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Puma introduces us to it's newest technology in running shoes with the commercial above for PUMA Mobium shoe, the running shoe that was inspired by cats, yes cats, see video below.

A cat's paws contract to provide propulsion and expand to provide cushioning. PUMA Mobium Elite's Expansion Pods, inspired by a cat's paw, adapt to your foot with every step. Welcome to Adaptive Running.

Press:
PUMA Launches The Nature of Performance in 2013.
PUMA Celebrates A Year Of Innovation With Groundbreaking Performance Product Introductions & New Campaign Launch 2013 signals a pioneering year for PUMA, as the global sportlifestyle brand re-energizes its performance positioning through the introduction of a new cross-category performance platform — The Nature of Performance. The Nature of Performance underpins a new creative and marketing campaign, in addition to serving as the inspiration for a collection of innovative new products in the Football, Running, Training and Fitness categories.

PUMA's Nature of Performance platform is a red thread that unifies all of PUMA's performance categories with a consistent voice, look and feel. Grounded in nature and the athlete's innate desire to perform at their best level, The Nature of Performance takes us on a journey that is at once personal and universal. Through it, we come to understand certain campaign insights:

• The Nature of PUMA Football: Whether it's in your nature to be power hungry, a glutton for speed or a control freak, PUMA builds inspired products to amplify you and your team's instincts.
• The Nature of PUMA Running: It's in our nature to disrupt the monotony of running. It's making a routine run feel fresh again, and it's in our nature to get you out the door.

PUMA also partnered with video production house Juliet Zulu to develop a series of technical films and TVCs for The Nature of Performance that will roll out online, by category, beginning in February 2013.

"With The Nature of Performance, we've found our own unique voice within the performance space," said Filip Trulsson, Director of International Marketing at PUMA SE. "The platform works across all of our sport categories and offers a compelling and effective way to convey pinnacle performance PUMA products and the user experiences at its most natural state."

The Nature of Performance platform launch coincides with a series of innovative new product introductions in Spring/Summer 2013, including ground-breaking footwear and apparel styles for Running and Training.

PUMA Mobium Elite is a first generation PUMA Adaptive Running™ shoe that's built on a system of interdependent technologies that are proprietary to PUMA. The patent-pending technologies of the Mobium Bands, the Windlass Chassis and the Expansion Pods work together allowing the shoe to expand and contract as the foot naturally does through the gait cycle. PUMA has identified this new category of running — Adaptive Running — after two years of intense biomechanical research, development and testing. PUMA Mobium Elite encourages a more natural movement and efficient stride.

In addition to innovative new product introductions, PUMA is also introducing for 2013 a unique naming and labeling concept designed to make it easy for consumers to identify which products best fit their performance needs. The PUMA CELL system consists of 14 CELL names, each of which corresponds to a specific key performance benefit — dryCELL for moisture management, visiCELL for increased visibility and powerCELL for compression, to name a few. PUMA CELL is a proprietary system the brand has developed to ensure product benefits are clearly communicated and identifiable to the consumer.

I love everything about this campaign, especially Puma Designer Raymond Horacek (video below) who quotes the great architect Antoni Gaudi, "...man does not create, he discovers" in his design process. Raymond and the PUMA Innovation Team studied the way big cats move and how the human foot changes in length, height and proportion during the running step that gave birth to Adaptive Running.

Credits:
Creative Advertising Agency: Droga5
Video Production House: Juliet Zulu

The US president Barack Obama has approved creation of "an elite command" inspectors who will be engaged in interrogations of prospective terrorists.

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

One of the world’s most elite (and expensive) cars recently became a canvas for the creative whims of the techie minds at The Media Merchants, a technology-driven production agency based in Vancouver.

In November, the agency gathered influencers in the city’s creative, technology, design, advertising and automotive sectors for The Lamborghini Project, an exclusive audio-visual event centered around projection mapping onto a Lamborghini Reventon.

At $1.5 million, the Reventon is the luxury automaker’s priciest road car. Only 20 have been produced and sold to the public. Using its raw, understated and angular exterior as inspiration, creative technical director Anthony Diehl and animator Stuart Langfield projection mapped a series of real-time visuals on to the vehicle’s dark grey, semi-matte finish.

Initially, Media Merchants conceived The Lamborghini Project exclusively as a projection mapping experience but once they began the meticulous process of mapping animated images onto the car, they realized they had a one-of-a-kind opportunity to do something even more ‘live.’

“One of the surprising and fun elements of the project was getting everything aligned perfectly and then discovering that we had a pretty awesome VJ setup sitting in front of us,” says Anthony Diehl, creative technical director on the project. “Although it wasn’t part of the original plan, we couldn’t help ourselves and took the opportunity to run a live VJ set with visuals created in real-time.”

Diehl and Langfield developed the animated visuals using hybrid 3D and 2D techniques developed specifically for the purpose of projection mapping onto 3D objects. Working from the idea of ‘contrast,’ they sought to highlight the Reventon’s dark, moody and clean lines through a combination of predefined op-art imagery and improvised, real-time effects.

“It’s a scalable technique, allowing us to add or remove projectors for the final execution depending on technical or budget considerations, even after the animated content has been produced,” explains Diehl. “We really tested out the extent of this process on the Lamborghini project and it worked beautifully.”

The video content was created using MadMapper and Modul8 VJ software run off two Macbook Pro laptops networked together for playback sync and then plugged into three 7000 Lumen Panasonic projectors and one 6000 Lumen Christie Projector.

For the music, Media Merchants turned to Mitch Lee of Redemption Audio for a soundtrack that contrasted pure and crisp strings, pianos and snyths with distorted percussion, dissonant noise and an ominous silence. The end result perfectly underscored The Lamborghini Project’s gorgeously subtle symmetry.

Credits:
Projection Mapping: The Media Merchants
Creative Technical Director: Anthony Diehl
Animation Director: Stuart Langfield
Sound Design: Mitch Lee for Redemption Audio
Post Production: JUMP Studios
Videography: Perfect Pictures, Van Media
Director of Photography: Dan Dumouchel
Lamborghini Reventon: SR Auto Group
via: GlossyInc.

More than 300 astonishing objects made from gold and other precious materials are presented in the major exhibition “Beyond El Dorado. Power and gold in ancient Colombia”, held by the British Museum in conjunction with the Museo del Oro, Bogotá. The exhibition opens on October 17, 2013 and will run through March 23, 2014.

In ancient Colombia gold was used to fashion some of the most visually dramatic and sophisticated works of art found anywhere in the Americas before European contact. This exhibition will feature over 300 exquisite objects drawn from the Museo del Oro in Bogotá, one of the best and most extensive collections of Pre-Hispanic gold in the world, as well as from the British Museum’s own unique collections. Through these exceptional objects the exhibition will explore the complex network of societies in ancient Colombia – a hidden world of distinct and vibrant cultures spanning 1600 BC to AD 1700 – with particular focus on the Muisca, Quimbaya, Calima, Tairona, Tolima and Zenú chiefdoms. This important but little understood subject will be explored in this unique exhibition following on from shows in Room 35 such as Ice Age art: arrival of the modern mind, Grayson Perry: Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman, Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World and Kingdom of Ife: sculptures from West Africa in shining a light on world cultures through their craftsmanship.

Although gold was not valued as currency in pre-Hispanic Colombia, it had great symbolic meaning. It was one way the elite could publicly assert their rank and semi-divine status, both in life and in death. The remarkable objects displayed across the exhibition reveal glimpses of these cultures’ spiritual lives including engagement with animal spirits though the use of gold objects, music, dancing, sunlight and hallucinogenic substances that all lead to a physical and spiritual transformation enabling communication with the supernatural. Animal iconography is used to express this transformation in powerful pieces demonstrating a wide range of imaginative works of art, showcasing avian pectorals, necklaces with feline claws or representations of men transforming into spectacular bats though the use of profuse body adornment.

The exhibition will further explore the sophisticated gold working techniques, including the use of tumbaga, an alloy composed of gold and copper, used in the crafting the most spectacular masterworks of ancient Colombia. Extraordinary poporos (lime powder containers) showcase the technical skills achieved both in the casting and hammering techniques of metals by ancient Colombian artists. Other fascinating objects will include an exceptional painted Muisca textile and one of the few San Agustín stone sculptures held outside Colombia. Those, together with spectacular large scale gold masks and other materials were part of the objects that accompanied funerary rituals in ancient Colombia.

Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum said “Ancient Colombia has long represented a great fascination to the outside world and yet there is very little understood about these unique and varied cultures. As part of the Museum’s series of exhibitions that shine a light on little known and complex ancient societies this exhibition will give our visitors a glimpse into these fascinating cultures of pre-hispanic South America and a chance to explore the legend of El Dorado through these stunning objects.”

“American Airlines and American Airlines Cargo are thrilled to be partnering with the British Museum on Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia.” said Tristan Koch, Managing Director of Cargo Sales for EMEA – American Airlines. “American Airlines is a supporter of the arts in many cities that we serve around the world and it’s exciting to be linking the two destinations of Bogotá, Colombia and London by transporting precious passengers and cargo between them.”

Source: The British Museum [August 04, 2013]

Google embraces the film "The Internship" starring Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson with a Google+ Hangout today hosted by Conan and the comedic actors. Above, the first official trailer for the film was released shortly after.

The movie...
Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) are salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital world. Trying to prove they are not obsolete, they defy the odds by talking their way into a coveted internship at Google, along with a battalion of brilliant college students. But, gaining entrance to this utopia is only half the battle. Now they must compete with a group of the nation's most elite, tech-savvy geniuses to prove that necessity really is the mother of re-invention. | The Internship opens in theaters June 7, 2013.

During the Hong Kong 7s, far beneath the stadium, an elite team of rugby sevens players and fans are hard at work minting a commemorative coin for the tournament. HSBC has launched a brand new Serious Play campaign to support the financial groups co-title sponsorship of the 2013 Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens tournament, which takes place this weekend (22-24 March) at the Hong Kong Stadium.
This year, HSBC has minted a commemorative Serious Play medallion for the fans at the event one of the biggest weekends in the Hong Kong calendar. The Serious side represents the world class 7s Rugby and the Play side represents the weekends legendary carnival atmosphere. HSBC has minted 10,000 of them and are exclusively available to fans in the HSBC 7s Village.

Credits:
Agency: JWT London
Production: Curious Films
Country: United Kingdom
Director: Ash Bolland
Creative Director: Axel Chaldecott
Art Director: Simon Sworn
Copywriter: Matt Chandler
Agency Producer: Romilla Sanassy
Assistant TV Producer: Helen Ball
Planner (creative agency): Orlando Hooper-Greenhill
Global Director: Tanya Hamilton-Smith
Account Manager: Rollo Gwyn-Jones
Media agency: Mindshare
Media planner: Sam Selleck
Editor: James Rosen at Final Cut London
Sound: Dan Weinberg at Greek Street Studios

The J. Paul Getty Museum today placed on view a Decree Relief with Antiochos and Herakles, the first Greek loan to arise from a 2011 framework for cultural cooperation between the Getty and the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Culture.

The relief takes the form of a stele, a stone slab decorated with images and text, crowned with the figures of Herakles and his son Antiochos, who was the mythical hero of the tribe Antiochis. Herakles is depicted as an athletic nude, holding a club and the pelt of the Nemean Lion he vanquished, referring to the first of the twelve labors he had to perform. Seemingly the elder, Antiochos wears a dignified mantle and holds a staff (no longer visible, but probably added in pigment). Both father and son heroes were the subject of cult worship, and are shown standing within a small temple framed by columns and a pediment.

Written in ancient Greek below the figures, an inscription describes the honors bestowed upon Prokleides by his soldiers and comrades, all members of an elite infantry corps known as the epilektoi. This is the earliest known inscription referencing the epilektoi, a group of men bound together by their military service, participation in sacrifices and theatrical performances, and membership in the Athenian Council. According to the decree, Kephisokles of the village of Alopeke proposed the resolution to praise Prokleides, who “has well and with distinction taken care of security,” and crown him with a gold diadem worth at least 1,000 drachmas (an enormous sum, considering the average worker in classical Athens could support a family of four on one drachma a day).

Soon after arriving at the Getty, the stele was photographed using a technique that captures the object numerous times with varying degrees of raking light. The resulting composed image reveals the shallow lettering with unprecedented depth and clarity and enables a more accurate reading of the inscription. A transcription of the ancient Greek text, translation, and detail photography of the historical inscription accompanies the installation.

“The Antiochos relief commemorates the affection and respect of troops for their commanding officer,” explains Claire Lyons, acting senior curator of antiquities at the Getty Villa. “We are delighted that it will be on view at the Getty Villa in time for Memorial Day, when we honor the contributions of fallen soldiers to their communities and country.”

This long-term loan results from the Framework for Cultural Cooperation signed in September 2011, which provides for joint scholarship, research projects, loans, and exhibitions between the Getty and the Hellenic Republic. “As part of this framework of cooperation between the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Culture and the Getty Museum, we are pleased to have the Antiochos relief on display at the Getty Villa,” said Maria Vlazaki-Andreadaki, director general of archaeology in Athens. “We believe that this collaboration will promote classical studies in the United States and will spread the values and the spirit of ancient Greek civilization.”

Historical Background

The relief was discovered in 1922 in the foundations of a house in the Athenian neighborhood of Dourgouti. In antiquity, the area was known as Kynosarges and was the site of a public gymnasium and a sanctuary of Herakles, the greatest of the Greek heroes. Believed to have stood in this sanctuary, where several other inscriptions mentioning the tribe Antiochis were found, the relief was a votive dedication erected in a prominent public location befitting a successful military leader.

The Antiochos relief is a primary document of democracy, and the language of its inscription shows that voting and public speech were deeply ingrained in civic life two centuries after the foundation of democratic political institutions in Athens.

The creation of the Attic tribes was the most important feature of the revolutionary reorganization of Athenian politics that followed the overthrow of the tyrants in 508 B.C. In this system, ten tribes composed of approximately 3,000 citizens and their families were created. Each tribe was assigned the name of a mythical Athenian hero: Antiochos was the eponymous hero of the tribe Antiochis.

Drawn from villages in three distinct zones of the Athenian territory—the coast, the inland farming region, and the urban/suburban zone—the tribes represented the entire citizenry of Athens. Josiah Ober, Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University, observes: “Imagine a reorganization of the United States that would require citizens from Maine, Texas, and California to work, fight, and feast together on a regular basis. The communities constituting the tribe of Antiochis included Alopeke, the philosopher Socrates’ home village—so we might even imagine that a descendant of Socrates as among the signatories to the decree.”

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum [May 23, 2012]

Twofifteenmccann unleashes “An Endangered Species," new live action trailer for Xbox’s Forza Motorsport 4 Electrifying skills of award-winning stunt driver Martin Ivanov and the voice of Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson deliver an adrenaline-pumping film This week, twofifteenmccann debuted "An Endangered Species," a short live-action film to introduce Forza Motorsport 4 for Xbox 360.
Developed by Turn 10 and published by Microsoft Studios exclusively for Xbox 360, Forza Motorsports 4 launches worldwide on October 11. “An Endangered Species” is a rallying cry for car lovers worldwide and a visceral illustration of something many have come to realize — the real world has become an unfriendly place for those who truly love automobiles. Economic concerns, environmental regulations, clogged motorways and a myriad of other restrictions all appear to threaten the very existence of the car enthusiast.
Though the opportunities to have heart-racing experiences in the real world are becoming fewer and fewer, Forza Motorsport 4 offers a place to explore car passion freely without fear of speed traps or other impediments. twofifteenmccann brought together an elite team of automotive talent to create “An Endangered Species.”
Widely acknowledged as one of the best stunt drivers in the world, Martin Ivanov stars as lead actor and stunt driver. Ivanov’s work in such feature films as Quantum of Solace, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum contain some of the most exciting driving sequences ever put to film. Jeremy Clarkson, host of the hit BBC TV series Top Gear, provides the voiceover.

Twofifteenmccann partnered with production company MJZ and acclaimed director Nicolai Fuglsig on the project which was shot on location in Uruguay. The "An Endangered Species" trailer debuted on Monday October 3 on TopGear.com and will be seen on Xbox.com and other digital properties as well.
Other campaign elements including TV, online videos, and print will support the launch of the game as well. twofifteenmccann is a creative and strategic agency specializing in media agnostic ideas for brands.
Based in San Francisco and part of Interpublic, twofifteenmccann’s work is rooted in a philosophy of purposeful creativity. Clients include: The Coca-Cola Company, HP and Microsoft Xbox, among others. twofifteenmccann’s partnership with McCann Erickson enables the company to deliver creativity at scale
Credits:
Spot Client: Xbox
Product: Forza Motorsport 4 Spot
Title: Endangered Species
Agency: twofifteenmccann
Chief Creative Officer: Scott Duchon
Associate Creative
Director/Writer: Joe Rose
Art Director: Rey Andrade
Director of Integrated Production: Tom Wright
Senior Agency Producer: Kate Morrison
Business Director: Peter Goldstein
Management Supervisor: Luke Lamson
Account Executive: Stephanie Scott
Business Affairs Director: MaryBeth Barney
Production Company: MJZ
Director: Nicolai Fuglsig
DP: Ben Serensin
Executive Producer: Emma Wilcockson
Producer: Suza Horvat
Editorial Company: Final Cut
Editor: Rick Russell
Executive Producer: Saima Awan
Producer: Suzy Ramirez
Editorial Assistant: Jacob Keuhl
Visual Effects: The Mill
3D Lead Artist: Chris Bayol
2D artists: Tara DeMarco, Andy Bate, Elad Offer
Executive Producer: Sue Troyan
Producer: Sabrina Elizondo
End Titles and Animation: Imaginary Forces
Telecine: The Mill Colorist: Adam Scott
Original Music: Human
Producer: Jonathan Sanford
Sound Designers: Rohan Young @ Lime Studios Rick Russell @ Final Cut
Mix: Lime Studios
Mixer: Rohan Young
Audio Producer: Jessica Locke
via:scaryideas.com

New creative work from creative ad agency DDB Canada's Toronto office is unveiled for Toronto Crime Stoppers in an effort to raise awareness and drive attendance to the event with Police Chief Bill Blair and as the tagline reads, every cop in the city will be there. The event which was formerly known as the "Chief of Police Gala Dinner" was re-branded by DDB to help guests better understand the benefit of the event.

The online video and print ad to promote this year’s event plays on the notion that with many of the city’s crime fighting elite attending the event, it would be ‘The Perfect Night To Commit A Crime.”

Now in it's 17th year, the Toronto Crime Stoppers Ball takes place on May 8, 2013 at the Liberty Grand Complex.

Video Credits:
Client: Toronto Crime Stoppers Title: Triangle
Agency: DDB Canada, Toronto
Executive Creative Director: Todd Mackie, Denise Rossetto
Creative Director: Paul Riss, Rob Sturch, Paul Wallace
Copywriter: Arjang Esfandiyari
Art Director: Jorgen Stovne
Agency Producer: Andrew Schulze
Account Supervisors: Rico Tudico, Carly Sutherland,
Strategist: Lisa Hart
Production Company: Partners Films
Executive Producer: Aerin Barnes
Director: Michael Downing
Director of Photography: John Houtman
Line Producer: Shannon Barnes
Post-Production Company: PosterBoy Edit
Post-Production Executive Producer: Michelle Rich
Editor: Stephen Sora
Assistant Editor: James Arthurs
Online Exec: Amanda Lariviere
Online Editor: Andres Kirejew
Colour: Alter Ego
Colourist: Tricia Hagoriles
Audio House: Grayson Matthews

Prints Credits:
Title: Bank
Executive Creative Director: Todd Mackie, Denise Rossetto
Creative Director: Paul Wallace, David Ross
Copywriter: Arjang Esfandiyari
Art Director: Jorgen Stovne
Account Supervisors: Rico Tudico, Carly Sutherland
Strategist: Lisa Hart
Photographer: Philip Rostron/Instil Productions
Illustrator: Steve Pinter
Imaging/Retoucher: Instil productions

It is widely believed around the world that the Land Rover Discovery 4, or LR4, is one of the very best off-roading vehicles that money can buy. However Land Rover’s recent “Born Free” commercial falls short of convincing viewers that this is true. Although the brand is known as the pioneer of bringing off-road vehicles “on-road” for everyday use, in the face of ever increasing luxury 4x4 competition, Land Rover’s latest commercial fails to convey that they are in the business of manufacturing the finest off-road vehicles on earth.

To begin on a good note, the commercial is set to the classic Andy Williams Born Free tune, which appropriately inspires a feeling of adventure in viewers and a yearning for the great outdoors. The background music is also appropriate as it ties in Land Rover’s connection with the Born Free Foundation, a conservation organization that the brand has supported for many years.
The “Born Free” commercial’s focus, however, is a vibrant young couple who repeatedly visit a dry-cleaner with their dirty laundry. In three visits, they drop off sand filled desert clothing, soaking wet clothes, and leaf covered jungle clothing. The worker behind the counter is obviously puzzled about what they’ve been up to, and the ad paints a stark contrast between the adventurous lives of the couple and the humdrum existence of the man who runs the store.

While viewers are as intrigued as the dry-cleaner as to where this this couple has been and what they have been doing, it isn’t clear until the last few moments when the worker goes to the window and sees them driving away that this is a Land Rover commercial, let alone a car commercial. Unfortunately for Land Rover, viewers are left with more of an opinion of the adventurous couple than the vehicle they drive, which is a shame because the LR4 is truly an impressive ride.
Although Land Rover’s competitors show off the sleek lines, luxurious interiors, and ideal environments for their vehicles, Land Rover only offers us glimpses of what the LR4 is all about. And while it is true that the ad is successful in that it makes viewers want to know more about the vehicle, the “Born Free” commercial is obviously an example of marketing a lifestyle rather than a product. Only time will tell if this ploy is a successful one, but when you’ve got a product as remarkable as the LR4—you’re going to sell it no matter how it is marketed.
This guest post was contributed by Brittany Larson of Elite Auto Brokers.

Special groups of the Texas rangers will be engaged in protection of the American-Mexican border, informs Associated Press.

Fragments of Humanity: Archaeology in Québec is the first major exhibition dedicated entirely to Québec archaeology. Some 350 significant pieces will be featured, celebrating 50 years of archaeological discovery in Québec.

The exhibition looks back at the events and ways of life behind fragments of humanity that, each in their own way, reveal various facets of our heritage. Taken out of the ground, these objects summon up stories and, when placed end-to-end, are invaluable material evidence that ultimately tells us about our history. Highlighting the richness and diversity of Québec’s archaeological collections, the exhibition is divided into four thematic sections relating to archaeology: ancient history or prehistoric archaeology, a land of trade and commerce, chronicles of daily life, and subaquatic archaeology.

Imagining: ancient history

The first part of the exhibition is dedicated to the era preceding the Europeans’ arrival on Québec land. Through archaeological discoveries, it has been possible to confirm that small groups of men and women had already trod upon Québec soil some 12,000 years ago. Without archaeology, this whole swath of Québec’s history would remain unknown and continue to elicit questions.

Discovering: a land of trade and commerce

The next section of the exhibition is devoted to trade between Europeans and Amerindians, and to commercial activities carried out on Québec land beginning in the 16th century. The Basques, Normans, Bretons, and French, drawn by such natural resources as marine mammals and cod, set up facilities along the banks of the St. Lawrence in order to exploit its assets. The artefacts found among the remains at dozens of archaeological sites also underscore the increasing number of trade areas and, starting in the 17th century, the development of local industries. Fishing tools, munitions, weaponry, coins, and other items of trade found on the sites of trading posts, forts, and the king’s stores are concrete examples of the meeting of peoples who socialized and mixed with each other in trade… or in competition.

Visitors are then invited to take a look at daily life in the 18th and 19th centuries, filling the void left by written documents. The theme is approached from three angles: food and the culinary arts, hygiene, and games and toys. An examination of found objects provides insight into our ancestors’ private lives, allowing us to consider changes in mindsets, practices, and styles. For example, while gatherings around the table among the upper-class in 18th century Québec City and 19th century Montréal are characterized by abundance, objects found in more modest milieus suggest a simpler diet in which soup was very popular!

Several hygiene items found among the remains—such as chamber pots, lice combs, shaving basins, and toothbrushes—indicate that the practice of “dry bathing” was quite widespread: the elite, while decked out in fine clothing, only gave a cursory cleaning to the visible parts of their bodies. A number of medicine jars, bottles of alcohol, mineral water, and milk of magnesia have also been found, and show that the preparation of home remedies was a common practice. Lastly, evidence of 19th century industrialization can clearly be seen in games and toys that have been found, mainly in more affluent areas.

Bringing to light: stories from the depths

Subaquatic archaeology is featured in this exhibition, with the remains from five shipwrecks on display: the Elizabeth and Mary, the Machault, the Auguste, the Empress of Ireland, and the Lady Sherbrooke. Interest in subaquatic archaeology resides in its ability to provide a snapshot of the moment of the wreck, thereby bringing to life tragic experiences, using a precise technique and recognized expertise to recover, stabilize, and preserve the meaning of submerged artefacts. These include arms and munitions, clothing and shoes, jewellery, and moving personal objects evoking the lives of men and women during the months spent on board.

Exclusive objects

Several objects in the exhibition are being presented to the public for the first time. Some have even been restored specifically for the exhibition, notably some earthenware jars found in the Basque sites on Petit-Mécatina Island on the Lower North Shore, and objects relating to Amerindian funeral rites. These include the offerings from the first Amerindian grave to be brought to light in Québec during the refurbishment of Champlain Boulevard, in Sillery, in 1966.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the exhibition is a dugout canoe made out of a single piece of wood, which was found in a lake in the Laurentians in the mid-1980s. Discovered by amateur divers, the 15th century dugout required special care to be properly preserved and to prevent it from deteriorating after having spent 500 years below the water’s surface. There are only about ten surviving prehistoric Amerindian dugout canoes in Québec, but none is in as fine a condition as that on display at Pointe-à-Callière.

Fragments of Humanity: Archaeology in Québec is an exhibition produced by Pointe-à-Callière, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Communications. This exhibition is funded by the Government of Canada. The Museum also thanks its sponsors, the InterContinental Hotel and La Presse.

The exhibition will run until January 8th 2017

Source: Pointe-à-Callière [February 24, 2016]