Good Hope FM’s new brand ad, shot by Slim from Egg Films, comes with one, unmistakable message: if you don’t have Good Hope FM, you have no hope.
The deliciously tongue-in-cheek spot makes a great meal of a simple truth: Capetonians live in one of South Africa’s greatest cities; and boy do they know it. It is exactly this wry humour that attracted Slim to the job in the first place: “I really digged the exaggeration and comedy; it gave us a chance to completely take the mickey out of ourselves as both Capetonians and non-Capetonians,” says Slim, ironically a non-Capetonian himself.
Letting the comedy speak for itself, Slim purposely chose to avoid too many tricksy morphs and let editor Ricky Boyd work his magic, allowing the cut to reveal the change from cool Cape-Town-land to uncool-place-of-no-return, after our guy mistakenly strays beyond the signal of Good Hope.
The concept, dreamed up by 140BBDO creatives Ivan, Alexis, Gareth and Alex, proves that those wine-guzzling rascals can laugh at themselves after all. We didn't actually get to interview any of them but we'd imagine that if we did, they'd say something like, "It's, like, the truth. And if you don't, like, find it funny, you're probs from, like, Jo'burg. Eeuw."
Credits: Creative Ad Agency: 140BBDO Title: Beyond The Fence Client: SABC / Good Hope FM City: Cape Town, South Africa Agency producer: Sarah Southey / Jo Weiss / Megan Sturgess Executive creative director: Ivan Johnson Creative director: Alexis Beckett Copywriter: Alex Goldberg Art director: Gareth Cohen Production company: Egg Johannesburg Director: Slim Director of photography: Willie Nel Production co-producer: Nicci Cox Executive producer: Colin Howard / Nicci Cox Post production: Deliverance Editing: Deliverance Editor: Ricky Boyd Audio: Milestone Studios
The University of Oklahoma wanted to position its new cancer center as the best in the region with a message of hope. Milwaukee agency BVK didn't want a maudlin ad full of hand holding, hugs, and worried children. "How do we do another spot about hope that feels fresh?" asks creative director Mike Holicek. They chose to focus on the hair loss that comes with chemotherapy—an often traumatic experience for women, who feel they are losing their femininity. Their 60-second spot flips that script: It opens with a woman at her lowest point, alone at dawn, head bald, a tear falling down her cheek. Then, as she goes about her morning routine, her hair grows back, little by little, scene by scene, until she has a full head of hair. The change is so gradual that there's a sudden moment of recognition when the viewer realizes what is happening—a spark of delight that hints at the longer glow of hope the client can provide.
COPYWRITING: The ad is understated and uncomplicated—ordinary domestic scenes with "little moments of real life that are not spectacular," says director Rafael Fernandez. The woman showers, dresses, and makes a sandwich for her daughter. "It's the mother's struggle, it's her moment," explains BVK executive creative director Rich Kohnke. The action takes place over several months, but it's shot as though it were a single morning—which makes the healing process feel quietly magical. At the end, a female voiceover says: "When you have every resource for beating cancer, you have every reason for hope. Pioneering research and treatments from the new cancer center at OU Medicine. Another level of medicine." On-screen copy adds: "Oklahoma's only comprehensive cancer center," followed by the OU Medicine logo and Web address.
ART DIRECTION: The woman's hair is the main visual motif. The agency considered using CGI to show the hair growing continuously. That felt over the top. Instead, Fernandez shot everything in camera. He filmed the scenes in reverse order, and had the actress cut her hair between each one—seven trims in all. The spot begins in gloomy dark blues, and then brightens—but not excessively. "We wanted to stay within the same universe and just come to the brighter version of that world," says Fernandez.
FILMING: The ad was shot in a single day in a house in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. The camerawork is subtle and elegant. "Most of the shots have just a little bit of floating to them," says Fernandez. "It has that feeling that you're witnessing these scenes as a person there."
TALENT: The actress, Heather Ann Smith, was able to transition from despair to measured hope with simple movements and gestures. For the first scene (the last one shot), Fernandez helped to get Smith in the mind-set by narrating a piece of text he had written about "what I thought would go through someone's mind who is faced with a situation where the hopes and dreams of their life may never come to fruition." Shaving one's head is a drastic move for an actress, but after shooting, Smith landed a role on Torchwood that called for short hair. She also had the support of her fiancé, even though their wedding was approaching.
SOUND: The composer, Bryan Mir, came up with a Spanish-flavored acousticguitar track that the creatives felt, against all odds, fit perfectly. The client hated it. They went with an acoustic guitar track that was more toned down.
MEDIA: Broadcast and cable across Oklahoma and into neighboring states, where there aren't other major medical centers.
Credits: Client: OU Medicine Agency: BVK, Milwaukee Executive Creative Director: Rich Kohnke Creative Directors: Mike Holicek/Mike Scalise Writer: Mike Holicek Art Director: Rich Kohnke Agency Producer: Allison Lockwood Account Supervisor: Tricia Lewis Account Executive: Ali Dawe Director: Rafael Fernandez, Green Dot Films Editor: Bryan Mir @ Blend Studios, Milwaukee Colorist: Mike Matusek @ Nolo Digital Film in Chicago Music: Bryan Mir @ Blend Studios, Milwaukee Sound Design/Audio Mix: Steve Kultgen @ Independent Studios in Milwaukee via: Tim Nudd | Adweek
Jeff Knapper, general manager of Budweiser Clydesdale operations, shows the baby foal the USA Today headline announcing that "Brotherhood" won the Super Bowl XLVII Ad Meter competition. Fans submitted more than 60,000 ideas via social media for naming the now-21-day-old Clydesdale, who Budweiser announced will be called "Hope." (image via: PRNewsFoto/Anheuser-Busch)
Hope just 21 days old, weighs 200 pounds and starred in an award-winning Super Bowl XLVII commercial for Budweiser seen by more than 108 million people during the broadcast and millions more online.
Last week Budweiser asked its Facebook fans and Twitter followers to send along naming suggestions. The iconic brand was awash in ideas – more than 60,000 tweets, Facebook comments, calls and direct messages. "Hope" was one of the more popular female names generated through the social media crowd-sourcing. "We were overwhelmed with the response we got," said Lori Shambro, brand director for Budweiser. "Budweiser fans suggested a lot of great names, and it was a tough decision, but we landed on Hope as the perfect name for this friendly, slightly feisty and just perfect Budweiser Clydesdale mare. Many of our fans wanted a name to reflect their optimism and spirit, which the name Hope encapsulates beautifully." Other popular names submitted included Landslide (after the Fleetwood Mac song in the commercial), Buddy, Star, Raven, Spirit and Stevie. On Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 3, the Budweiser Clydesdales appeared in a new 60-second spot, "Brotherhood," which chronicled the bond a Clydesdale foal shares with his trainer. Brotherhood ranked No. 1 on USA Today's Ad Meter, which was based on fan voting on the USA Today website via Facebook and Twitter. Budweiser also has just released an extended version of "Brotherhood," with a running time of just under two minutes, see it below.
The commercial is the work of creative advertising agency Anomaly, USA. As powerful as the spot is, it doesn't make me want a Bud, it does however make me want a horse!
New York-based advertising upstart Interplanetary recently tapped Table of Content and Hooligan to help create two spots for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). "Today” (:60) and “Soccer” (:30) were directed by Rick Knief and edited by Eric Carlson.
The brand image campaign serves as a call to action with the promising hope of a cancer cure — thanks to treatments advanced by LLS. The spots will broadcast on network and cable stations across the nation on donated airtime. Actor Michael C. Hall (Dexter), a Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor himself, narrated the spots.
“The creatives (Bruce Lee, Jill Mcclabb, and Chris Parker) and agency producer Terry Debonis were all open and collaborative throughout the process and a joy to work with,” remarks Rick Knief, director, Table of Content. “And by teaming up with Hooligan, and having TANQ handle all the graphics and visual effects, it was one-stop shopping for Interplanetary.”
"Interplanetary has a lot of great editors and directors in their rolodex, so we were honored that they turned to us for such an inspiring campaign,” adds Eric Carlson, senior editor/partner, Hooligan.
“Today” imagines a day everyone hopes to remember: the day cancer is cured. Big news (not yet revealed to the viewer) sweeps across the city, halting everyday moments in homes, laundromats, diners, offices, gyms and train stations. Crowds gravitate towards TVs, computers and cell phones before the spot’s big reveal: a newspaper headline reading, “CANCER CURED!” The news culminates on a Times Square billboard before the closing montage shows various characters celebrating and embracing with loved ones afflicted by cancer.
Filming “Today,” Knief aspired to capture emotions of an ordinary day becoming extraordinary.
“The vignettes needed to tell the back story of an average day, while at the same time, intrigue viewers leading up to the big news,” he explains. “I shot at 40 frames per second to give the piece a heightened reality. We all want to imagine a day when cancer is cured, what it would be like, and how it will affect us emotionally.”
“Some of these moments could have played out the whole 60 seconds,” Carlson expounds on editing the spot. “I just tried to find little eye movements, or maybe a hand gesture to best capture each emotion. The big-picture goal was communicating the weight of the coming news through all the various reactions before revealing what it actually was. We held it as late as possible to let the quietness of the imagery develop and draw the viewer in.”
"Eric’s knack for finding the best moments and organizing them in a way that allowed us to experiment and explore was critical to making these spots shine,” adds Knief. “It also made for a smooth collaboration bringing Interplanetary into the editing process.”
“It was a fun day for the crew and all of the kids,” Knief recalls. “We shot at 270 frames per second to capture and emphasize the intensity of the kids playing. The languid feeling of the images really allowed for the message, delivered through graphics and voiceover, to come through loud and clear.”
Reflecting on directing a positive campaign for such an important cause, Knief describes it as an experience he and his production team will always remember:
“This job was profoundly close to me both professionally and personally,” concludes Knief. “With myself, and many others involved with this campaign, having lost loved ones to cancer, we all came out of the job inspired with the promising hope for a cure one day.”
Credits: Client: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society SVP, Marketing Lisa Stockmon Sr Creative Director: Robert Santangelo VP, Marketing & Creative Services: Martanne Kaczmarkiewicz
Ad Agency: Interplanetary Sr Producer: Terry DeBonis Partner, Creative Director: Bruce Lee Partner, Creative Director: Jill McClabb Art Director: Chris Parker Managing Director: Joe Dessi Production Co: Table Of Content Director: Rick Knief Producer: Michelle Towse
For the first time in its 20-year history, G Adventures will communicate and engage with people around the world through one unified question: “What will you do today for tomorrow?”
This is the first video of the series. Shot from the perspective of a G Adventures traveler, these films express a shared hope for a better world. They tap into the power of an international and interconnected G Adventures community to spark change and create positive action unrestricted by geographic barriers. Grouped thematically around four ideas — freedom, beauty, knowledge and community — the films serve to associate these compelling and creative ideas with the G Adventures brand. These films demonstrate, through inspiring scenes of G Adventures travelers captured around the world, from Morocco to Brazil—how people are seizing the day, and in so doing, are creating positive change. They hope to inspire people to join with G Adventures and serve as a rallying cry to create positive change in the world today. As people from different backgrounds work for positive change and progress and take advantage of opportunities, G Adventures will be there to serve as the company that brings them together, challenging them to leave the world better than we found it. By harnessing the power of its global group of travelers, the G Adventures brand hopes to raise awareness and support for a diverse range of thought leaders around the globe who embody the ideals of the G Adventures brand. The G-Project is powered by G Adventures.
Credits: Advertised brand: G Adventures Advert title(s): What will you do today, for tomorrow? Advertising Agency: G Adventures Brand Team (in-house) Creative Director: Jaymie Bachiu Art Director: Leonardo Tamburri Copywriters: Steve English & Daniel Sendecki Videographers: Kyle Jordan & Joe DiBenedetto
Looking for the new KFC I Ate The Bones commercial, you know the one created by ad agency DraftFCB Chicago and directed by "Silver Linings Playbook" Oscar nominee David O. Russell. The campaign that KFC executives "hope the phrase will instantly go viral and become a popular obsession, reminiscent of Wendy's old charmer of a slogan, 'Where's the beef?'" The one that the brand and the ad agency hope will take the nation by storm "I ate the bones".... It's already been done, Toronto's Young & Rubicam created "I Ate The Bones" seven years ago and despite the fact it only ran in Canada...it's been done.
Cats are the stars of the newest Litter Genie commercial/music video, that's right Walter and the Awful Pawfuls apparently signed a deal with Genie Records and gave us this video: "I Haz a Pie Row Tek Nik" from their debut CD Nine Lives Left. See the earlier Psychedelic '60s video of Walter and the Wizards off the album Litter Trippin' after the credits.
Do you wanna rock? Then grab your owner's milk and tear up the town like it's made of silk. Rock out to Walter and the Awful Pawfuls new music video from the album Nine Lives Left, brought to you by our cat litter brand Litter Genie.
Lyrics Ohh! Sing it to me. Come on kitty gonna make you purr. This Friday night's gonna be a blur. There's a reason for my good mood. My litter box don't got a stinky attitude. My human uses Litter Genie to... Scoop it up, drop it down, Come on Close and pull, all over town. Ohh Sing it to me! Its five-layer bag, That's right Makes smells wave a white flag. It holds two weeks of poo. It's so easy, who knew? Ohh Litter Genie!
Credits: Advertising Agency: JWT, New York, USA Executive Creative Director: Sarah Barclay Creative Director: Billy Faraut Art Director: Hope Jordan Copywriter: David Canavan Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Benjamin Co-Chief Creative Officers: Matt MacDonald, Ryan Kutscher Planner: Mariam Dilawari Head of Production: Sergio Lopez Senior Producer: Mustafa Imam Director of Music: Dan Burt Project Manager: Jen Schockett Account Team: Claire Capeci, Ariel Stern, Vanessa Reid, Amy Achenbaum Director: Keith Schofield Production Company: Caviar Post-Production: Final Cut, The Mill Editing House: Final Cut Music House: Amber Music Media Agency: MEC
Serve Marketing has once again partnered with the Coalition for Children, Youth and Families to bring attention to the need of foster care families in Wisconsin. They worked with foster parents, foster children, college students and the surrounding communities to create the "Shelter From the Storm" campaign. A follow-up to last year's Silver Anvil nominated "Turn A Life Around" handstand campaign, umbrella flashmobs across the state will occur throughout the month of May (Foster Care Awareness month). These bright yellow umbrellas symbolize the safe haven that a foster family can provide to a child in need.
Billboards and a televised PSA direct viewers to FosterParentsRock.org, where information about becoming a foster parent is available. Through traditional and social media outreach, Serve was able to garner the attention of communities to join the events and support the cause. At these events, potential foster care parents were able to interact with other foster families to learn more about this unique parenting challenge and erase the negative stigmas that surround foster care.
"These kids’ lives are like being caught in a virtual storm every day," explains the campaign’s creator, Gary Mueller. "That’s why we chose to use iconic yellow umbrellas as the metaphor for foster parenting and what it means to these children. That when you become a foster parent, you’re literally giving kids shelter from the storm."
"Our end goal in this campaign is to change the stigma about what it means to be a foster parent," Colleen Ellingson, CEO of the Coalition for Children, Youth and Families, says. "By getting out there, being visible in the community and giving passerby the opportunity to talk to real foster families, we hope to inspire people to make a difference in a child’s life and be their support system."
Credits: Created by Serve Marketing — an all-volunteer, nonprofit advertising agency. Print Credits Art Director: Scott Krahn Creative Director: Gary Mueller Copywriter: Gary Mueller Photographer: Nick Collura Photo Retoucher: Anthony Giacomino Producer: Terri Burmester
PSA Credits Director: Rob Fischer Exec Producer: Sue Karpfinger Editor: Dave Kuhnen Audio: Peter Batchhelder, Independent Studios
Happy Day, everyone! If it's raining as much near all of you as it is over here in New York, I sincerely hope you're all staying dry! What's the best thing to do on a rainy day, in my opinion? Online (window) shop! I love learning about new and up-and-coming stores, as well as checking in with my favorite websites to see what was recently added to the inventory (or what's on sale!).
The store where this beautiful dress came from is certainly not unknown - this is the Glacier dress from the super-popular, super-lovely website Shabby Apple! This dress is part of their Berkshire line. I love what they have to say about this line of beautiful dresses:
"Made for the last breaths of summer, this line embraces the Woman-in-the-wild--with basic,feminine silhouettes in easy-to-wear fabrics that provide you the ease and comfort you need for a weekend getaway, a last summer barbecue, or even a long day at the office. Slip into one and feel the joy of the evanescent summer - you'll be glad you did."
I'm sold! As I sit in my apartment shivering and watching the students battle with umbrellas in the storm-like conditions, I could certainly go for a sweet, lingering summer day! Even though this line is inspired by the end of summer, I think this dress is totally a fall piece. It's made from the "sturdiest, no-fuss poly blend," and has the sweetest pinstripe detailing. I love the pleats in the skirt. I think this dress has an incredibly-flattering shape that anyone can wear! Look at those details! So pretty and graceful. Thank you, Shabby Apple, for making such a wonderful dress.
Suiting Up at Express
I've always loved the chic styles in the windows of Express! Whenever I need something classic and pretty for an event or a night out, I'm eager to check out what's new in the store. Right now I'm crazy about the women's suits that can be found in store or online. These tailored pieces are so flattering and would definitely make a statement.
I mean, look at how cute the Rouched Sleeve Jacket and Wide Leg Editor Pant Suit is! I think the silhouette is modern and just so classy. I could totally see myself wearing this to a job interview. Look at the Luster Tweed Jacket and Editor Pant Suit. The details on the jacket are lovely. I love the pockets. I think this suit can easily go from work to play with the addition of some fun accessories (a pretty necklace or a cute clutch).
Guess what, readers! Right now there's an Express sweepstakes taking place on their Facebook page! The Work It Sweepstakes is offering one winner a $500 Express Suiting Makeover! How great is that? Wouldn't you like the opportunity to add one of these cute suits to your wardrobe?
What Express suit do you like best? Where would you like to wear one of their suits, and how would you make it uniquely you?
New public awareness campaign for A Child Is Missing entitled "Playtime Is Over." The ad is a bold and realistically terrifying look at what happens to many of our missing children around the world. The ad was created by the Ripple Branding Company for A Child Is Missing Alert.
Personally I found this commercial to be too hardcore at first, but after watching it a few times and allowing myself time to think about the work this charity does, and more importantly the reality of what happens to so many missing kids I was able to digest it. But it made me wonder if the ad would be effective in getting people to donate to the cause or make them close their eyes are run.
We reached out to Ripple Branding Executive Creative Director Douglas Tracy, and asked him if they were getting the same reaction to the ad: "Yes, actually we wanted to give people the chills in the most horrific way we could imagine and the actor really nailed his character and lines. So far everyone has had the same reaction, and I just hope that it translates into people taking action and donating to such a worthy cause."
Please share you're thoughts to the commercial and more importantly donate if you can, link below.
Campaign credits and special thanks go to: Sherry Friedlander -Founder of A Child is Missing Alert Douglas Tracy- ECD/copywriter Ripple Branding Company Jonny Lumbley- Director Max Gutierrez — Director of photography Alexandra Thoridt- Art director Floh Weckert- Senior Art director Jean Yarjour- Animator The Lodge Music- Music Dave DeAndrea-VO
For last two years, Chrysler has created quite a buzz with their Super Bowl advertisements. In 2011, their “Made in Detroit” commercial featuring Eminem was particularly well received, as was their 2012 Clint Eastwood-narrated “Halftime in America” spot. As a result, many were anxiously waiting to see what the automaker had up its sleeves for this year’s game. Predictably, Chrysler continued the tradition of tugging on the heartstrings of the American public with their fan favorite “Farmer” and “Whole Again” commercials.
Featuring the narration of Oprah Winfrey and opening with her words, “We wait. We hope. We Pray. Until You’re Home Again,” on the screen, Chrysler’s “Whole Again” commercial is an advertisement for their Jeep brand—more specifically—for the partnership between Jeep and the United Service Organizations (USO). Throughout the two minute spot, the commercial depicts military families going about their lives while missing their loved ones who are overseas on active duty. The message Oprah relays is that like military families, the United States, as a nation, will not be whole again until all of our service men and women return home. Until then, however, Jeep—through its partnership with the USO—proudly supports “our nation’s heroes.”
As Chrysler well knows, patriotism is the one emotion that unites like nothing else. In fact, it’s hard to resist a commercial like this—one that celebrates the sacrifices that service families make—especially when those sacrifices are so clearly depicted on screen. The question remains, however, as to whether it’s right to capitalize on these sacrifices. Though it’s easy to forget, Chrysler’s main purpose behind the “Whole Again” commercial is to sell more Jeeps. And while their secondary purpose may very well be to advertise their partnership with the USO or even to give the USO some free publicity, presumably, they’re only doing this to sell more Jeeps as well.
Regardless of Chrysler’s true motivation, for a brief moment, the “Whole Again” commercial brought our attention back to America’s real heroes and away from the athletes who are too often idolized as such. For doing that, and for not featuring a Jeep until at least midway through the ad, we’re thankful and are already looking forward to next year’s Chrysler commercials.
This post was contributed by Brittany Cermak, senior editor at MotorCar.com—the World’s Largest Luxury Car Marketplace.
After 17 years ebay finally straightens out their logo. Ebay announced that coming this fall we can expect to see their new logo go live.
Ebay President, Devin Wenig tells us all about it...
"Our refreshed logo is rooted in our proud history and reflects a dynamic future. It’s eBay today: a global online marketplace that offers a cleaner, more contemporary and consistent experience, with innovation that makes buying and selling easier and more enjoyable. We retained core elements of our logo, including our iconic color palette. Our vibrant eBay colors and touching letters represent our connected and diverse eBay community – more than 100 million active users and 25 million sellers globally and growing.
The eBay logo is known the world over, so changing it was not a decision made lightly. The time felt right. We’re incredibly proud of how eBay started and quickly grew into the world’s largest online marketplace. Auction-style listings, used goods, vintage items and quirky, one-of-a-kind finds are still a big part of what makes buying and selling on eBay special. We hope that’s always true. But we’ve evolved a lot in the past few years, and eBay is much more than auction-style listings today."
Read the full statement HERE. Below for all you infographic lovers are some interesting stats on just how ebay is doing.
IKEA is launching a new campaign in the UK and Ireland, titled ‘Make Room for Your Life’, which examines how good storage can improve your life at home. The work continues the brand’s new strategy to demonstrate an understanding of the everyday challenges that people face in their homes.
‘Make Room for Your Life’, which launches on 19th January, explores IKEA’s storage ranges and highlights a wide range of smart solutions for everyday storage problems. The campaign uses the insight that poor storage doesn’t just cause mess and clutter, it also affects our relationships and the people we live with. By illustrating the effects of poor storage, the new spot demonstrates that making room for your life through good storage can be the first step towards happiness and wellbeing.
The campaign launches with the TV ad ‘Living Together’ in the UK and Ireland on 19 January. The spot, created by the agency Mother, shows a couple kept apart by a maze of mess. However, thanks to smart storage solutions from IKEA, the couple can tidy their way through the maze, removing the clutter from their lives to finally meet across a KIVIK sofa bed.
‘Living Together’ features a cover version of the Bee Gees song ‘Living Together’ by the band An Escape Plan. Three versions of the TV advert have been produced and include 60” and 30” adverts that run until 23 March on TV as well as a full length music video running online at http://www.youtube.com/ikeauk. The campaign also features outdoor, press ads and two filmed documentaries that will be launching on 11 February on the IKEA UK YouTube page.
Peter Wright, IKEA UK and Ireland Marketing Manager, said, “With the second burst of our new brand campaign it is our ambition to continue the revitalisation and transformation of IKEA brand in the UK and Ireland. ‘Make Room for Your Life’ demonstrates our understanding of everyday life at home and the problems that a lack of good storage gives everybody. We hope to show that we are more relevant than ever to help with consumers’ everyday challenges and ultimately for more consumers to choose IKEA more often for their home furnishing needs.”
The campaign is also integrated into the IKEA FAMILY loyalty programme with a series of editorial-style e-newsletters, direct mail and product focused online content, created by agency LIDA. The emails direct members of the programme to further online content packed with ideas and tips to help them ‘make room for your life’ and suggest how they can cut out clutter and get sorted with storage in order to be more organised for the year ahead. They also give a taster of the new products launching in-store.
Freddy Mandy, Creative Director, at Mother, said: “The idea for the campaign came from the observation that mess and clutter in our homes keep people apart emotionally as well as physically. We decided to illustrate this in our TV spot which shows a couple unable to get to each other because their stuff forms a maze keeping them apart. They have to clean up their home in order to be together.”
“We all have that space in our homes that really isn't a space – it's a dumping ground. The direct mail piece homes in on this insight and shows that with a little help from IKEA's ingenious storage solutions, you might actually see that carpet again” says Nicky Bullard, Executive Creative Director of LIDA.
Whether you look to the 80-foot-long mosaic at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, the giant white wording ‘You’ve Changed’ on the side of a building near Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue or the Greenwood Village Mural in the Beach, Lilie Zendel said the first year of StreetARToronto (StART) accomplished exactly what the program set out to do.
“(StART) was created last year as part of the graffiti management program to support and celebrate permitted graffiti and street art,” said Zendel, manager of the City of Toronto program.
StART is administered by the Public Realm Section of the Transportation Services Division at the City of Toronto and aims to develop, support, promote and increase awareness of street art and its role in adding beauty and character to neighbourhoods across Toronto.
StART hosted a meeting at MOCCA in West Queen West on Jan. 21 to wrap up their inaugural year and share details of this year’s program. In 2012 StART partnered with 20 Toronto organizations to create 48 murals across the city, on walls, fences, underpasses, benches and pavement, particularly in areas that are targeted by graffiti.
The creation of these murals assisted in cleaning up 1,300 pieces of ‘tagging’. More than 60 artists were involved in the projects.
The challenges that program participants faced in the first year, Zendel said, was finding the funds to match StART grants, which is a criteria of the program, finding walls to use in the city, and managing complaints from building owners, artists, non-profits and Business Improvement Areas.
The other big issue is maintaining the murals and preventing vandalism. “We certainly want to expand as much as we can in a geographic sense,” Zendel said. In 2013 StART will continue with its Partnership Program and its Diversion Program, which involves at-risk youth. Although StART aims to support artists it does not fund artists directly, but funds projects through organizations. Applications for murals to be painted this year are due by April 15 and they can be made through the StART website at http://www.toronto.ca/streetart/ Applications have to be made by incorporated non-profit or charitable organizations and must operate in Toronto.
“I personally would like to see some really large-scale projects this year,” Zendel said, adding the maximum funding for the partnership program has been increased to $30,000.
The StART contribution cannot exceed 70 per cent of the cost of the mural and of that remaining 30 per cent the partner organization must raise at least 15 per cent in cash.
By the spring of 2013 Zendel said they hope to launch a user-friendly map, which gives the details of the 585 murals and street art pieces found in Toronto. The map would include information about the artists and their inspiration for the work.
Story by Erin Hatfield via: York Guardian To learn more about the City of Toronto program that aims to beautify communities across the city through street art and wall murals visit http://www.facebook.com/StreetARToronto
According to the Canadian airline Air Canada, "Canadians need to get away more", and that's why they are introducing the new leisure airline "rouge". The affordable new rouge, according to the airline will allow you to travel in style for less. "Edinburgh to Cuba, Athens to Costa Rica, Venice to Jamaica, we're making it possible for you to see more of the world more often".
Introducing Air Canada’s new leisure airline with stylishly affordable service to holiday spots in Europe and the Caribbean. Benefit from Air Canada’s extensive network for smooth connections to flights departing daily from Toronto and Montreal. Service begins July 1, 2013. It’s time to go more. Where will your next holiday take you?
The "Rouge" commercial not only introduces Canada to the new airline, but reminds us how much we all need to get away....Thanks! Let's just hope that rouge does not end up like Air Canada's previous attempts at a low cost airline, whatever happened to Tango and Zip?
Nicole Kidman, Gabrielle Union, Julianne Moore, baseball legend Willie Mays and more of Hollywood’s brightest are lending their voice to Futures Without Violence’s new Respect Challenge in a new PSA ad campaign. Press:
Nicole Kidman credits her parents. America Ferrera thanks her fifth grade teacher. And Willie Mays recognizes the impact of his father. To kick-off an online campaign and contest called The Respect Challenge, the national nonprofit Futures Without Violence has produced a PSA that features top celebrities expressing their gratitude to a person who taught them a valuable life lesson — a lesson in Respect. The PSA, a key ingredient in the national Facebook campaign which launches on Monday, September 10, features responses from such VIP talent as Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Julianne Moore, Gabrielle Union, America Ferrera, Joe Torre, and Willie Mays. Aretha Franklin’s iconic song, “Respect,” provides the soundtrack for the video. The PSA will also be available on Facebook, futureswithoutviolence.org, giverespect.org. and YouTube. “There’s never been a better time for a national conversation about Respect,” says Esta Soler founder and president of Futures Without Violence. “Whether you’re on the political campaign trail, or just headed back to middle school, let’s stand up to bullies and remind them about Respect.” The interactive Facebook campaign, designed to celebrate everyday role models and heroes, provides an opportunity for the public to write an online thank you note, or post a thank you video about the person who taught them Respect. Two lucky entrants will earn a donation of $10,000 to a school or nonprofit organization of their choice, as well as a VIP trip to New York City to attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. After the initial entry period (September 10 – October 12), fans will be invited to vote on 10 finalists who have submitted a compelling written note or a video. Scheduled for an online launch on Monday, September 10, The Respect Challenge was introduced at the San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game on Sunday, September 9, when the Giants hosted their annual program, Strike Out Violence Day. Baseball legend Willie Mays, featured in the PSA, made a special appearance during the festivities. Futures Without Violence, a national nonprofit and social change organization with offices in San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston, created the campaign with the generous help of AKQA, one of the most-respected ideas and innovation agencies in the world. AKQA’s San Francisco Media team not only provided strategic consultation but secured more than $400,000 in donated online advertising space for the campaign and contest. Wildfire, a division of Google, and a leading social media marketing software provider, also volunteered their services to design and implement the Facebook application, and America Online’s in-house creative team offered their services to create compelling online banners and advertising units. Macy’s, the founding partner of the RESPECT! campaign, has a strong history of support for education and awareness programs that promote positive solutions for healthy relationships. “We hope that the positive stories generated through this campaign will remind us of the life-changing role that parents, teachers, coaches, and so many other mentors can have on shaping young lives,” said Martine Reardon, Macy’s Chief Marketing Officer.
ABOUT FUTURES WITHOUT VIOLENCE:For more than thirty years, Futures Without Violence has been working to promote healthy relationships and safe communities that are rooted in respect. Our educational programs, leadership training and public action campaigns reach parents, teachers, coaches and mentors, as well as legislators, physicians, judges and service providers who are influential in shaping the lives of young people.To learn more, please visit us at Futures Without Violence.org. ABOUT THE RESPECT CAMPAIGN:RESPECT! is a social action campaign to raise awareness and engage individuals from all walks of life in positive solutions to end and prevent violence. The RESPECT! Campaign is an initiative of Futures Without Violence, and Macy’s is the Founding National Partner.
Its only been out for 6 hours and I'm already sick to death of hearing about The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to actually be alive and old enough to experience a full-blown movie phenomenon as I missed the boat with Star Wars and Indiana Jones. At least I understood the frenzy behind The Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter movies and didn't want to light myself on fire every time it came on the news. But this... this has got even the most hardcore fan inside of me screaming "that's freakin' enough Twihards, settle the frak down!"
Sigh. At least the guys over at Film Drunk feel my pain and have put together a brilliant piece on the absurdness of Twilight fans and their signs at the New Moon premiere. I strongly recommend you read the whole thing in its entirety here. Otherwise, the best bits are below:
"I’m only picking a few of my favorites, but clearly this represented a cross section of America’s finest. Like this guy. He likes America, sleeveless shirts, and vampires that sparkle. I think that was a Bob Seger song. Or this girl, the one behind the girl in the front. She wants to be “a stupid lamb.” Or possibly a stupid lamp, it isn’t entirely clear. Regardless, it’s good to have ambitions. Then there’s these girls,who support the Cullen diet, while standing behind a lady who doesn’t seem to support any diets. Diversity is beautiful. Meanwhile, the girl in the front right is enjoying her one day of the month outside. Anyway, I just thought you guys should enjoy some of these photos, because a lot of good cats went hungry for this."
Well said.
In other vampire news, the poster art for Daybreakers hit the net today and it looks siiiiiiick. And how's the quote from Variety; "Take The Matrix and 28 Days Later and you've got Daybreakers". That's a bloody brilliant line about the film and the poster art looks very slick. Very awesome. Very promising and hopefully a far cry from the romantic notion of vampires, I want to see more bloodsuckers darn it. Daybreakers is an Australian film shot in Queensland earlier this year on a budget of $25 million and stars Ethan Hawke, William Dafoe, Isabel Lucas and Sam Neil. Set in the not too distant future (2019 to be exact), a plague has turned most humans in to vampires who are now faced with a dwindling blood supply. Shot by the Spierig Brothers, I really hope this is a successful attempt by them to cross over in to Hollywood mainstream. If the trailer is anything to go by...
Pizza Hut Canada seems to have a pretty good sense of humor, they've created their very own branded scent and are distributing it to their loyal fans who have supported them digitally on their Facebook page.
Only 100 bottles of the Pizza Hut perfume has been produced and sent out to the lucky Canadians. If anyone of you want to send me a note when you get your eau de pepperoni, sorry I mean your bottle of perfume — you have to let us know what this stuff smells like.
How did they come up with the right scent you ask... "We did a couple of rounds … trying to get the right smell," said Pizza Hut Canada’s marketing director, Beverly D’Cruz. "All of them were not fun … Cheese. You’d think cheese smells nice. Not so."
Creative agency Grip came up with the idea to get more Canadians to engage with Pizza Hut socially.
Eric Vieira, director of digital strategy at Grip sums it up perfectly when he was quoted by The Globe and Mail saying "It’s delicious," and "I hope some poor guy doesn’t give it to his girlfriend."
Here is yet another social media thank you by yet another brand, this time Citroën has passed 100,000 'likes' on its Facebook page and wanted to say a big THANK YOU to all its fans for making it happen.
“Citroën is delighted to have such a large and loyal fan base that is so switched on to all our different activities,” said Marc Raven, communications director at Citroën UK. “Their feedback, support and engagement are hugely appreciated and we hope to provide more rewards for them into next year with more exclusive content and competitions.”
Rico Genest, aka "Zombie Boy" the world record holder for most tattooed body covers up his tattoos to promote DermaBlend Leg and Body Cover.
The mysterious 25-year-old Canadian model Rick Genest shot to fame after displaying his body art in Lady Gaga's video "Born This Way" Genest whose entire head and torso are covered in tattoos was an unknown entity. He was literally picked out from obscurity by Gaga’s stylist.....look at me now mom. For those wondering about the music, the song is "There Is Hope" by Zoo Brazil featuring Rasmus Kellerman.
