Interactivate your YouTube clips!

YouTube now presents a new way of watching their clips. 'Choose A Different Ending' allows the viewer to choose what happens next. Fun or annoying, have a look and decide for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/adifferentending#play/favorites/2/JFVkzYDNJqo

Multifaceted drinking experience.

Last week The Dieline presented a new, unique design for beverage cans. Using a process called impact extrusion industrial designer Dzmitry Samal has managed to create a multifaceted and geometric can. If this is the next generation of cans we're facing some new exciting graphic possibilities!

Read more:
http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2009/09/coca-cola-can-concept.html#more

ECO Lights have moved on!

We knew this already but it's nice to see that the message is reaching the masses.

This article was also printed in the Guardian supplement on Saturday and is a worthy read for pretty much anyone that buys lightbulbs.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/25/eco-lightbulbs-energy-saving-bills

Creative Review Question of the Week 22.09.09

For this week's question, CR want to know about where we work.

Just how important is location, location, location in the creative industry?

They're devoting the whole of the November issue of CR to looking at the creative workplace and welcome thoughts and opinions on life in the studio or agency...

With so much daily communication carried out online, does it matter where you actually work these days?

Is having a building in the creative hub of your town or city important? Or is it still vital to be situated within the "creative quarter"? If you're based in one, where exactly is it? What makes for the ideal studio or agency location?

What about the building you're in? Do you favour the clinical white cube, or a more chaotic, personalised space? Do you surround yourself with inspiration, or cut yourself off from distractions?

What is the creative quarter like in your town or city and do you feel it's necessary to be surrounded by other creative people, or work in splendid isolation.

They have set up a flickr group to view photos and the most interesting will feature in the November issue.

We'd best get something together..could be a great publicity opportunity!!

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/september/question-of-the-week-220909

Vivid Brand get company bikes.....

We are joining the race!

Since we are all avid cyclists here at Vivid Brand, it made perfect sense to get ourselves branded bikes.

We will be on the road by the end of the month... look out for us!

Have a look online:

http://www.createbikes.com/

Cadbury challenges again!

Known for its inventive and creative advertising, Cadbury doesn't disappoint us this time either. Their latest move is a single release to celebrate their chocolate becoming Fairtrade certified. The single is followed by a fun music video and is of course created by Fallon, same agency that created Cadbury's viral with the drumming gorilla and the TV commercials 'Trucks' and 'Crazy eyebrows.'

Go to CR to read more and watch the music video:
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/september/cadbury-zingolo

Or visit Cadbury's own site:
www.cadbury.co.uk

Grafik Magazine presents Olympik for the London Design Festival

Olympik celebrates the rich relationship between graphic design and the Olympic Games. To celebrate London hosting the 2012 games, Grafik magazine has commissioned thirty-nine of the UK’s most talented designers to create a poster interpreting an Olympic sport or discipline.

A catalogue and a limited number of each of the poster will be for sale, with profits being donated to children’s sports-related charity Right To Play and the UK Paralympic Fund.

The project is a collaboration between Grafik, SEA Design, GF Smith and Team Impression.

http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/grafik-presents-olympik

Dr Martens Pop-Up Store at Spitalfields for London Design Week.

Inspired by Dr. Martens’ heritage and attitude which catapulted it from a working-class essential to a counter-cultural icon, Campaign have designed a unique pop-up store for the brand. Their concept playfully turns the store inside out, with customers entering into the back of house stock room – an area traditionally out of bounds. Located in the heart of the bustling old Spitalfields Market, Campaign have worked with creative brand managers Fresh to create a warehouse complete with customised off-the-shelf industrial fittings, shrink-wrapped furniture, metal caging, yellow PVC hanging barriers and bespoke graphics.

http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/dr-martens

Open House London 2009 –THIS WEEKEND!!!

Open House London is the Capital's largest architectural showcase, is now in its 17th year, and is taking place on 19 & 20 September 2009.

It is a simple but powerful concept: in celebration of design excellence, 700 buildings of every conceivable type, shape and size will open their doors to Londoners completely for free. For one weekend in the year, Londoners come together exploring all corners of the Capital, inspired by the power of architecture to transform the quality of our lives.

The perfect opportunity for a good old nose around behind usually closed doors. Visit the website for more details.

http://www.openhouse.org.uk

Waterhouse Courtyard opens for the London Design Festival' on MetaboliCity!

Shoreditch Trust opens Waterhouse Restaurant, Waterhouse Courtyard and the Trust’s eco-conferencing suites for the London Design Festival & Open House London. This includes the brand new conference facilities, eco restaurant and courtyard, all equipped with energy saving and sustainable technologies.

Go down between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 19th September at Waterhouse Restaurant who will also serve food from 12pm onwards.

MetaboliCity has been working together with Shoreditch Trust over the past year and our growing experiments will be on display in the courtyard during the London Design Festival.

There will also be an opportunity to come aboard Shoreditch Trust’s floating allotment and see the presentation of furniture designer Richard Shed's range of chairs, tables and outdoor furniture designed for the development.

Go to this link to sign-up, RSVP. Also to see images of the growing structures in permanent situ and times and dates of the MetaboliCity Walk.

http://www.metabolicity.com/

Boris on Elle cover, and on bike.

To celebrate fashion week Elle puts Boris Johnson on the front cover of their October issue, to showcase what they call 'the best of British.' This is the first time a man appears alone on an Elle front cover and according to Elle's editor-in-chief, Lorraine Candy, it's an attempt to challenge Vogue. Read more in the latest issue of PR week.



Talking about Boris makes us all think about cycling. And that takes us to a big event this Sunday: the London skyride. Most roads in central London will be closed for traffic and a big mass participating cycle tour will run throughout the city. Watch Boris promote the event and read more about it on:
https://new.britishcycling.org.uk/skyride/news/article/20090908-Boris-Johnson-and-Kelly-Brook-Back-Skyride-London-0

From Nasa to Ikea: the story of the classic font Futura

As Ikea gets rid of Futura, the Guardian takes a look at the history of the font.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/sep/02/ikea-font-futura?picture=352456573

Watch 'Design for life' on Mondays!

Claiming there hasn't been any news in the design world since the 60's, the French designer Philippe Starck sets up a new design school in Paris. In the TV show 'Design for life' BBC2 follows the 12 students and Starck trying to create new ground-breaking design. On Mondays 9-10PM.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2009/wk37/design_for_life_feature.shtml

Re-brand London in 7 weeks!

It's been decided that London needs re-branding and the brief is out there free for anyone to have a go at. Several agencies have already presented their idea of a new identity but nothing has been good enough. Time is ticking, the new identity is needed by the 1 of nov. 7 weeks from now...you'd better get started!

Read more on:
http://www.johnsonbanks.co.uk/thoughtfortheweek/index.php?thoughtid=488

John Lewis Value

John Lewis jumps on the value bandwagon, with branding and packaging by Zach John Design and the retailer’s in-house design team. The products are set to hit the shelves this month.

http://www.designweek.co.uk/john-lewis-launches-value-range/3004166.article

Shopping soon possible via your iPhone.

On his own blog Tesco.com's head of research and development, Nick Lansley, reveals that Tesco just started developing a new software for shopping on the go. The application is created for iPhone and will allow people to make their basic grocery shopping via the phone.

http://techfortesco.blogspot.com/2009/08/tescocom-to-create-its-own-iphone.html

Celebrating Contemporary London.

Super Contemporary is an exhibition celebrating London's creative spirit throughout the years. It's a cooperation between Design Museum and Beefeater 24 and it's on until 4 Oct.
On their website you can win free tickets!

www.supercontemporary.co.uk/index.php

Melbourne gets a new identity.

A very funky approach from the branding giants that are Landor.

Ikea says goodbye to Futura.

IKEA has changed their house typeface from Futura-based IKEA Sans to Verdana. Picking up a new IKEA catalogue last Friday felt awkward. Good or not, this seems to be the big talk these days...

http://www.idsgn.org/posts/ikea-says-goodbye-to-futura/
http://typophile.com/node/61222/

Very appropriate!!

everyone's at it!!

http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2009/september/question-of-the-week-080909

WhatTheFont on the go!

A great little download for any designer with an iphone. Just take a pic of the text and the app lets you know the font - in theory.

http://new.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/iPhone/

Mercury Prize 2009

It's the Mercury's tonight...whose gonna win?

Nominations (with odds from bookmaker William Hill)
Florence and the Machine – Lungs 5/1
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum 5/1
Bat for Lashes – Two Suns 6/1
La Roux – La Roux 6/1
Glasvegas – Glasvegas 6/1
Speech Debelle – Speech Therapy 8/1
Friendly Fires – Friendly Fires 8/11
The Horrors – Primary Colours 8/1
Lisa Hannigan – Sea Sew 8/1
The Invisible – The Invisible 10/1
Led Bib – Sensible Shoes 10/1
Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Twice Born Men 10/1

My money's on Florence and the Machine!

Marco Brambilla: Civilization

This amazing lift installation made by video artist Marco Brambilla is worth having a look at.

http://motionographer.com/theater/marco-brambilla-civilization/

Design Week's coming up

Design Week is 24-27 Sept. If you register now for the tent event you get free entry!

www.tentlondon.co.uk

Pop-up store around the corner

Wrangler's Blue Bell pop-up store on 47 Lamb's Conduit Street will only exist in about 6 more weeks. Make sure not to miss it!

http://eu.wrangler.com/bluebell/

Work in progress