Grolsch: Taste Amplified

Gosch this is clever.

2010 Predictions

I found an article in the current issue of Design Week that provides the reader with predictions of how design will adapt in 2010 according to the research company Mintel.
It was an interesting read and below are some of the points addressed:

• Clearer front-of-pack nutrition statements on food packaging will appease the 45% of UK consumers who complain that nutrition labels are cluttered and confusing
• In 2010, grudge items such as cleaning products will be housed in chic, boutique-inspired packaging. Products highlighting simplicity of use will appear, aimed at Generation Y consumers, born between 1977 and 1994
• Colour-coding, such as that used by Glaceau Vitaminwater, will gain popularity to help shoppers make faster choices
  
  Source/ Mintel Consumer Packaged Goods Predictions 2010

Sneaky Sipping

I love these design conscious hip flasks I've seen in Urban Outfitters' stores.
And they don't have to be filled with naughty liquids either, I'd happily parade some lemonade around in one of these.

'No one leaves' ad for After Eight

I was impressed by this advert as it shows festivities and a cool party atmosphere without succumbing to the conventions of many adverts that show partying in an over-the-top wild and pretentious way. It appears that fun is being had by all and brings a bit of a warm glow in the winter season.
It's the first television advert for After Eight chocolates in eight years and I think, this time, ad agency JWT have hit the spot.

Miss Dior Cherie

This advert for Miss Dior Cherie, the fragrance from Christian Dior, brings a smile to my face everytime I see it.
Isn't this just how life's meant to be?
I think with the sweet pastel colour palette and the romantic representation of a bright day in Paris, director Sofia Coppola creates a moment of sugary escapism for her audience.
The use of Bridget Bardot's song: Moi, Je Joue adds a fun, and almost fatal, glamorous edge which pulls the advert together beautifully.
The only problem is the affect of my Bardot inspired singing on my flatmates, as I am neither French or a singer.
A girl can dream.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

I think the ORIGINAL SOURCE brand is brilliant, as are the products being sold.
The above advert for their Mint Shower Gel really captures the products essence and seems to engage the audience so easily through simple and quick television communication.

The clear-cut typography designs on each bottle provide just enough information for a potential buyer with the copy making the product sound natural, intense and, above all, desirable.

http://www.originalsource.co.uk/

Their website, produced by the impressive Digital Marketing Agency Code Computerlove is just as zingy as the shower gel it's promoting, call me sad but I often leave it up on my laptop to listen the sweet tweeting of birds as I work.

The cool war: BMW vs. Audi

I found this going around the creative advertising blogs a few months ago, it really made me laugh. Audi had released an advertising campaign which involving their strong competitors BMW via a billboard on a busy Los Angeles road.


And it wasn't long before a Santa Monica BMW dealership responded by buying space on a nearby billboard featuring a photo of the BMW M3 with the retort, “Checkmate".


Determined to come up with a witty retort, Audi created a Facebook page, encouraging fans to submit their own “virtual” billboard slogans. Some clever answers included, “Check yourself,” “Chess? I’d rather be driving” and, “Think again.” They then unveiled this:


I think a more simple and direct response could have made more of an impression as this doesn't seem to have the same cheeky punch to it as the other, shorter lines. BMW kept their cool by taking their billboard down altogether after seeing this.
“We would not look at it as a billboard war,” said Tom Salkowsky, a BMW spokesman. “When you step back, there is just a tremendous amount of good, competitive spirit.”

Another interesting read: http://americatopten.blogspot.com/2006/12/advertisement-war-bmw-started-it-audi.html

Garamond

Typography awards 2009
For this brief we were each assigned a typeface and challenged to sell it as the best one by producing an A2 poster reflecting its attributes.
My given type was Garamond, the serif lettering that I think looks strong, sturdy and oozes confidence. Its curvy form also appears natural looking and gives me the impression it's smiling at you from the page.
I used these aesthetic impressions alongside re-search I'd gathered about Garamond, its history and uses in order to make decisions about the cmposition of the piece.

Hydrophobia

This was a first year university typography based project, in which I explored the concept of Hydrophobia, the fear of water.
I researched the phobia in an attempt to learn about why it exists and what it's really like living with Hydrophobia.
Once I had gained more of an understanding, I produced design pieces, combining the use of image and typography in order to express the phobia.