in 1994, is now turning 28.

Good Advice

2008-09-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

Via Veer.

Going Back To Philly (Full Version)

2008-09-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

What do you get when one of the funniest shows on TV teams up with director and former child star, Fred Savage and hip-hop legend, Jeru The Damaja? The new Always Sunny In Philadelphia promos.

Shlep The Vote

2008-09-26T10:32:00.001-07:00

Droga5 and Sarah Silverman team up to tackle an important voter segment in one of our most definitive states. Called "The Great Schlep" the new campaign urges young Jewish voters to convince their grandparents down in Florida to get on board for Obama.

via Adverblog.

Big in Japan

2008-09-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Big in Japan is a Swedish reality show featuring two ordinary Swedes that have one month to make it big in Japan. The bus stop shelter ads feature motion sensors that trigger a banshee cry of young female Japanese super fans (we have all seen them). I love the idea behind this show, the uber-Swedish theme song and a advertising campaign that is as equally annoying as it is funny. I have to imagine ridership at this bus stop must have dropped significantly but the idea behind it is great.

via Advertising/Design Goodness.

Bear Market

2008-09-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

Aparently these guys were out in Washington D.C. last week. If anyone has any more information let me know, I think they're great.

Offsetting

2008-09-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Larger View

Agency: Rethink, Vancouver
Creative Directors: Ian Grais, Chris Staples
Art Director: David de Haas
Copywriter: Katie Ainsworth

When I first saw this execution it made me smile because I thought it might have something to do with current financial bail outs/lending life lines etc. perhaps placed in key financial districts of major cities which would make the idea extremely timely and really impactful but unfortunately it turns out that it's just another global warming rising water idea. Bummer.

via Adgoodness.

I'm a PC

2008-09-19T13:22:00.001-07:00

In a huge turn-around from the rather drab first attempts by Crispin to make the PC cool again, the new Microsoft spot flips the script so to say and goes after Apple's famously pretentious ads in a spot that, is actually effective and dare I say...good. A new ad war is a-brewing.

The art of Phil Hansen

2008-09-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

In probably the best viral in a very long time, artist Phil Hansen demonstrates his creative talents over the last year.

Two Roads Diverged

2008-09-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

Not since Mercedes benz's 1995 commercial featuring Janis Joplin's anti-luxury war cry "Oh Lord Won't You Buy Me A Mercedes-Benz" has a work of art been so misinterpreted until of course the new BMW "On The Road" spot by SCPF. Congratulations, you have made a new generation squirm with advertising contempt.

Designers for Obama

2008-09-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

www.designforobama.com allows users to Rate Obama
inspired designs or submit their very own Obama art.

With the goal of supporting Barack Obama’s campaign for presidency, Design/ers for Obama will introduce new tools and opportunities to web-powered grass roots organizing that has already revolutionized campaigning. Design/ers for Obama is a community for Obama supporters, whether visually inclined or not, to aggregate and rate Obama poster art that is available for download in a variety of sizes that can be easily printed by any and everyone. At such a turbulent (yet exciting) time in our nation’s history, collaboration has never been more important.

via Design You Trust.

Anando Milk Goes Huge in India

2008-09-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

Agency: McCann Erickson, Mumbai, India
Executive Creative Director: Prasoon Joshi
Creative Director: PK Anil
Copywriter: Prasad Venkatraman
Art Directors: Kapil Tammal, Swati Goel, Roopra Sarbjit, Sandesh Kambli
Photographer: Shekawat HS

via Guerilla Communication.

New Meaning to Environmental Design

2008-09-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

via MAKE:Blog.

Bump & Grind

2008-09-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm not a huge fan of Grind House era B-horror movies but I've seen a fair bit and I can appreciate the art direction of the new Agent Provocateur interactive web movie but to be interactive the users has to be interested enough to at least stick around. After about 10min of cackling and tomato eating I had had enough so I attempted to purposely fail at the interactive game of "saving the virgin" and get the hell out of there only to be asked the choose-your-own-adventure style question a second time. I appreciate the idea and the nod to kitsch horror but the payoff here seems to be an endless reel of tomato fetish.

via Adverblog.

[city of others] mini docs

2008-09-10T10:26:00.001-07:00

[mini-doc] Nick & Nick from [city of others] on Vimeo.

[city of others]

Really digging the new mini docs from [city of others] currently running on vimeo. More specificlly the episodes dealing with small business owners giving insight into what they do and why they do it. Check them out here.