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  • 'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum

    More than 2,000 years ago, China’s First Emperor built a burial complex guarded by a large terracotta army, intended to protect him in the afterlife. Now, some of those warriors are making the journey to Chicago’s Field Museum in their latest exhibition China’s First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors, opening March 4, 2016.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    The exhibition features more than 170 objects including stunning bronze artifacts, weaponry, and ten of the famed terracotta figures. Terracotta Warriors will introduce visitors to Qin Shihuangdi —China’s First Emperor—who united a country and built an army to last an eternity.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    Around 7,000 of these six-foot-tall and taller warriors—significantly taller than men of the time—were found buried in three pits at the emperor’s tomb [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    An Emperor’s Rise to Power and Lasting Influence

    One of greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century, the terracotta army was created by Qin Shihuangdi, the First Emperor of China. His rise to power in 221 BC ended an era known as the “Warring States” period, during which China was composed of seven competing states and was marked by instability and broken alliances.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    Emperor Qin Shihuang, depicted here, commissioned the giant tomb for himself before he died [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    Qin Shihuangdi used an organized military, superior weapon technology, and a strong cavalry to defeat his enemies and establish a unified state. During your visit to the exhibition, you’ll discover crossbow bolts and a reconstructed wooden crossbow. This weapon revolutionized warfare, allowing archers to shoot nearly 900 yards, with less skill and strength than was needed for a bow and arrow. You will also encounter other weapons used by Qin military forces, including a long, chrome-plated sword, lance heads, dagger-axes, and spears.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    When the Terracotta Warriors were excavated from the emperor's tomb, starting in the 1970s, many were broken like these ones, and needed to be put back together by conservators [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    Although the First Emperor’s reign was relatively short, he enacted several important innovations that left a lasting impression on China. Many of these are still evident today. He worked to strengthen his newly founded empire by building a great wall (the pre-cursor to China’s “Great Wall”) to protect his land in the north and west. In an effort to increase trade, he constructed new roads and canals and even regulated cart axles so that wheels uniformly fit the newly constructed roads.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    This archer, one of the guardians of the emperor’s tomb, likely once held a crossbow [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    In order to rule effectively, a single currency, a standard form of writing, and a standardized system of weights and measures were all put into place. Examples of these innovations are all on display within the exhibition, including several Qin banliang (ban-lee-ang) coins—round coins each with a square hole—as well as a mold used to mass-produce these coins. This coin type became the standard form of Chinese currency for the next 2,000 years.

    An Emperor’s Final Resting Place

    Even though the Emperor made public improvements in his country, he was not without enemies; three unsuccessful assassination attempts increased his fear of death and drove his quest for immortality. With death constantly on the Emperor’s mind, and a desire to rule forever, Qin Shihuangdi began constructing a palace for his afterlife and instructed craftsman to make a terracotta army to protect him after his death.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    The Chinese painted the Terracotta Army figures, but the pigments deteriorated over the years. Conservators try to preserve the remaining colors [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    For more than 30 years, legions of workers contributed to this massive undertaking—some even paying with their life. Around this underground palace were representations of the Emperor’s officials, warriors, buildings, parks, and animals—everything he would need to carry on his rule without end. The First Emperor even included what are believed to be acrobats, musicians, and exotic animals in his tomb to provide entertainment.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    Each warrior has a unique face and hairstyle due to different molds and details added by hand postconstruction [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    After the Emperor’s death, the terracotta warriors, generals, and others lay buried until 1974, when a farmer digging a well discovered them. Although the tomb itself was known historically and was visible on the landscape, the vast burial complex surrounding the site had been unknown until then. Archaeologists began work excavating the site, a process that continues today. Hundreds of pits, covering an area of nearly 22 square miles, have been located so far, and it is estimated that more than 8,000 figures were buried at the site.

    'China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors' at Chicago’s Field Museum
    Chariots were an important part of China's army during the emperor's reign—hence the more than 130 models like this one discovered in the Terracotta Army pits [Credit: Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum]
    Terracotta Warriors has nine full-size human figures, including several warriors, a general, an acrobat, and an official, on display as well as one life-size horse. Although most of the clay figures have lost the bright hues of their original paint and only provide faded glimpses of the way the army looked during the Emperor’s lifetime, you will encounter two replica warriors, painted in the vivid purple, teal, and red that the terracotta army wore.

    Excavations continue today, but the central tomb of Qin Shihuangdi remains sealed. Stories tell of a celestial ceiling mapped out in pearls and a mercury river, but none of these written accounts have been confirmed. Visitors to the exhibition will learn about the scientific investigations hoping to shed light on the mysteries of the tomb.

    China’s First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors was organized by The Field Museum in partnership with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau, Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center and Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Terracotta Army Museum of the People’s Republic of China. Major sponsors: Discover, Exelon, United Airlines.

    China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors is currently showing at The Field Museum, Chicago, and will run until January 8, 2017.

    Source: The Field Museum [March 01, 2016]

  • "cärpe-díem mañana -The Hilfigers" | Tommy Hilfiger Multi-Media Ad Campaign

    "cärpe-díem mañana -The Hilfigers" | Tommy Hilfiger Multi-Media Ad Campaign

    The Tommy Hilfiger Group, which is wholly owned by PVH Corp. (NYSE: PVH), announces its Fall 2013 global advertising campaign, cärpe-díem mañana, featuring The Hilfigers – the beloved all-American family at the heart of the brand’s marketing strategy. The new campaign finds Chloe setting off for college, and when one of the The Hilfigers’ youngest moves on campus to start her first year, the whole group of eclectic characters tags along to help her settle in. The campus is teeming with new faces as several new characters join the family shenanigans.

    Now in its seventh season, The Hilfigers campaign remains the ultimate personification of the preppy heritage and irreverent spirit of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. The campaign is photographed by Craig McDean, styled by Karl Templer and creatively directed by Trey Laird of Laird + Partners.

    “Collegiate traditions and the preppy, Ivy League look were some of my earliest design inspirations and the starting point for our signature style,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “It was exciting to shoot this campaign at a location that embodies our brand heritage. There’s no better setting to highlight the collegiate prep inspirations, British sartorial influences and rich Anglo fabrics of the Fall 2013 runway collections.”

    For Fall 2013, a select group of bloggers were invited to the campaign shoot where they were given behind the scenes access to the collection and Fall 2013 shoot. The bloggers were styled in looks from the collection before they were photographed alongside The Hilfigers, integrating these bloggers into the campaign experience and allowing them to develop exclusive content for their websites and social media channels. The bloggers announced the campaign to their global audiences just days before the images broke in September books.

    Adding a new layer to the seasonal campaign, Lisa Birnbach, author of the The Official Preppy Handbook, created spirited, individualized head-to-toe descriptions for each character’s unique style that play on brand’s preppy-with-a-twist heritage. The quintessential cast of college characters includes the “Natty Professor,” the “A-Student,” the “Bookworm,” the “Ice Queen,” the “Après Dude,” the “Professional Student,” the “Social Chair,” the “Field Tripper,” the “Alum Prez,” the “Teacher’s Pet” and the “All American.” The head-to-toe images, accompanied by Lisa’s playful depictions, will be included in multi-page inserts in select September books, outdoor advertising and on tommy.com.

    “Lisa Birnbach is a true prep connoisseur and the perfect person to characterize The Hilfigers’ unique prep style,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “I’ve loved working with Lisa throughout the years and we are excited to have her prep expertise included in this campaign season.”

    “The Hilfigers continue to personify the global creative vision for the brand,” said Avery Baker, Chief Marketing Officer for The Tommy Hilfiger Group. “This season we’re incorporating new content elements that celebrate the brand’s history of infusing an unexpected twist to preppy tradition. Lisa Birnbach’s playful depictions of the family’s iconic prep style add further emphasis to the youthful irreverence that has long been at the heart of the Tommy Hilfiger brand, while our global blogger partnerships celebrate the increasingly international outlook of preppy style in a way only Tommy Hilfiger has achieved. The Hilfigers campaign resonates globally with our consumers now more than ever and we are excited to continue bringing fans of the brand engaging, shoppable content each season.”

    Photographed in a preppy, collegiate setting with hair by Eugene Souleiman, and makeup by Mark Carrasquillo, the campaign features a similar cast of eclectic characters from past campaigns: Jacquelyn Jablonski, Bernard Fouquet, Chloe Blackshire, Arthur Kulkov, Julia Hafstrom, Lea Sorensen, Toni Garrn, Thomas Gledhill, Kim D, Sacha M'Baye, Tidiou M'Baye, Viggo Jonasson, Jourdan Dunn, Tian Yi and two Basset Hounds named Morgan IV and V. New additions to the family this season include Sasha Luss, Cora Emmanuel, Katya Riabinkina, Benjamin Eidem, RJ King and Marlon Teixeira.

    “The heart of The Hilfigers campaigns is all about storytelling, and this season we really tried to take it to the next level,” said Trey Laird, Laird + Partners Chief Executive and Creative Officer. “With Chloe headed off to college, the whole clan descended on campus en masse! The university setting provided the ideal backdrop for not only that perfect fall collegiate feeling, but also new characters to bring it all to life.”

    Cärpe-díem mañana will break worldwide Fall 2013 as a multi-media program with an online, print, outdoor and social media presence. The advertising campaign will break in September 2013 issues starting July 23 with full print ads running globally in key fashion publications such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, InStyle, ELLE, Glamour, GQ, Men’s Health and Esquire; multi-page inserts will be featured in select issues. New York City; key European cities such as London, Paris and Milan; and top districts in Hong Kong will have outdoor campaigns. Tommy.com and the brand’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels will feature the campaign images and video. For European consumers, a new feature on tommy.com will allow fans of the brand to seamlessly shop and discover the iconic Tommy Hilfiger products, collaborations and new collections.

  • "You Are Your Words" American Heritage Dictionary Web Launch Promo

    To celebrate the launch of the 5th edition of The American Heritage Dictionary, Mechanica and Lollipop have created an interactive experience around the concept "You Are Your Words." The core of the concept is that the words you use are about more than just communicating – they tell the world who you are. And today, through emails, tweets, posts and other forms of communication, our words define us more deeply and broadly than ever.

    The site brings this concept to life in a very dynamic and personal way, by engaging people to create a self-portrait in their own words. Visitors to YouAreYourWords.com can upload a photo or use their webcam to take a picture of themselves. They can then connect to Facebook or Twitter to pull in words from their social stream, or enter words that best define who they are. From there, Lollipop created a server-side application that composites a user’s words with their photo, creating a unique word-based self portrait.

    One of the largest challenges on this project was to develop an engaging interactive experience that didn’t rely on Flash or HTML5 functionality. The site is built on a Ruby on Rails infrastructure and uses front-end technologies that do not require the use of plug-ins or advanced browsers.

    Credits:
    Client: American Heritage Dictionary – 5th Edition
    Creative Agency: Mechanica,
    Jim Garaventi, Partner/Creative Director
    Libby Delana, Partner/Creative Director
    Brand Director — Julie Carney
    Executive Producer — Eric Freedman
    Interactive Production Company: Lollipop, Toronto

    Thanks Shannon

  • The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great exhibition to be presented in Montréal

    The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great exhibition to be presented in Montréal

    Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History Complex, and the Canadian Museum of History are pleased to announce that they will be welcoming a world-premiere exhibition to Canada later this year: The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great. To be presented in Montréal from December 12, 2014 to April 26, 2015 and in Gatineau from June 5 to October 12, 2015, the exhibition covers more than 5,000 years of Greek culture, from the Neolithic Period to the Age of Alexander the Great.

    The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great exhibition to be presented in Montréal
    The so-called gold death-mask of Agamemnon, found in Tomb V in Mycenae
    by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876. [Credit: WikiCommons]
    “It is a privilege to welcome this exhibition — the largest presented at the Museum since we opened in 1992,” says Francine Lelièvre, Executive Director of Pointe-à-Callière. “As Canada’s only archaeological museum, Pointe-à-Callière is proud to be showcasing archaeological treasures from Ancient Greece. An exhibition of this scope and importance is also a vibrant tribute to the large Greek communities in Montréal and across Canada.”

    The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great is the most vast and comprehensive exhibition on Ancient Greece ever presented in North America. It brings together more than 500 artifacts from 22 Greek museums, including many pieces never before displayed outside Greece. Among other treasures, visitors will be able to see a number of priceless objects, the result of some unparalleled archaeological discoveries.

    “We are delighted that Pointe-à-Callière is participating in the consortium formed for the exhibition’s North American tour,” says Mark O’Neill, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of History. “The consortium, which our Museum is proud to lead, includes several prestigious museological institutions and we are all honoured that the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports has agreed to lend us artifacts of such great historical value for the benefit of Canadian and American audiences.”

    To facilitate the production of an exhibition of this breadth, a consortium of North American museums was created. In addition to the Canadian Museum of History and Pointe-à-Callière, the consortium includes The Field Museum in Chicago and the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC. The Museum of History will oversee direction of the consortium, as well as work on production of the exhibition in association with the Directorate General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports.

    “I am especially proud to see this unique project take shape as a showcase for Greece, our heritage, and our treasures, illustrating an important part of our history. The fact that 22 Greek museums have come together to produce this exhibition—the largest ever to be held outside of Greece—demonstrates both the scope and the value of this project, as a number of major objects will be travelling to America for the very first time,” stated Eleftherios Anghelopoulos, Greek Ambassador to Canada.

    About the Exhibition

    The Greeks – Agamemnon to Alexander the Great invites visitors on a breathtaking and illuminating journey through 5,000 years of Greek history and culture. It is the most comprehensive exhibition about Ancient Greece to tour North America in a generation and features some of the finest artifacts of the classical world. Many of the objects have never before travelled outside of the country. The exhibition includes priceless treasures, the fruit of fascinating archaeological discoveries, along with items recounting the epic adventures of heroes of Ancient Greece, from the siege of Troy by Agamemnon to the triumphs of Alexander the Great.

    The journey begins around 6000 BCE, revealing the deep roots of Greek culture. It ends in the days of Alexander the Great (356 to 323 BCE), whose military conquests created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Along the way, visitors will meet the legendary King Agamemnon, leader of the united Greek forces in the Trojan War (12th century BCE) and one of the great heroes of Greek mythology. They will also learn about numerous milestones in Greek and human history: the birth of democracy, philosophy, theatre and the arts, science and medicine. They will see how the first democracy functioned and discover the tools that made it possible.

    Visitors will also be able to admire over 500 exquisite treasures drawn from the collections of 22 Greek museums, including the renowned National Archaeological Museum and the new Acropolis Museum in Athens. Among the many exceptional pieces are the iconic portrait of Alexander the Great, found near Pella, the impressive kouroi statues of young men and women dating from the 6th century BCE, and a dazzling array of golden jewellery from royal tombs. All these items come from Greek museums, co-ordinated by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports –Directorate General of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with a consortium of museums led by the Canadian Museum of History. All in all, hundreds of golden objects will be presented, including two magnificent death masks from Mycenae (16th century BCE); superb warrior’s helmets; the beautiful myrtle wreath of Queen Meda from the antechamber of the tomb of Philip II of Macedonia (about 336 BCE); and a marble bas-relief representing a young man crowning himself.

    As they tour the exhibition, visitors of all ages will be captivated by the stories of historical figures like Aristotle, Plato, Philip II of Macedonia and the Spartan King Leonidas, and the epic heroes and gods of Greek mythology, including Achilles, Aphrodite, Athena, Zeus and Poseidon.

    They will also enjoy captivating interactives, fascinating hands-on objects, and a stunning design treatment.It all adds up to a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition and a truly memorable visitor experience.

    Source: Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History [March 26, 2014]

  • New Hudson’s Bay Company Logo A First Since 1965

    New Hudson’s Bay Company Logo A First Since 1965

    The Hudson’s Bay Company is reclaiming its past with a new logo — its first brand redesign in nearly half a century.
    Marking a shift from the moniker it has carried since 1965, The Bay will now be known as Hudson’s Bay.
    Prior to 1965, the store had carried the full name of the firm, which was founded in 1670 and is billed as “North America’s longest continually operated company.”

    “Going back to their heritage, to Hudson’s Bay, makes a lot of sense,” said University of Toronto marketing professor David Dunne. “It’s something they can own. ‘The Bay’ has obviously lots of awareness in Canada, but it could be confused with lots of other things, for example, eBay, especially if they’re going to be doing online. There’s nothing all that unique about ‘The Bay.’ ”

    Representatives of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), the store’s parent company, which also operates Home Outfitters and Lord & Taylor in the U.S., were not available to discuss the new logo, which will mark all marketing and media materials, online and in-store displays. A redrawn coat-of-arms was also debuted for special packaging.
    “We’re very proud to say that Hudson’s Bay is continuing to advance in 2013, not only with our numerous new business ventures, but with our updated look,” said HBC creative director Tony Smith in a release.
    “We’ve taken what is a very meaningful two-pronged approach to the redesign: maintaining our heritage while modernizing the new Hudson’s Bay Company.”

    Errol Saldanha, who teaches brand development at OCAD University, wonders what consumers will end up calling the store.

    “Today, customers always want the shortcut — TD, FedEx,” he said. “Are people going to keep calling them The Bay, or short form it to Hudson’s, which seems to be the more distinct part of the name?
    “The challenge with a rebrand is everybody will just look at this as a logo, visual thing, and not maybe see a strategy behind it. The big risk is whether or not people will accept it. The Gap customers all rebelled and then they shifted the logo back.”
    The company said the change is to signal a “defining period” of innovations, such as the creation of high-end The Room, the launch of Canada’s first Topshop and Topman, the renovation of multiple stores and expansion into ecommerce.

    Dunne isn’t sure what difference a rebrand will make “when you’ve got people like Target coming in who are known for high quality merchandise at low prices. Harking back to the fact that they were founded in 1670 is probably not going to carry an awful lot of weight,” he said.

    Prior to 1965, The Hudson’s Bay Company’s logo was an elaborate, calligraphy-style script.
    In 1965, motivated by expansion into Quebec, the firm had American branding gurus Lippincott & Margulies create a shortened The Bay with an emphatic ‘B’.

    2013 sees the word mark simplified and streamlined to an elegant Hudson’s Bay.
    via: Toronto Star

  • Meet the archaeologists making ancient rock art into 3D reality

    Meet the archaeologists making ancient rock art into 3D reality

    High in the Italian Alps, thousands of stick-like images of people and animals, carved into rock surfaces, offer a tantalising window into the past. Archaeologists believe that the earliest of these 150,000 images date from the Neolithic but that most originate from the Iron Age. The UNESCO-protected ‘Pitoti’ (little puppets) of the Valcamonica valley extend over an area of some three square kilometres and have been described as one of the world’s largest pieces of anonymous art.

    Meet the archaeologists making ancient rock art into 3D reality
    An event taking place next Monday (18 January 2016) at Downing College, Cambridge, will give the public an opportunity to learn more about a fascinating project to explore and re-animate the Pitoti of Valcamonica. Displays and hands-on activities staged by seven of the institutions involved in the EU/European Research Council-funded ‘3D Pitoti’ digital heritage project will show visitors how archaeologists and film-makers have used the latest digital technology to explore an art form often portrayed as simplistic or primitive.

    The exhibitors from Austria, Italy, Germany and the UK will show that the thousands of Pitoti can be seen as “one big picture” as dozens of artists, over a period of some 4,000 years, added narratives to the giant ‘canvases’ formed by sandstone rocks scraped clean by the movement of glaciers across the landscape. The images are etched into the rock surfaces so that, as the sun rises and then falls in the sky, the figures can be seen to gain a sense of movement.

    Displays will introduce visitors to the scanning, machine learning and interactive 3D-visualisation technologies used by Bauhaus Weimar, Technical University Graz, and St Pölten University of Applied Sciences to record, analyse and breathe life into the Pitoti. Cambridge archaeologists Craig Alexander, Giovanna Bellandi and Christopher Chippindale have worked with Alberto Marretta and Markus Seidl to create Pitoti databases using Arctron’s Aspect 3D system.

    The scanned images of the Pitoti are stored in the rock-art research institute in Valcamonica, Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici, and have given the project’s team an unprecedentedly rich resource to play with in exploring the power of graphic art in combination with other media.

    The 3D Pitoti team members attending next week’s event will engage with visitors who will be given the chance to experience the scanner, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), computer sectioning, and the Pitoti ‘oculus rift’ virtual reality experience, made possible by using advanced imaging systems which are creating a new generation of ‘real’ images. The live demonstration of the interactive 3D Pitoti children’s app, developed by Archeocammuni and Nottingham University, is likely to prove popular with younger visitors who will have the chance to handle the technology and ask questions. Also taking part in the event will be the renowned craftsperson Lida Cardozo Kindersley who will demonstrate the art of letter cutting as an intensely physical process.

    Meet the archaeologists making ancient rock art into 3D reality
    Eleanora Montinari [Credit: CCSP/3-D Pitoti with permission of Marc Steinmetz/VISUM]
    Archaeologists increasingly believe that the Valcamonica images may have been one element in a kind of ‘proto-cinema’ that might have involved other ‘special effects’. “When I first saw the Pitoti, my immediate thought was that these are frames for a film. Initially I envisaged an animated film but over time I’ve come to realise that the quality of colour, the play of light and shadow, and the texture of the rocks, make the Pitoti much more sophisticated than 2D animated graphics. That’s why we need to work in 3D,” says Cambridge archaeologist and film-maker Dr Frederick Baker, one of the founding participants in the project.

    “Many of the images at Valcamonica are contemporary with classical Greek art but are an under appreciated form of art. I believe that the Pitoti are an example of minimalism, an early precursor to work by Alberto Giacometti and Pablo Picasso. They can be just as powerful as the classical art of Athens and Rome in their own way. By showcasing our project in the neo-classical setting of Downing College, we are highlighting this clash of visual cultures and using the digital to raise the appreciation of what has been seen as ‘barbarian’ or ‘tribal’ art.”

    Members of the 3D Pitoti team captured thousands of images of people, sheep, deer, horses and dogs found on the Valamonica rocks. The digitised images gave the project a ‘casting directory’ of thousands of ‘characters’ in order to create imagined narratives. The creation of moving images using pixels, or dots, echoes the making of the Pitoti which were pecked out of the rock by people striking the surface with repeated blows to produce lines and shapes.

    Dr Sue Cobb, from the University of Nottingham, who led the international team of scientists, said: “Thanks to the 3D Pitoti project, archaeological sites and artefacts can be rendered in stunningly realistic computer-generated models and even 3D printed for posterity. Our tools will give more people online access to culturally-important heritage sites and negate the need to travel to the locations, which can be inaccessible or vulnerable to damage.

    “We overcame a number of technical challenges to innovate the technology, including developing weatherproof, portable laser scanner to take detailed images of the Pitoti in situ in harsh, rugged terrain; using both a UAV and glider to take aerial shots of the valley for the computer model and processing huge masses of data to recreate an immersive, film-quality version of the site in 3D.

    Meet the archaeologists making ancient rock art into 3D reality
    Michael Holzapfel (left) and Martin Schaich (right) [Credit: ArcTron/3-D Pitoti with permission of Marc Steinmetz/VISUM)]
    “With our new story-telling app, users can scan and animate 3D Pitoti images to construct their own rock art stories from the thousands of fascinating human and animal figures discovered so far. The aim is to show to public audiences that with archaeology there isn’t a single answer to the art’s meaning –there are theories and interpretations — and to teach the importance of the rock art as a biographical record of European history.”

    Next Monday’s event will include a test screening of a 15-minute 3D generated film called ‘Pitoti Prometheus’ which reimagines the story of Prometheus (who, according to legend, created men from clay) by animating digital images captured in Valcamonica. The fully finished film will be launched later in the year.

    The film’s 3D engineer Marcel Karnapke and film-maker Fred Baker (contributing via Skype) will take part in a discussion at the end of the day, enabling the audience to ask questions about the film and the unfolding of an ambitious project which breaks new boundaries in terms of European cross-disciplinary collaboration.

    “We use the word ‘pipeline’ to describe the process by which we’ve scanned and channelled the rock art images through time and space to bring them to mass audiences,” says Baker. “It’s a pipeline which stretches well beyond what we’ve produced and future technologies will undoubtedly open up new understandings of art forms that communicate so much about humanity and our relationships with each other, with the environment, and with imagined worlds.”

    Next Tuesday morning (19 January 2016), a series of talks and workshops, aimed primarily at academics, will take place at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. The two days of events are the official culmination of the 3D Pitoti project. For details of Monday’s event, which is free of charge, go to http://3d-pitoti.eu/

    Source: University of Cambridge [January 14, 2016]

  • 'Viking Voyagers' at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall

    'Viking Voyagers' at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall

    National Maritime Museum Cornwall is bringing the Vikings to Cornwall in a new major exhibition called Viking Voyagers, opening on 20 March 2015. The new exhibition, featuring nationally and internationally historically significant artefacts, explores what is behind the popular myth of the bloodthirsty raiders, what it meant to become a Viking and shows how their mastery of maritime technology was the secret to their success.

    'Viking Voyagers' at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall
    Ships and boats were vital to Viking expansion; they explored and colonised, were invaders and migrants and the seas and rivers were the highways and byways to amassing huge wealth and power through raiding and trading.

    Their power was built on their knowledge of boatbuilding and their seafaring skills, enabling them to sail across the Atlantic’s icy waters to Newfoundland and Iceland, down to the warm Mediterranean to Istanbul and as far East along the river Volga as Ukraine and Russia.

    Visions of horned helmets, unkempt beards and fearsome raiding fighters carried by longships that were dragon headed war beasts come to mind when thinking of Vikings. However, this new show dispels the myth and reveals that just like us they also wore jewellery, combed their hair and many were entrepreneurs, using smaller boats and ships to do business and seek new opportunities far from their Scandinavian homelands.

    This new show invites you to encounter these Norse voyagers and the people and things they met along the way, contrasting the mayhem of the raiders, pillagers and ransackers with the resourceful trader, boat builder, craftsman and family man, woman and child.

    The humanising of the Vikings is conveyed through engaging interactive displays that amplify what life was like as a Viking. With institutional and loaning partners including the British Museum, National Museum of Ireland, National Museum of Denmark and Manx National Heritage and others, a stunning number of artefacts show a culture that enjoyed ostentation and hierarchy as well as ritual, religion and the simplicity of family life.

    These archaeological finds, which are over 1000 years old, include weaponry, jewellery, household implements, slave chains and coins, richly showing the global reach of the Vikings and their ships.

    Richard Doughty, Director of National Maritime Museum Cornwall says: “It is enormously exciting for National Maritime Museum Cornwall to be bringing the Vikings to Falmouth and hosting historically significant artefacts, in what is undoubtedly our most important exhibition to date. The Museum’s legacy of award winning work has now afforded us the opportunity to access national and international collections, securing loans with major partner Museums, and offering Cornwall and the South West a unique first in being able to see these items outside of these national and international institutions.”

    “This new state of the art show has taken years to develop. You might think you know the Vikings but you will have never experienced them in the way this new exhibition promises. All I can say is watch out, the Vikings are coming!”

    The theatre is provided by a beach market scene. A full scale replica of a 14m coastal cargo Viking ship, from 11th century Denmark, invites you to climb aboard and discover what it was like to sail and row in these awe inspiring vessels, and explore the wares they carried.

    The iconic Viking small boat, a 6m Norwegian faering, built by ‘apprentice Viking boat builders’ from Falmouth Marine School, is the centrepiece of a ‘touch and feel’ boat builder’s yard. Visitors can hold tools and materials used to design these clinker-built ships with their shallow drafts, which allowed them to navigate inland rivers and conquer kingdoms.

    The history of Britain and Ireland was transformed by the impact of Viking raiding and colonisation. We still utter their words in our everyday language such as starboard, berserk, kid and ransack. What began as small encampments up river grew to be Viking towns such as Dublin, which for a time was the centre of the European slave trade. Cornwall was very much part of the Irish Sea world, and the exhibition will reveal tantalising evidence for Vikings in Cornwall.

    Dr Tehmina Goskar, Exhibitions Registrar at the Maritime Museum says: “The story of the Vikings is incredibly alluring. Not only have they left us with a legacy of beautiful storytelling in their Sagas but also an astonishing material culture. Above all, the Vikings were sailors, their men, women and children thrived because of their skills with boats and seafaring so with our harbour location, celebrating the sea and small boats, there is no better place to come to hear their stories.

    “I am completely delighted to bring amazing Viking antiquities to Cornwall for the very first time, some of which have never been on display in any museum before. Working closely with our Guest Curator Dr. Gareth Williams of the British Museum, a world-leading expert in the Vikings and also an outstanding Viking re-enactor himself, has been an immense privilege and a lot of fun, and hopefully visitors will feel this from the way we tell the story of the Viking Voyagers in the show.”

    The two year exhibition, funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a number of generous trusts and foundations, aims to show how the Vikings were a maritime culture, not an ethnic group but something you became when you wanted an adventure.

    Ben Lumby, Exhibitions Manager concludes: “Aboard their ships Vikings reached further than any culture had before them and they have left huge legacies behind since the 300 years of the Viking Age from the 8th to 11th centuries. This atmospheric exhibition will evoke the Viking world through thought-provoking stories, stunning exhibits and engaging interactives which take you on an epic journey. We invite you to discover who the Vikings really were and what was the secret to their success. ”

    Viking Voyagers runs from 20 March 2015 to 22 February 2017.

    Source: National Maritime Museum Cornwall [Jabuary 16, 2015]

  • Super Bowl Ad Watch: Budweiser Tweets For The First Time — Name The New Clydesdale Foal

    Super Bowl Ad Watch: Budweiser Tweets For The First Time — Name The New Clydesdale Foal

    Budweiser has launched its first-ever Twitter account – www.twitter.com/budweiser. The account went live last night.

    The iconic brand marked the occasion with another "first" involving the Budweiser Clydesdales – tweeting the first photo of a member of the elite "Budweiser Clydesdales Class of 2013," a beautiful 150-pound baby born the morning of Jan. 16. It was the brand's first-ever Tweet.

    Using #clydesdales, Budweiser also is asking Twitter followers of @Budweiser and Facebook friends to help name the young equine star, who will be seen by an estimated 110+ million viewers next Sunday during Super Bowl XLVII.

    "This newest member of the Budweiser Clydesdale family was 7 days old on the day this part of the Super Bowl commercial was filmed," said Jeff Knapper, general manager of Clydesdale operations. "A star was truly born on Jan. 16."
    More than 30 baby Clydesdales are expected to be born this year at the 300-acre Warm Springs Ranch, the state-of-the-art breeding facility for the Budweiser Clydesdales in Boonville, Mo.

    On Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 3, the Budweiser Clydesdales will appear in a new 60-second spot, "Brotherhood," which chronicles the bond a Clydesdale foal shares with his trainer. Partially shot at Warm Springs Ranch, "Brotherhood" will take the Clydesdales advertising into new territory by providing a new level of access to their early years.

    This is the Clydesdale's 23rd Super Bowl spot since first appearing in a big game spot in 1986.

    In addition to the baby foal born this month that will appear in the spot, other young Clydesdales, including an 8-month-old and a 2-year-old, will be featured, in addition to a full hitch of eight adult horses.
    Budweiser's Twitter channel debuts after the social media platform introduced age verification, allowing the beer to restrict its tweets to users 21 and older.

    2013 A MILESTONE YEAR
    The Clydesdales celebrate a major milestone in 2013 – the 80th anniversary of their association with Anheuser-Busch. The Budweiser Clydesdales have been an integral part of Anheuser-Busch's heritage since April 7, 1933, and their strength and majesty symbolize Budweiser quality as well as integrity, achievement, success, perfection and team spirit. They were formally introduced to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition for beer.
    "The symbol has become synonymous with Budweiser — the quality that goes into the beer, as well as the time, energy and passion we put into taking care of the horses," Knapper said.

    How is the baby Clydesdale featured in the commercial doing? Both mother, 7-year-old Darla, and baby are doing well, reports John Soto, supervisor of the breeding operations at Warm Springs Ranch in mid-Missouri.
    "We have had two foals born so far this year and they're both doing very well," Soto said.

    "We take great pride in each and every one of our horses, and Warm Springs Ranch is a great home," Knapper said. "The Budweiser Clydesdales are the envy of the equine world. We treat them like royalty, and they are among the best-cared-for animals in the world."

    Anheuser-Busch has about 200 Clydesdales in its herd, with about half of them at Warm Springs Ranch in Cooper County.

    via: PR Newswire

  • Live Mas Fina Corona — Canada: 60 TV Version

    Live Mas Fina Corona — Canada: 60 TV Version

    After 25 successful years in Canada, Corona Extra is proud to launch their new brand campaign encouraging consumers to step outside of their comfort zone, lead an extraordinary life and ‘Live Mas Fina’.

    Created by Toronto based agency of record Zulu Alpha Kilo, the new positioning reaches out to attract new Corona drinkers with a rallying cry of Live Mas Fina (Live the Finer Life). The new tagline is inspired by the heritage and message emblazoned on the beer’s iconic ceramic label since 1925, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

    “The campaign is a challenge to live life on your own terms and never accept ordinary.” says Drew Munro, President & CEO at Modelo Molson Imports L.P, “Corona Extra is no ordinary beer, it is the original Cerveza with the unique lime ritual, sold in over 180 countries around the world — it’s time for everyone to get out there and experience it.”

    “You can live on the sidelines, be beige, boring and never take any risks. Or you can choose to Live Mas Fina and live in an extraordinary way,” explains Zak Mroueh, Chief Creative Officer and President at Zulu Alpha Kilo. “You can choose to be interesting, inspired and follow your own path, not someone else’s.”

    The campaign launched online last week with a 60-second commercial that was previewed to the brands Facebook community, asking consumers to reflect on how they’ve been living. Phase 1 of the brand’s new website went live simultaneously at www.LiveMasFina.com along with Twitter #LiveMasFina and YouTube channels. National broadcast support began on Monday, March 18th.

    Credits:
    Spot Title: Live Mas Fina
    Client: Modelo Molson Imports L.P.
    Clients: Drew Munroe, Stewart Priddle, Lindsay Wilson
    Product: Corona Extra
    Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
    Creative Director: Zak Mroueh
    Creative Director: Shane Ogilvie
    Art Director: Mooren Bofill
    Writer: Erin Beaupre
    Agency Producer: Melanie Lambertsen
    Group Account Director: Kate Torrance
    Account Director: Dic Dickerson
    Strategic Planner: Shari Walczak
    Production Company: Boxer Films / Frank Content
    Director: Jonathan Hyde
    Executive Producers: Beth George, Danielle Kappy
    Line Producer: Maeliosa Tiernan
    Director of Photography: Jonathan Hyde
    Post Production: The Vanity
    Music & Sound Design: Pirate
    Music Director: Chris Tait
    Sound Engineer: Keith Ohman
    Producer: Kate Freed
    Song: Lightning Tent
    Artist: Wildlife

  • Chevrolet "The Road We're On" | Episode One: Welcome To Bridgeville

    Chevrolet "The Road We're On" | Episode One: Welcome To Bridgeville

    Chevrolet begins their Centennial celebrations with a web film created by Mother, New York entitled The Road We're On. Along with an interactive microsite a series of webfilms will be released weekly leading up to November 3, the first from Bridgeville, Pennsylvania showcases the heritage and connection between the town and Chevy.
    Credits:
    Agency: Mother New York
    Client: Chevrolet
    Creative: Scott Carlson, Blaise Cepis, Stacey Smith and Leigh Masters
    Mother: Michael Rose and Laura Perlongo
    Strategist: Daniel Edmundson
    Executive Producer: Jill Silberstein
    Producer: Diana Frame
    Director: Scott Carlson, Blaise Cepis, Lance Edmands and Phil Van
    Director of Photography: Dima Dubson
    Director of Photography: Matt Mitchell
    Editor: Lance Edmands and Mike Sobo
    Assistant Editor: James Blose
    Sound Design: Michael Coffman
    Post Supervisor: Diana Frame

  • Cuprinol The Cheer it up Garden Shed Advert

    Cuprinol The Cheer it up Garden Shed Advert

    Today sees the launch of a new ad campaign for garden wood care brand Cuprinol. The repositioning kicks off with a charming and surreal campaign by 18 Feet & Rising, which champions their Garden Shades range, urging people to cheer up their gardens.

    The first push is 'Whimpering Garden', a 30” TV ad in which an unloved garden shed is cheered up with a lick of Cuprinol.

    In the ad, a couple is woken up by what sounds like a crying baby, but actually turns out to be their distraught shed. After the husband tries, and fails, to pacify the weeping shed with a giant bottle of milk, the wife produces a tin of Cuprinol which works a treat. The spot’s strapline is: “For protecting and brightening your garden. Cuprinol. Cheer it up.”

    The ad, directed by Thai star Suthon Petchsuwan, highlights the emotional pull of the AkzoNobel-owned brand, which boasts a 94-strong colour range, as well as a rich heritage in practical wood protection. The spot will be on air in the lead up to the Easter and May bank holiday weekends, and will be available online.

    18 Feet & Rising developed the idea behind the 'Cheer It Up' positioning, as well as the TVC and its digital amplification.

    The brand re-launch also includes a new logo and new packaging across all its products, designed by Brand design consultancy Springetts, and the launch of a new website on 27 March developed by AnalogFolk.

    Along with its new brand identity, Cuprinol is launching new products this year, including ‘Less Mess Fence Care’ and next generation garden shades, with four-year weather protection. In addition to the 34 existing shades, the brand is also launching 60 new colours for the Garden Shades range.

    Kathryn Ledson, Senior Marketing Manager AkzoNobel, said: “Cuprinol has always been passionate about protecting garden wood and enhancing outdoor spaces. We want our new campaign to show people how simple it can be to add personality and colour to outside spaces and inspire people to ‘Cheer It Up’! With the new range of Garden Shades, it’s the perfect time to brighten up Britain’s gardens!”

    Rob Ward, Head of Strategy at 18 Feet & Rising, said: “Cheer it up' repositions the category from a boring, brown chore to a colourful, emotional reward that encourages the nation to bring out the best in their gardens.”

    Credits:
    Client: Kathryn Ledson, Senior Marketing Manager
    Creative Director: Anna Carpen
    Creatives: Anna Carpen, Stephen de Wolf & Behrad Taherparvar
    Account Director: Adrienne Little
    Strategy: Rob Ward
    Agency Producers: Emily Hodgson & Julia Methol
    Director: Suthon Petchsuwan
    Producer: Hugh Bacher
    Post Production: Mum Films
    Media Planning/Buying: Mediacom
    Production: TWC Films

  • The Wild Magic of Greece's Meteora: Video

    The Wild Magic of Greece's Meteora: Video

    Perched upon wild crags, the complex of Greek Orthodox monasteries called Meteora justify their name in Greek as each of the six monasteries looks like it is “suspended in the air” or “in the heavens above.”

    The Wild Magic of Greece's Meteora: Video
    The Moni Rousanou and Moni Ayou Nikolaou in Meteora, Greece [Credit: Oren Rozen/WikiCommons]
    Built on natural sandstone rock pillars in the 14th century, the monasteries were a haven for ascetic monks who wanted to remain untouched by the secular world or undesired intruders. Later on, they became a refuge for those who wanted to avoid the occupying forces of the Ottoman Empire.


    Athanasios Koinovitis founded the first Meteoron monastery on Broad Rock between 1356 and 1372. Christian legend has it that he did not scale the crag but he was carried up by an eagle. Initially there were more than 20 monasteries built but only six survive today. Four of them are inhabited by men and two by women. With less than ten monks in each monastery, they are now mostly tourist attractions. However, they remain the most important monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos.

    Meteora are located at the northwest edge of the Thessaly Plain, near Pineios River and the Pindus mountains in central Greece. The nearest town is Kalambaka.

    The Meteora monasteries complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

    Author: Philip Chrysopoulos | Source: Greek Reporter [January 01, 2015]

  • British Museum acquires Trust for African Rock Art collection

    British Museum acquires Trust for African Rock Art collection

    The British Museum has acquired a digital copy of the Trust for African Rock Art (TARA) photographic archive to ensure that this important collection is preserved and made widely available, thanks to generous support from the Arcadia Fund. The 25,000 digital photographs of rock art sites from across Africa will be catalogued and made accessible through the British Museum’s online collection catalogue, drawing on documentation from TARA staff and archaeological and anthropological research. The Museum will digitise its own African pictorial collection of 19th and 20th century photographs alongside the TARA images to support the integration of this archive.

    British Museum acquires Trust for African Rock Art collection
    Engraving of two cat-like creatures sparring in Libya's Messak Sattafet (Fezzan). c. 7000 BC [Credit: British Museum]
    The Museum’s African pictorial collection contains nearly 15,000 photographs that range from negatives, gel photos, glass plates, prints, and most recently, digital photographs. These are used for research, exhibitions, training, community outreach, museum partnership programmes and publications. Pictures in this collection are from throughout the African continent and embody the early stages of the medium up to the present day. Subjects include daily life, art, portraiture, official government photographs, natural landscapes and pictures from pre-colonial, colonial and independent Africa. The collection also holds film, video and audio recordings from various time periods and regions.

    The TARA collection will be presented through the British Museum’s Collection Online and will form one of the most complete searchable databases on African rock art worldwide. Africa’s rock painting tradition is believed to date back at least 50,000 years while abstract engravings in the Cape, South Africa have been dated to 77,000 years of age.

    Today only a handful of isolated cultures still engage in rock art and a few sites are still used for rituals, such as fertility and rainmaking, showing that it is still a living form of expression. TARA’s work over the last 30 years has created one of the best and most extensive photographic surveys of African rock art. Highlights from this collection include images of sites across the Fezzan of Southwest Libya, with dates ranging from 10,000 BC to 100 AD. These include sites in the Messak Sattafet as well as in the Acacus Mountains, (part of the Tadrart-Acacus trans-frontier UNESCO World Heritage site) and depict a wide range of subjects, such as hippopotami, men in chariots and hunting scenes.
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    There is a survey of South African sites showing the different styles and subject matters of the Khoi, San and other groups from thousands of years ago to the recent past day. The collection also includes engravings and graffiti by European settlers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In east Africa, the TARA archive contains geometric paintings and engravings by Twa forager-hunters as well as paintings of livestock, shields and clan markings made by Maasai and Samburu pastoralists in rock shelters. In addition to these depictions there are images of rock gongs, rocks with natural resonance once used for communication and divination.

    As rock art can be susceptible to destruction by natural and man-made events, and, in most cases, is fairly inaccessible geographically, this project will allow a greater access to rock art images and research for both academic and general audiences. By integrating these images with existing African collections, the British Museum is able to offer new insights into the techniques and tools used, the subjects represented and the people that made them.

    The project will take five years and involve research by Museum staff and on-going collaboration with TARA, as well as involving African communities. Through the incorporation of this collection into the British Museum’s online database, people across the world will be able to both use and contribute to the archive and its documentation. Partnership between TARA and the Museum will help preserve and disseminate this important collection and establish it as a major academic resource. By combining a wide range of research from the Museum, TARA’s international network and colleagues in Africa, the archive will capture and preserve knowledge about rock art for future generations.

    Source: The British Museum [February 18, 2013]

  • Toyota Camry Reinvented 2012 Ad Campaign

    Toyota Camry Reinvented 2012 Ad Campaign

    Built — Reinvented 2012 Camry — Release date Oct. 16, 2011

    Pit Stop — Reinvented 2012 Toyota Camry — Release date Oct. 24, 2011

    Press and Credits:
    Saatchi & Saatchi LA Creates Campaign for the Reinvented 2012 Toyota Camry

    “It’s Ready. Are You?” Touts Vehicle Innovation and Performance

    Saatchi & Saatchi LA today announced the launch of the reinvented 2012 Camry campaign, one of the largest integrated marketing campaigns the agency has developed for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “It‟s Ready. Are You?” demonstrates how the seventh-generation model addresses changes in consumers‟ vehicle needs, expectations and driving habits through the combination of new innovations and improvements to interior and exterior vehicle styling.

    The campaign centers around six TV spots, beginning with the 30-second “Built,” which will make its national debut on October 16 during NBC's Sunday Night Football. The spot uses stunning animation and visual effects to highlight the Camry‟s new features and visually demonstrate the reinvention of Toyota‟s signature model. As the 2012 model builds around its driver, the spot touches on several of the key aspects midsize car buyers expect to get with their next car purchase.

    “For nearly 30 years, Camry has been an icon of durability, quality and reliability. But with the new model, Toyota has made a serious upgrade in technology, safety, elegance, performance and flat out beauty,” said Chris Adams, executive creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi LA. “With the „Built‟ commercial, we had a lot of fun literally showing this reinvention in progress. It truly is a car built around the needs of today's drivers.”

    Another 30-second TV spot, “Pit Stop,” pays homage to the Camry‟s racing heritage with Toyota NASCAR driver Kyle Busch. The ad shows how Toyota‟s excellence carries from the racetrack to the roadway by transforming the car in the speed of a pit stop to highlight the Camry's performance capabilities and intuitive mobile technology. “Pit Stop” will make its television debut on October 24.

    Two additional TV commercials will roll out later this year. Further, broadcast momentum continues into next year with two spots in the Super Bowl and the Toyota Halftime Report.

    The campaign also includes print ads, digital media, out-of-home boards and social media elements. Additionally, digital billboards featuring Camry imagery will run atop the Walgreens building in New York‟s Times Square to spark the public‟s interest and build intrigue for the 2012 model.

    Beginning in November, consumers will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the 2012 Camry at over 125 events through March 2012. The Toyota Drive Center national ride and drive tour, along with activations at select Life Time Fitness locations across the country, will give the public a chance to experience the vehicle first hand.

    To set the stage for the 2012 model launch, Toyota and Saatchi & Saatchi LA launched the Camry Effect website, which is designed to connect the nearly seven million Camry drivers in the United States through an intuitive, interactive, online experiencehttp://www.toyota.com/camryeffect.
    The Camry Effect provides past and present Camry owners a platform to share stories, moments, memories and milestones of first dates, road trips, soccer games, interviews and college days while witnessing the collective “effect”

  • Tourism makes fresh start with Roman Empire in Algeria

    Tourism makes fresh start with Roman Empire in Algeria

    The landscape has remained unchanged since the Roman empire. Soft hills where barley and wheat are cultivated like 2.000 years ago surround Djemila, a city on an Algerian plateau built in 96 AD by the Roman army.

    Tourism makes fresh start with Roman Empire in Algeria
    Archaeological site in Djemila, Algeria [Credit: ANSA]
    The settlement, which was inhabited until the 6th century, is one of many archaeological sites in Algeria, which has an unparalleled heritage in Africa. And the continent's largest country now means to exploit it in order to re-launch an international tourism business reduced to almost nothing in the past two decades.

    Moreover, all Roman cities are in northern and central Algeria, the safest areas in the country with no major security issues. Djemila hosts a number of important buildings: an amphitheatre from the 2nd century, where performances and music festivals are still held, temples, prisons, altars, an arch dedicated to Caracalla and a magnificent baptistery from the 4th century which is still intact.

    On Friday, the Muslim weekly holy day, the site is flooded with local tourists: women wearing the Islamic veil or Maghreb-style face veil, bearded men wearing long kaftans, lots of children observe with admiration and respect the remains of a faraway, ancient civilization and are friendly in welcoming the rare foreign visitors.

    Inside the museum where extraordinary mosaics can be found depicting hunting scenes or joyous everyday scenes portraying men and gods, some glance elsewhere but most observe the figures with great attention.

    What makes Algeria's archaeological sites extraordinary — from Djemila to Tipaza, Timgad and Tiddis — is the beauty, almost primordial, of the surrounding landscape which is rare in other parts of the Mediterranean.

    'From a touristic standpoint, we are still children and need to become adult', Said Boukhelifa, a high official with the Algerian tourism ministry, told ANSAmed. "One thing is certain, we don't want to make mistakes which have been committed elsewhere. We are aiming for a tourism which respects nature, landscapes and our historic culture. This is the challenge we have to start from, after all the years that have been lost."

    Source: ANSA [May 20, 2013]

  • Riace Bronzes to return to Reggio Calabria museum

    Riace Bronzes to return to Reggio Calabria museum

    Italy's iconic Riace Bronzes will return to their home at the Reggio Calabria National Museum later this year after lengthy restoration work.

    The Riace Bronzes [Credit: ANSA]
    For almost three years the 2,500-year-old ancient Greek statues representing warriors have been in the Calabrian regional government's headquarters, undergoing a long-awaited restoration. A host of chemical, laser and electromagnetic tests designed to help experts better understand where the statues came from, and who created them, were also carried out.

    So now, it's almost time for them to return to their permanent home.

    According to the superintendent for archaeological and cultural heritage of Calabria, Simonetta Bonomi, restoration work should be completed near the end of the year and the two warriors "will be back home again" in time for Christmas.

    The celebrated bronzes were found in August 1972 off the coast of Calabria and quickly captured worldwide attention. They were so highly prized that they are rarely allowed to travel from their home, despite repeated requests.

    Even former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi was turned down twice after seeking to borrow the statues for Group of Eight summits.

    During the current restoration work, the Riace Bronzes, last let out in 1981 for a triumphant round-Italy tour, have been kept inside a purpose-built area with a glass front allowing visitors to watch the delicate restoration work.

    Meanwhile, the Reggio Calabria museum has been undergoing restorations itself while the bronzes have been away. Approximately six million euros have been earmarked for that project, and regional authorities have released the final funds need to complete the work before year end.

    The Bronzes were discovered in 1972 by a Roman holidaymaker scuba diving off the Calabrian coast and turned out to be one of Italy's most important archaeological finds in the last 100 years.

    The statues are of two virile men, presumably warriors or gods, who possibly held lances and shields at one time. At around two metres, they are larger than life.

    The 'older' man, known as Riace B, wears a helmet, while the 'younger' Riace A has nothing covering his rippling hair.

    Both are naked.

    Although the statues are cast in bronze, they feature silver lashes and teeth, copper red lips and nipples, and eyes made of ivory, limestone and a glass and amber paste.

    Italy has the world's biggest trove of archeological treasures but the Riace Bronzes attracted particular attention.

    This was partly due to their exceptionally realistic rendering and partly to the general rarity of ancient bronze statues, which tended to be melted down and recycled.

    Stefano Mariottini, the scuba diver who first spotted one of the statues some 300 meters off the coast and eight metres underwater, said the bronze was so realistic that he initially thought he'd found the remains of a corpse.

    A million people came to see them in 1981 and the pair are even featured on a commemorative postage stamp.

    The statues usually pull around 130,000 visitors annually to the Reggio Calabria National Museum.

    Source: AnsaIT [August 14, 2012]

  • Reebok Skyscape Runaround featuring Miranda Kerr

    Reebok Skyscape Runaround featuring Miranda Kerr

    DDB New York just launched a new global campaign, featuring supermodel Miranda Kerr, for Reebok's new Skyscape shoe...and looks looks stunning in it.

    Official Press: Reebok, the fitness brand at the center of women’s footwear innovations for more than 30 years, today revealed its new campaign with international supermodel Miranda Kerr for its new shoe, Skyscape. Created using new materials and techniques for a feeling of unparalleled comfort, the international style icon kicks off a global integrated marketing campaign for the shoe, which is so comfortable, you’ll forget you have it on.

    An everyday shoe for active and casual wear, Skyscape features 360 degrees of foam comfort in a fun, flirty silhouette that pairs perfectly with jeans, skirts or yoga pants. The challenge behind Skyscape was to create a stylish shoe that would keep women comfortable when they are on their feet all day running errands, meeting friends, commuting to work or going to the gym. Rather than just thinking about comfort underneath the foot, Reebok wanted the foot to be enveloped in comfort. In the research and development phase, Reebok looked to other industries for inspiration. For the pillow-like design of the sole of the shoe, the inspiration came from the home furnishings industry, while for the upper, the inspiration came from the lingerie industry – and specifically, molded foam bras.

    The Skyscape upper is crafted using the same manufacturing techniques and processes as molded foam bras, but using materials that have been optimized for the stresses and strains placed on the feet all day. The seamless, 2-way stretch material creates a soft, comfortable envelope around the top and sides of the foot, while allowing for natural foot movement and breathability. The sole of the shoe resembles cloud-like pillows, and provide cushioning, comfort and flexibility for all-day comfort. The flirty lace-up silhouette comes in a broad range of colors to match any outfit or mood.

    A fully integrated marketing campaign featuring style icon Miranda Kerr will launch the shoe, which hits retail outlets globally in March. With TV, print, retail, PR an digital components, the campaign works on all channels to demonstrate the way Skyscape feels and will have women everywhere wondering about the shoe that’s so comfortable, you’ll forget you have it on. Both the film and static elements of the campaign playfully center on this idea and were brought to life by legendary fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon, who captured the static imagery, and famed music video director Dave Myers who shot the TVC. DDB New York is the creative agency behind the campaign.

    “I’m on the move all day so it’s important to have a pair of shoes that balance comfort, style and practicality,” said Miranda Kerr. “My Skyscape shoes are a wardrobe staple that come with me everywhere I go, they’re the perfect in-between shoe to wear to work, running errands or to the gym, and because they’re lightweight and compact they’re also great for travel. Skyscapes come in a range of fashionable colors so there’s a pair for every outfit!”

    Martina Jahrbacher, Head of Reebok Walking, commented, “Reebok has a rich heritage in developing product especially for women and of looking outside of the footwear industry for the newest techniques, and I am proud to say that we have done it again with Skyscape. It took us more than two years to complete this shoe, as we were dedicated to creating a shoe that will perfectly support our active female consumer and, at the same time, was unlike any other shoe in the industry. At Reebok, we’re constantly looking for new ways to develop the best footwear and the innovative processes we’ve incorporated to develop Skyscape have created a shoe that you really have to try on to believe.”

    Creative Credits:
    Ad Agency: DDB New York
    Campaign: “Layers Off”
    Client: Reebok
    Product: SkyScape
    Celebrity Spokesperson: Miranda Kerr

    Chief Creative Officer: Matt Eastwood
    Creative Director, Art: Mariana Costa
    Creative Director, Copy: Julie Beasley
    Head of Production: Ed Zazzera
    Senior Producer: Heidi Baltzer
    Senior Business Manager: Lynda Blaney-Smith
    Global Business Director: Chris Tussing
    Management Supervisor: Damaris Marszalek
    Account Supervisor: Amanda Foderaro

    Production Company: Radical Media
    Director: Dave Meyers
    Executive Producer: Jim Bouvet, Maya Brewster
    Head of Production: Frank Dituri
    Producer: Carla Tate

    Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors
    Editor: Mikkel Neilsen
    Executive Producer: Eve Kornblum

  • Martell XO "Rise Above" Web Film

    Martell XO "Rise Above" Web Film

    Martell XO releases a new ad campaign / web film entitled "We All Have Wings." The new global campaign pays tribute to Martell's unique heritage, using its emblem, the swift.
    Legend has it that in 1715, a swift led Jean Martell to Cognac, where, he founded what would become the oldest of the great Houses of Cognac.

    In this film the swift becomes a symbol of one's potential to achieve great things — just like Jean Martell nearly 300 years ago.
    Martell XO invites us all to spread our wings and take flight to rise above.

    The music is soundtrack preformed by the members of the London Symphony Orchestra and mixed by Oscar-winning sound engineer Etienne Colin.

    Credits:
    Ad Agency: BEING, France
    Creative director: Paul Wauters
    Art director: Matthieu Camilieri
    Copywriter: Kate McMullen
    Accounts: Alexa Pantanella, Lise Abou-Bechara, Fanny Buisseret
    Strategy: Nicolas Chemla
    Director: James Gray
    Director of Photography: Darius Khondji

  • Start-up Brand Kabuto Noodles Stages Live Improvised Ad

    Start-up Brand Kabuto Noodles Stages Live Improvised Ad

    Kabuto Noodles, a food brand launching its first marketing activity this week, has bravely staged the world’s first live improvised ad break to get the cut-through required to succeed in a competitive market.

    Kabuto Noodles is an upmarket noodle snack bridging the gap between good quality, healthy Asian food and instant noodles found in supermarkets. The brand was founded by Crispin Busk in 2011.

    Kabuto Noodles partnered with Viacom Media to secure ad space on Comedy Central to air the live improvised ad and worked with 18 Feet & Rising to create a unique and exciting concept for a TV ad that would make its launch memorable and create a buzz for the brand.

    Yesterday (Monday, June 17th), live on prime time Comedy Central to 1 million viewers, four comedians were presented with a pot of Kabuto Noodles, and given an entire ad break to improvise comedy skits, using the pot as a prop.

    With comedian host Rob Carter hosting the proceedings, the comedians, from improv group Mischief Theatre, improvised comedy skits live on television and in front of a studio audience.

    The live three-minute TV ad, directed by live broadcast director James Russell, aired at 9.10pm on Monday night on Comedy Central. It will be followed by 30-second cut-downs of the ad featuring individual skits.

    Crispin Busk, Founder Kabuto Noodles said: “We took a risk leaving our jobs to create something new and now we're taking a risk with our first TV ad. We always wanted to do things that were fun and different so we're really excited."

    Jonathan Trimble, CEO of 18 Feet & Rising, said: “Kabuto are about the tastiest noodles you can make in a moment — so trying to make an advert happen live in the same amount of time has proved hair-raising with all credit to the team at Kabuto for having the balls to go for it.”

    Peter Dale, Business Development Manager for BeViacom and Comedy Central said: “More so now than ever, it’s essential for a brand’s message to stand out from the crowd. This idea brings together a daring brand alongside Comedy Central’s heritage in stand-up, to create an innovative partnership for the live advert and beyond”.

    Kabuto Noodles is stocked in Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Ocado and independents across the UK. In addition Kabuto exports its products to Ireland, Holland, Germany & Russia.

    It has grown from 100K in the first year to 750K in 2012, and is set to continue its growth with the introduction of marketing support throughout 2013.

    Credits:
    Improvisation group: Mischief Theatre featuring Henry Lewis, Jonathan Burke, Dave Hearn & Nancy Wallinger
    Host: Rob Carter
    Live Broadcast Director: James Russell
    Creatives: Anna Carpen & Alex Delaney
    Concept Director: Jake Mavity for Tantrum
    Producer: Emily Hodgson
    Account Director: Adrienne Little
    Production Company Producer: Vicki Betihavas (Live producer @ Nineteen Fifteen) and Jeannine Mansell (Producer @ Tantrum)
    Production Company: Nineteen Fifteen & Tantrum
    Composer/Music Supervisor: Sie Medway-Smith @ The Sound Works
    DOP: Nick Wheeler

  • Lil Lets "Giggle" and "Horny" Print Ads

    Lil Lets "Giggle" and "Horny" Print Ads

    As part of a brand re-launch, Lil-Lets has created a new campaign aimed at encouraging women to embrace their femininity.

    Women’s bodies work in amazing ways and Lil-Lets knows why women feel the way they do during their cycle. The new campaign positively embraces this knowledge and shares it with an unexpected edge that may surprise women themselves.

    Using striking headlines and intriguing insights including ‘HORNY’ which reveals that “if your period makes you feel a bit horny, it’s because your body knows an orgasm is one of the best, natural ways to ease the discomfort of cramps”, the campaign hopes to connect with today’s woman and recruit a new younger generation to the brand, as well as appealing to loyalists.

    The press campaign will appear in women’s monthlies and weeklies. The digital campaign features True and False questions linking to an interactive Body iQ quiz that tests the nation’s knowledge of how the body works, including everything from orgasms to the shopping gene.

    Clodagh Ward, Director of Marketing at Lil-Lets, said; “At Lil-Lets we are passionate about celebrating femininity and all there is to love about being a woman. The campaign devised by Leagas Delaney brings this vision to life and underpins what we are all about – we know that periods are a natural part of a woman’s life and we are in tune with how it makes you feel.”

    Nigel Roberts, Creative Director at Leagas Delaney, said; “We wanted to create a campaign that was different to the category. Candid references to why your body works the way it does during your period has grown-up honesty to it.”

    The press ads will feature new packaging and highlight key products outside of their heritage in tampons, including applicator tampons and towels.

    Credits:
    Creative Director: Nigel Roberts
    Associate Creative Director: Timo Klaarenbeek
    Art Director: Chris Felstead
    Copywriter: Adam Arber
    Digital Art Director: Kalle Everland
    Digital Copywriter: Will Pike
    Account Director: Layla Potter
    Agency Producer: Alexa Easterby/Ben McMullen/Amy Chalkley
    Photographer: Jo Metson Scott