Barclaycard Waterslide Advert

Undoubtedly my favourite advert of the year and a great one to watch again and again. The concept of the advert is the idea of having a Barclaycard is like having no restrictions and offers smooth transactions. The advert itself is beautifully shot and has a really catchy soundtrack provided by the seventies song "Let You Love Flow" by The Bellamy Brothers. The shooting of the advert reminds me a lot of the Sony Bouncing Balls by Fallon London but unlike that advert the Barclaycard has managed to bring a personal feel to it by the use of it's feature character.

And now thanks to the clever people at Barclaycard setting themselves up with a youtube channel you can watch all the lovely edits and even the making of it...enjoy!


60 second original advert


Extended unseen advert


Behind the Scenes - Making Of...

Barclaycard YouTube Channel

Nanochromatic

The new iPod nano was launched last week and the advertising campaign focuses on the new colour range and not so much on the features. As ever you can expect Apple to have delivered on the design font, with the new nano's once again a product that people will want to have (even if they already have an old nano!)



The advert in my opinion is brilliantly simple and just focuses on the range available. I think the flowing paint at the end shows the brightness of the colour range and also the diversity. The natural flow of paint is very powerful and can create some brilliant visual images. This use of paint also reminds me of an Orange mobile advert that was aired a year or two ago (below).

Coke Zero Bond Advert

Here is a new advert for Coke Zero playing into the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solice theme. I'm not too sure whether i like it if I'm honest. I guess they have tried to make the advert like bond opening credits but not sure whether the brands fit together...I mean I can't imagine Bond going into a bar, forgetting his Martini and instead ordering a Vodka and Coke Zero...

On my scouring of YouTube I found another attempt to link the two brands, all the way back in 1987.

Drench - Iconic Branding

This advert has been mentioned before by others but the power of it's influence struck me today at work. Working at a radio station we have the radio on constantly and today, approx. 10 minutes ago in fact, Rhythm is a Dancer came on and my first reaction was Drench Water. Not only that as the song ended I went straight to YouTube and found the advert to have another look. The power of branding hey. Not too dissimilar to Cadbury but I kind of like the fact that it is, for the moment at least, a one off advert.

I even found this video of how they made the advert which is a pretty interesting watch as well.

Bobby's Burger Palace

Now excuse me for being critical but Pentagram, one of the world's greatest companies, designed this...I couldn't believe it! First impressions were not good. To me it looked as if it had been knocked together in Word, and to be fair it could have been, there's not much to it. However I became slightly more relieved when I saw it on packaging, menus and other media.

I'll let them off...don't judge a book by it's cover...

Cadbury Remixes

Interesting that Fallon have released new remixes of the Gorilla and Airport adverts in the past week...it is just me or are they just pushing these a tad too far. Should they not develop more of a campaign rather than two adverts redone? It's hard to stay. In fairness the Airport version with Bon Jovi I think works better than the original. The Gorilla though was best left as it was in my opinion.

Clerical Medical Identity

This is the new identity for pensions and investments company Clerical Medical, created by Rufus Leonard.

The digital and branding consultancy has worked with Clerical Medical to develop an identity and logo to support the company’s vision of ‘being easy to do business with’.

Rufus Leonard has devised new print and digital graphics, a revamped website home page and brochure design.

James Ramsden, creative director at Rufus Leonard, says the brief was to deliver consistent branding while supporting Clerical Medical’s quest to place stronger emphasis on service.

Jonathan Bradley, head of brand for Clerical Medical, adds that the renewed focus on design is ‘about a change in the way we do business, in the way we go about things and what we deliver’.

I personally think it is a bold piece of branding for a company whose service has stereotypically old connotations. The idea of pensions is something that has not been really considered by the younger generation but the reality is that if things continue the vast majority of us will not be in pension plans. Clerical Medical is moving with the times, using a very positive and forward moving ident and trying to break into this market. It could be a very significant and successful move for them.

Wallace and Gromit continued...

...further to the last post here is a short film on the making of the adverts.

Wallace & Gromit to advertise Harvey Nics

yes yes I am telling the truth here! To celebrate the opening of the new Bristol store they have employed the services of their own prodigal Plasticine sons Wallace and Gromit. The most skillful thing here I think is the fact that they are actually wearing the clothes like the one's in the store.

The campaign itself is created by DDB London.

Wallace is seen above in a woollen Prince of Wales check grey two-piece suit by Paul Smith while Gromit wears a pair of Ray Ban wayfarer sunglasses and purple stripe silk scarf by Duchamp.

Lady Torrington seen wearing a black draped jersey ‘Acorn’ dress by Alexander McQueen, red patent ‘Triclo’ shoes by Christian Louboutin and metallic bronze ’Puffy’ bag by Zagliani

Wallace wears navy cashmere jacket and silk tapered trousers by Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana fitted white shirt and Giorgio Armani tie. Gromit wears navy silk Paul Smith scarf

Sofa King

Possibly the best strapline ever?
















An advert on the side of a bus in New York for "Sofa King"

Flat Pack Mick

I read Fran's article on business cards and it took me back to this piece which I vote as my favourite business card design ever...well more like stationary.

Elmwood in Leeds designed this piece for a handy man called Mick who said that as part of his service he would put together people's flat pack furniture for them. He became known as Flat Pack Mick.

The concept is simple but brilliant...His stationary was printed on a4 wood effect stock. In it's A4 state it was his letterhead. With the addition of two perforations it changed. By tearing down the first perforation you had his compliments slip and by tearing down the second perforation you had his business card...how simple is that?!

Brilliant!




Below is a link to the London International Awards entry for this piece...

http://www.liaentries.com/winners/?id_medium=1&id_category=0&view=details&range=f&page=20&keyword=&medium=&category=&award=&country=&title_brand=&credits=&company_name=&city=

New Guiness Advert

I haven't seen this advert on TV or anything yet but did come across it on the web. Seems a very extreme contrast to Guinness adverts of old. In fact fr me it just doesn't sit with the brand at all. Perhaps this is a time of change for Guinness in an attempt to broaden their market reach. They are market leader by far in their own stout market and perhaps this is an attempt to try and break into the younger lager market sector.

Insignia launch showcases new Vauxhall logo

"Vauxhall’s new-look griffin badge will be unveiled later today at the launch of its Insignia car, its first redesign in five years.

The bold, sleek black-and-chrome boiler-plate is part of a complete overhaul of Vauxhall’s corporate identity by the car manufacturer’s in-house design team led by vice-president of design Mark Adams, launched last April.

It is hoped that the new logo will ‘send a message that something is happening with this brand’, said Alain Visser, chief marketing officer at General Motors Europe.

Visser believes that by giving the logo a more modern look, it will underline Vauxhall’s recent emphasis on technology, culminating with today’s launch of the new Insignia mid-sized car.

Vauxhall is the latest in a succession of carmakers to update their look, including Volvo, Fiat, Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz, all seeking to change their brand perception in a challenging market.

The Insignia, sporting the new logo, will be exhibited at this week’s London Motor Show, opening on Wednesday 23 July. "

http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/139041/Insignia+launch+showcases+new+Vauxhall+logo.html



My thoughts are that Vauxhalls new identity certainly brings it into the 21st century but has done very well to keep it's roots. The fact that the launch co-insides with the relegation of the Vectra, one of Vauxhalls signature cars, from their range I think does give the clear message of a company that is looking to the future.

It is interesting actually that even on this weeks Top Gear Vauxhall were said to be the only car manufacturer who's whole range looks cool. Perhaps this Great British car manufacturer is benefiting from a very stable and skillful in-house design team.



Even from this timeline of their logo through the years it is clear to see how fresh looking this design is and personally how dull their old badge was. I am also pleased they have dropped the red and gone for a sleek chrome and black palette.

Nintendo Wii Magazine Campaign

A simple yet effective campaign from Nintendo to promote the new Wii console. The USP of the console is the interactive nature of its controllers and how the user gets involved with the game like never before. These two-page adverts use the simple action of turning a page to show how the user interacts with a sports game on the console, essentially acting as a kind of flick book. Simple but effective.

Carlsberg Ambient Campaign

This ambient media from Carlsberg continues their long running 'probably' campaign. Carlberg distributed £5000 worth of £10 and £20 notes around London with this removable sticker on. A costly campaign on face value but probably cheaper than running another advert and instead of being a fantasy like many of the other adverts this was for real, suddenly Carlsberg were making "probably the best litter in the world".

LSC Skills Adverts

I have been searching for this advert on youtube for a few weeks now since i first saw it. The idea reminds me of the Talk Talk adverts where a similar thing was done on a larger scale with people rather than hands.

All in all I feel this is a quite stunning campaign and an idea that has been well thought out and executed.



Watching the advert really makes you appreciate how a pretty simple idea can be executed to make you appreciate the potential of the design and advertising industry.

http://inourhands.lsc.gov.uk/

The website has different imagery created from hands in the various sections ranging from the tulip to a swan and mountain. The advantage of this campaign is already evident in the billboards that can be seen for this campaign where this imagery is used on a large scale. For anyone who has seen the adverts they can relate straight away whilst those that haven't see it for what it is, clever design.


http://www.mad.co.uk/Main/News/Articlex/bf02c24b75d04d8380f67e41f73da9df/LSC-gets-hands-on-with-new-ads.html

As mentioned in this article(above link) the advert is made by agency Leo Burnett whose website i have already talked about in my Glog. It came as no suprise to me that a company that impressed me with its interactive and innovative website could be behind this idea.

An interesting statement in this article is the idea that they "hope that it will generate discussion around dinner tables, pubs and water coolers across the country.”
Speaking from my own experience it has been a campaign so far that has been successful in doing this.



This advert, working under the same campaign, is for business customers but works again under the same principle.

Piccadilly open to new campaigns

One of London’s brightest branding landmarks, the Piccadilly Lights Complex in London, is going to become available to brand owners for short-term leasing for the first time in almost a century.

Launching on 1 December, ‘Piccadilly Lite’ will make it possible for UK and international brands to advertise on short-term contracts, to the audience of one million who pass through Piccadilly Circus each week.

Land Securities has owned the iconic site since the 1970s, and has decided to change the traditional long-term lease period – dominated by super-brands such as Coca-Cola and Sanyo – to respond to demand from shorter-term TV, film and music advertisers.

James Birkett, asset manager for Land Securities, says: ‘We are excited that we can make it possible for UK and international brands to advertise in this unique location on short-term contracts and at short notice.’

Piccadilly Lite uses LED signs to run digital sequences that can be regularly changed and updated, offering brand owners the opportunity to advertise tactically around specific product launches.

Birkett says: ‘Piccadilly Lite is a prime example of how recent technology enhancements are shaping how we communicate to the consumer.’

MT2 is the agency responsible for booking and running the advertisements for the new site.

http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/135352/Piccadilly+Lite+switches+over+.html

This should be an interesting development to watch and observe which brands opt to take this route. It would seem to me that Land Securities stand to make a hell of a lot of money from this even with the assumption that the current adverts pay them quite a bit anyway. The move should increase competition and break the monopoly the current brands have in this location.

Roobis Tea

South African tea brand, Rooibos from Kromland Farm, has undergone an image overhaul courtesy of London design consultancy Pearlfisher.

The group has created the identity and packaging, including logotype and copy for the specialist tea, which is imported and distributed in the UK by Only Natural Products.

Through the use of bold colours and a simple, expressive typeface, the packaging is designed to convey a brand that is contemporary and quirky, while also reflecting South Africa’s cultural heritage.

Pearlfisher designer, Natalie Chung says that the success of the design is rooted in its simplicity. ‘This is a simple but beautiful piece of design that has enormous shelf standout. We wanted to capture the magic and energy of South Africa and this fresh, youthful design perfectly fits the bill.”

The tea has already been launched in health food stores across the UK and is expected to appear in Selfridges and major supermarkets over the next few months.

http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/135283/Rooibos+picks+a+fresh+identity.html

As soon as I saw the packaging for this tea it was clear straight away its African origins and it's natural/organic properties. The redesign of the packaging and brand have managed to create a sense of exactly what the product has to offer. The choice to have its own individual typeface that is chunky, bold and very aboriginal in its appearance makes it different from other similar products but it would not look out of place in its expected selling points in health food stores and Selfridges.

Faldo launches new brand

British golfer Nick Faldo is launching a new brand created by Yorkshire design group, Island Earth Creative.

Designed by Island Earth founder Gary Millard, the brand identity is set to appear on a range of sports items from clothing to golf clubs and on-site signage at luxury sports club venues.

Millard says the work is designed to achieve recognition outside the world of golf, ‘drawing together the wide variety of business interests operating under the Faldo name, with a distinctive and uniting image’.

‘It has been great working on such a well known global brand,’ adds Millard.

‘The Faldo name is associated not just with golf clothing but also a series of teaching academies, golf course design and the Faldo Series tournaments which provide an opportunity to identify and nurture the next generation of young golfers,’ Millard says.

‘We believe that the creative solution we have provided will stand the test of time and provide strong, recognisable reference for the Nick Faldo brand wherever it appears.’

http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/135341/Top+golfer+launches+own+label.html

I like the identity for Faldo's company but I on first look I can't see where the design has come from. OK so the white circle represents a golf ball but I can't see how the 6 shape represents Faldo. I would have thought that the design would incorporate Faldo's initials or something similar but the designers have decided to avoid this it seems. Perhaps the shape is more to suggest the coming together of Faldo's companies as a whole brand rather than focusing on the man himself?
As an identity though I guess is works!

Swedish vodka brand Absolut has unveiled a new range called Absolut 100, with packaging and identity by Pearlfisher.

Developed for the duty free and travel retail market, the vodka’s look uses a minimal, masculine colour palette of semi-opaque black glass, with chrome typography contrasted with grey lettering.

The design aims to convey ‘strength through masculinity and exclusivity’, ensuring that there is no confusion among the flavoured vodkas in the market.

1Absolut 100, with packaging and identity by PearlfisherThe 100° proof/50 per cent abv spirit is aimed at the discerning, responsible drinking business traveller.

Pearlfisher, which is a long-term strategic design partner for Absolut, was briefed to base the design around strength, and has used the iconic Absolut identity and bottle shape.

‘Absolut 100 is a drink that is not for everyone,’ says Pearlfisher creative partner Jonathan Ford. ‘The concept needed to reflect masculinity and exclusivity, and we were inspired by the contemporary visual language of performance cars and cutting-edge technology.’

http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/135141/Pearlfisher+creates+packs+for+new+Absolut+vodka.html

Interesting that to reflect masculinity there was a link to performance cars and the sleek look. Does the "responsible drinking business traveller" favour this image? It is also interesting how the new design is limited to the duty free market. Personally i think the sleek black minimal look would increase sales in up-market bars...saying that its probably the same market!