February 29, 2008 is Dove Day

Today Dove continues on their Campaign for Real Beauty by holding a series of self esteem workshops for young girls, focusing on the difference between real beauty and the image that is portrayed in the media. Pretty amazing I think, I admire their ongoing commitment to the cause.

To promote today's festivities they created this precious spot "Amazing Teachers."



"Amazing Teachers" was directed by Karen Cunningham of The Pink Film Company.

Found Things

I was so intrigued by these ads from afar that I had to take a closer look. Once I did I was only more curious and had to figure out what FOUND Magazine was. Once I was there I was completely engaged and entertained. A website dedicated to FOUND things, it can be anything, and anyone is free to participate, talk about reaching the masses! I got caught up just reading through the finds of the day, it seems that a lot of the active finders are college students, which i guess makes sense. You won't believe the weird things they find, and it's hard to resist imagining who they came from.

Egg Film's Feet

I came across this spot on BestAds this morning and fell in love. I just think it's so sweet, I love how when you only are shown feet in a frame you are forced to imagine what is going on above them. The beginning scenes of Harold and Maude use this same technique to engage its audience. Aside from that I love the hints of fantasy that the illustrations add and the slight innocent voice of the child narrator.


Egg Films is located in CapeTown South Africa, their website is full of great work ifyou have an hour to kill. "Feet" is directed by Kevin Fitzgerald.

Seven Wonders of the World

After posting the Mastercard "Studious Pupil" spot yesterday I spent some time on Therapy Film's website and found another great Mastercard commercial on Christian Bevilacqua's reel. I love everything about it, animation, a pop up book, the Seven Wonders of the World, and the dangling carrot of a free trip...what's not to love.



Mastercard has brought back the search for the golden ticket. For more information about how to win this trip of a lifetime visit priceless.com and look under promotions.

Priceless Oscar Commercials

I have to say, the only commercials that stood out for me last night were the Mastercard Priceless spots. I think it's impressive how they have kept the same campaign going for so long and continue to reinvent it and keep the spots fresh and entertaining.



"Studious Pupil" directed by Christian Bevilacqua of Therapy Films via Mccann Erikson, New York.

Honorary Oscar

I know I posted about this already, but I was lucky enough to present to Robert Boyle when I was production designing a film at the AFI and just feel that he is a living legend. I think his speech was one of the highlights of last nights ceremony, the perspective on the world, the film industry, and the life journey this man has is humbling and inspiring, we're lucky to have heard from him while he is still with us. I mean c'mon he refers to Alfred Hitchcock as Hitch!

It's long but here is a YouTube clip I found of the speech for those of you who missed it.

Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf

In honor of the Oscars this Sunday I wanted to share another animated short nomination, Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. When you think of Peter and the Wolf the first thing that probably comes to mind is the music, I know when I was a kid i had one of those storybook records that told the story over the songs and BONGed when you needed to turn the page.

Sergei Prokofiev composed and wrote this version of the tale in 1936 for his son, arranged so that each character in the story is represented with it's own instrument.
The story is told through claymation and puppetry directed by Suzie Templeton for Breakthru Films. Templeton's version of the classic tale adds a bit of darkness to the somewhat jovial orchestration, through the lighting, color scheme and even the puppets themselves.

You can view the trailer here. You also may be interested in checking out some of Suzie Templeton's previous work, Stanley and Dog.

What a Difference a Day Makes

Vinyl Never Dies

As a record collector, this campaign I stumbled upon over at Ads of the World pulls at my heart strings. The print ads promote FNAC's (kinda like the European version of Amazon.com) new vinyl section, I know I love it, new vinyl section!

The ads bring three deceased rock stars to life using their own albums, they may be a little eerie, but I like it, at least they are selling music.













The campaign is the brainchild of Madrid agency Kitchen.

Mountain Dew Living Art

I'm loving this spot for Mountain Dew directed by Matt Aselton of Epoch Films. Most of the advertising trades have mentioned it in some capacity, it's a pretty cool spot oozing with style, which of course is the point. Mountain Dew has commissioned a handful of artists to design limited edition bottles, all with the graffiti, x-games style that it's demographic should love.

What I enjoyed most is the website that showcases the art and design of the wraps, there are series of videos with artists in their studios showing off their sketch books and their own creative process. Definitely worth a look. greenlabelart.com












(artists left to right) Chuck Anderson, Dez, Troy Denning

Green label Art also has a YouTube page where all of the videos, including the commercial can be viewed.

New Yorker's New Eustace

The New Yorker Magazine staged a contest for illustrators, big and small to create a new version of their Eustace Tilley mascot.

Hundreds of images were submitted and can be viewed on this flickr page. I recommend checking them out, the range and creativity is outstanding. The winning 20 designs we featured in the February 11th and February 18th editions of the magazine.

(left)“Eustace Tilley Meets Basil Wolverton” Margaret McCann Atlantic City, New Jersey

(right)“Who’s Looking at Whom” Adam Batliner Ithaca, New York

Eat Pes!

I didn't know what to write about today, so I thought I'd just share a favorite bit of film. Kaboom! is one of my all time favorite stop motion animation pieces, by the eccentric and endlessly creative filmmaker PES.
For Kaboom! PES uses found, vintage and household objects to enact the air bombing of a capital city.

I hope you enjoy the film and take the time to watch the Making of Kaboom! for a peek inside the artist's creative process.

Exopolis Sends the World a Valentine's Mix Tape...

I love Exopolis! They did this a couple of years ago, and it was actually how I first stumbled upon the company. Their reel is full of amazing animation, I suggest you check it out. Anyway, once again they have made a rad mix tape to listen to while you work this Valentine's Day. Nice, eh?
Everyone loves a mix tape, even if you own all the songs you never would have put them together in that order making them sound all fresh and new.

Enjoy here, you can even send songs to your friends.

LeSportsac's Back

Check out these print ads for LeSportsac by photographer Bela Borsodi. These dainty whimsical portraits made out of LeSpotsac products are so perfect for the brand.





















This isn't Borsodi's first experiment in figures created from fashion accessories, check out her portfolio for more.

L.A. Marathon and Bike Tour

Creativity-Online is featuring these print ads for the March 2, 2008 L.A. Marathon and Bike Tour. The series of posters feature a selection of L.A.'s hoods; Griffith Park, Hollywood, Westside, even LAX, and Freeways chanting to ride or run on.

I love the illustration style, it sort of reminds me of the cheese wheel commercial from when i was a kid...
The illustrations were done by Andy Mueller via agency Rubin Postaer & Associates.

You can view the entire campaign on Creativity here.

Prada "Trembled Blossoms"

Here is another high fashion piece, a short film made to capture the essence of Prada's Spring/Summer 2008 line. The film was recently unveiled at Fashion Week in New York (probably why the Louis Vuitton spot just launched as well.) Prada has a website devoted to the piece where it can be downloaded for your computer or your iPod.

This film is an eerie dream world with an interlacing beauty. Personally the characters remind me a bit of The Fifth Element. A film with costumes all created by another high fashion designer, Jean-Paul Gautier. I wonder if it was intentional?

More Polaroid Goodness...

Sia's "Breathe Me" video supposedly used over 2,500 polaroids to make, pretty amazing. The haunting song resonates so strongly on it's own, I get a little distracted watching the video. Then again without the video I can't help but visualize the last scene of Six Feet Under.

Will Polaroid Become a Thing of the Past?

In some sad but not shocking news Polaroid is closing its two remaining film production facilities in Massachusetts and will focus on digital processes. The company is looking into outsourcing production of the film that carries it's name, but if that does not happen the medium will disappear by the end of next year.

It makes me sad, and I know there are a number of artists world wide that will have to make a change if the medium disappears as well.Polaroid series by isofoto


All of these polaroids and many many more available from the artists on etsy,
images link to arists' pages.

Advertising on the Streets of Dublin

Publicis QMP, Dublin has been peppering the city for a new campaign to raise awareness about water conservancy. They group has placed huge vinyl stickers over manhole covers to make them look like drain plugs.











Last year the group created a successful ambient campaign for the Dublin City Council to hinder littering.

Louis Vuitton Suggests We Enjoy the Journey

In their first US commercial effort Louis Vuitton takes us on a "Journey." Directed by Bruno Aveilla of Quad Productions, Paris. The spot is visually stunning, dreamy, and a little over the top - fitting for the brand I think.



I tried to find other Louis Vuitton spots, not fully believing this is the first. I found this great Japanese cartoon "Superflat Monogram" another journey story, and this half music video-half ad from Pharrell Williams for Blason Jewelry.

Hitchcock's Designer to Receive Honorary Oscar

Legendary Production Designer Robert F. Boyle will be receiving an Honorary Oscar at this year's Academy Awards for his lifetime achievement in Art Direction and Production Design.








Boyle has a seemingly endless list of credits, including In Cold Blood, Fiddler on the Roof, and Cape Fear. Most celebrated is his work as Production Designer for Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest and The Birds.

98 year old Boyle is a living legend in his field, nominated for four Academy Awards in his career, and offering his talents to the next generations of Production Designers as a professor at the American Film Institute Conservatory.

To learn more about the art of Hitchcock's films Hitchcock's Notebooks is full of storyboards, sketches and other behind the scenes info.

Ben Lee "American Television"

I was passed a link this morning to the newest video for Ben Lee made by some friends from college. Produced by Ken Franchi, and directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson through Ulterior Productions and Mt. Vernon Entertainment. It's so nice to see classmates making it and making great work - and it's always great to hear some new Ben Lee.
"American Television" forces us to revisit growing up in the early nineties, Nintendo, the sitcoms, the music videos, it even co-stars Saved By the Bell's own Tiffani-Amber Thiessen. You have to check it out!

These new Benjamin Moore ads are pretty enough to be a part of the editorial in the latest Martha Stewart Living or Real Simple magazine.



Sandwiched between decorating stories wouldn't you look twice to make sure there wasn't a design tip attached?