Ambient Media

Here are some great examples of ambient media campaigns I thought i would put up. The first is a pretty standard concept of altering the aesthetics of a bus stop (which reminds me of the eco-busstop from the Global Cities exhibition), to make it look like a changing room in a football stadium. The execution of this concept by TBWA on behalf of Adidas is excellent and really brings the idea to life; I also really like the way people may sit down and be completely oblivious to the way they look in such surroundings. Imagine an old couple sitting down having a natter in the Ajax changing rooms.... it definitely brings a sense of fun to an otherwise dull setting, and i think this is an example of how advertising can really enrich the surroundings of the general public.



This is another piece of ambient media that is really simple but so effective. The campaign was to find a Playboy 'reality' cover girl, and invited women on a beach to lie down and have a photo taken on a towel that has been laid out as a cover. This idea interests me as it creates a notion of the magazine coming to life, and making it real to people. People can immediately relate to it as the visual is there in front of them, and this notion is perfect for the concept of a reality cover girl- familiar, resonant and easily visualised

Rock On Gorilla

This is the best thing on tv at the moment. Don't ask me how it sells chocolate bars, but it gets people talking and it makes me chuckle.

Dove Pro-Age Campaign

This is on a similar theme to the vaseline ad, in that the advert makes a wonderful statement about the beauty of the naked body. This Dove campaign has a more topical edge to it, and acts as a commentary on the growing trend of a more conscious advertising industry- Dove are currently campaigning for 'real beauty' rather than the superficiality that they feel discriminates against the people in this advert. I love the music they have selected in this, the flamenco audio gives a defiant and passionate tone that corresponds perfectly to the poses of the models. There is a real sense of pride conveyed here and i admire Dove for stepping out and doing something different- so different that the advert is immediately watchable.

'Skin is Amazing'- Vaseline

I love this advert produced by BBH London for Vaseline. It is one of those ads that is inspired in its concept- to make people realise what an amazing gift the organ of the skin is. This is acheived primarily through the way this piece is filmed- the way it respectfully yet honestly treats the naked subjects of the film is something to greatly be admired. The scale of the images that are created using this huge number of bodies is also something to be marvelled at- there is something natural and comfortable in seeing all these people united together. I imagine it would have been a phenomenal experience to be involved with the filming of this advert, and it inspires me that such a simple idea as exposing the skin in its most natural state can produce a captivating piece of motion work.

Some Rugby Banter

With the World Cup coming up this month i thought i would put up some pieces that caught my eye...



Bit of background for anyone who doesn't know the craic about New Zealand. In the build up to every World Cup, New Zealand are consistently billed as one of the favourites, expected to reach the final at the very least and in most cases to win the whole thing. However they have consistently bottled it, or 'choked', most recently to their fierce rivals Australia at the last World Cup- hence the banter here about a choking kiwi. For those in the know, this concept and visual result in a very funny piece of design. For those who don't know rugby, it results in a very long winded, uninteresting explanation and a writer who feels like a twat.



With World Cup fever taking over France for the next month and a bit, the city of Paris felt that this ad would remind everyone just what the city was famous for, with brilliant results. Despite the unsettling image, i do think this is a fantastic piece of design, appealing to those who may not care very much for rugby but still want to enjoy Paris. A very funny visual and bit of topical design. Nice.

Onitsuka Tiger

This is a brilliant series from Onitsuka Tiger trainers. The images that they have created recently are incisive pieces of work, really rich visual images that are so rewarding for the viewer- from a simple object like a shoe they have produced various images that are beautifully created. The tag line 'Made of Japan' says so much about the whole campaign as well... these are not just objects manufactured in a country, but they are carefully created works that contain a small piece of Japan inside them. This is a spot on piece of design, from concept to the perfect execution of an inspiring visual.

Romeo & Juliet

A modern interpretation of Shakespeare's 'Romeo & Juliet' from the mind of Baz Luhrman. I love the style of this film and the way that it has been updated to modern times, while retaining the Shakespearean diction of the play- it makes for an almost overwhelming piece of film. Stylistically it is a great work of editing and camera angles, and i really respect Luhrman's bravery in undertaking such an intimidating work. A fantastic example of creative interpretation.

Another Skittles

Another hilariously weird ad created by those crazy fools at TBWA/Chiat/Day, the agency responsible for the Starburst ads that i put up way back in July. Again it is a very surreal effort, but this time it is also successful due to the effects involved in turning various objects into bouncing Skittles. The main actor in this has a fantastic dead pan style that really creates a wonderful sense of melancholy that should not be in such a funny ad...

Skittles Scribbles

This scribble series of ads from Skittles really reminded me of Modern Toss, and they share the same loose style of animation and irreverent surreal humour that really appeals to me. There are loads in the series, but this Orangeutan effort is my favourite, i love the way the product is part of the animation, so despite the surreal nature of the animation the viewer is never left in any doubt as to what is being promoted.

Army Everest

In 2006 the British Army attempted to reach the summit of Everest. Alongside this attempt they ran a media campaign to raise awareness for their expedition, as an indirect recruitment campaign. The concept was, to be in the Army you aren't just a soldier, you are an adventurer, and someone who pushes themselves to the limit; this campaign was massively successful, and resulted in a huge number of recruitment applications. I think this says something for the way they went about this, the online blogs of the expedition coupled with the press (see above) and tv ads resulted in a hugely successful campaign operating on several media channels. It conveyed a sense that it is a way of life to be involved in the British Army, and unexpectedly, it was a way of life that many people aspired to. This campaign is a brilliant example of the way a strong tone of voice and sometimes indirect approach to solving a problem can yield the best results, and why marketing today is as much about giving back to the market as it is taking from it.

Modern Toss

Warning: this clip contains strong language that some people may find offensive.

This is a hilarious comedy program from channel 4 that i love. Visually it is a mix between simple animation and some live footage that make up short sketches; some people may be familiar with some of the characters such as Alan, or Mr. Tourette from the above clip. I really like the animation in these sketches, as its rough execution make it really charming, and i think that if it were not for this visual style, the sometimes offensive dialogue would be less acceptable. If you aren't easily offended, the dead pan surrealism of Modern Toss is well worth a watch.

Final Crit Website

This website is well worth a look, recommended to me by a friend studying architecture. Essentially it is an online portfolio website for graphic designers and architects, but i found it interesting to see what the world of freelance has to offer, and generally just having a good nose around the work of other designers and creatives. Some of it is good, some of it is dull, but either way its a nice way to check out what other people are producing.

Supreme Being Tees

This is a clothing brand that produces some really fresh graphic prints for t shirts and various other forms of clothing. The designs are very clean, often tonal typographic efforts that are simple yet effective- something that i really admire as they don't try and do too much. Supreme Being have recently collaborated with Matt from the Arctic Monkeys to produce a new range of designs showing that this brand really does have its fingertips on the pulse of the youff...

'Marines'- Alastair Thain

Thain has created huge scale photographic works, using the same format camera equipment as NASA employed to photograph the Earth from the space shuttle. These hyper real images have an unprecedented visual intimacy that reveals something about the people presented. In his work 'Marines' this amazing level of detail afforded by the scale and quality of the image really depicts the anguish and emotions on the faces of these soldiers; i was amazed at the size of this work that made it undoubtedly stand out. Although i think that the subject matter could have been any number of personalities and still would have been successful for the camera work, i do really like this photgraphic series from Thain. In Thain's work, i appreciate the execution and presentation of the photography, while I appreciate the context and subject matter of Seawright's work, below. Both i feel, are undeniably inspiring.

'Sectarian Murder'- Paul Seawright

'Sectarian Murder' is a photographic series by the photgrapher Paul Seawright, and some of the photographs are on show at the Tate Britain as part of the 'Photographing Britain' exhibition. It consists of photographs of places where political murders have been committed in Northern Ireland over the past 30 years. Each is accompanied by the date on which the event occurred and a description of the event taken from newspapers, with all references to political organisations ommitted. This means the work focuses on the innocent lives that have been claimed for religious and political reasons. I really liked this work as the scene that is created by using the newspaper headline in conjunction with a raw image is very emotive, and almost eery in the fact that there are no people depicted in the scene. The work also exposes a side to Britain that most people outside of Northern Ireland can rarely ever relate to- something that interested me greatly.

'Photographing Britain' at the Tate Britain

This is the current exhibition on at the Tate Britain at the moment, taking the viewer on an insightful journey through the years of photography in Britain. I was slghtly disappointed by the fact that the exhibition is more sociological than an exploration into groundbreaking photography, yet there were some really interesting pieces of work. I would recommend the exhibition to anyone who has an active interest in Britain, or photography in general, as it is well worth the admission fee. The exhibition threw up a few photographers and pieces that i have gone on to look into further, and i will reference these on the blog also- i would say if you were pushed for time that 'Global Cities' at the Modern is the more worthwhile visit... this is definitely worth a look though.

La Haine

La Haine is a french film detailing the lives of three young men living in the slums of Paris. It concerns their daily struggles, and provides a raw and harsh insight into the difficult lives they live. I fell in love with the cinematography of this film, I love the fact that it is shot in black and white, which really gives it a timeless feel, and means it never looks out of date. It is a very honest, interesting story that is shot beautifully, and created with some really strong acting performances. Check this film out, don't let the subtitles put you off...

'Beyond The Neighbourhood' Sleeve

Album artwork for the new record by Athlete. This reminds me of the 'Night Vision' piece that i mentioned earlier in the blog, and i like it for similar reasons; it is a refined use of colour and perfect proportion of coloured blocks. The geometric visuals are not something you would normally associate with Athlete's style, which seems quite a deliberate change in the direction of their brand image.

Advertising-free zone.

This is a tv ad for Sky Movies, emphasising the fact that they have reduced advertising breaks during movies. It was filmed in Sao Paulo, which is actually currently going through a period when all exterior advertising has been removed from the city- something i couldn't quite beleive when i first heard about it. The sight of a cityscape completely devoid of all exterior advertising is something to marvel at. It is completely surreal but strangely beautiful, and it says something about the advertising industry that an advert can be made about a ban on adverts...oh the irony. Chortle.

A Few Bits And Bobs From The Modern...

These are a few pieces that I really enjoyed during my visit to the Tate Modern. The first was from the Global Cities exhibition, while the other two were from the poetry and dream section of the gallery.


This is a still from the video piece called 'Reveal' by Dryden Goodwin. In the video he captures the features of an anonymous stranger he encounters in the city of London. While posing for the portrait, the stranger talks about his life, and as the conversation progresses the personality and appearance of the stranger are revealed. I was completely absorbed by this work and although very simple in execution, the slow and gradual reveal was something that really drew a large group of viewers in.


This is an oil on canvas piece called 'Night Vision' by Fiona Rae. What drew me to this large scale canvas was its strong graphic presence, and the bold use of neon colours against the black stock. Although alot of modern art seems like a random distribution of paint on canvas, this piece seems to me to be perfectly proportioned and the distribution of visual stimuli seems deliberate and has a certain order to it. The meaning of this work is irrelevant to me, i just appreciate it as a visually interesting piece of work.


'Untitled' by Jannis Kounellis. Kounellis "regards the art gallery as a theatrical space", and this is evident in the scale and impact of this morbid piece. I loved the contrast between the hyper-realistic birds and the basic linear representation of the industrial landscape in the background. What do you think?

Sir Peter Blake loves a cheeky bit of Coke

Sir Peter Blake has 'teamed up', or 'sold out', depending on what you read, in collaboration with Coca-Cola to produce this installation on the Southbank. The huge piece of art, or billboard as most people will see it, is a huge collage reminiscent of his famous album cover for Sergeant Pepper's... there is only one discrepancy in the style and that is the patented bottle of Coke that takes up a third of the canvas. I actually really like the image, and although i do agree with a certain amount of the cyniscism, i don't agree with the majority of critiscism being levelled at Sir Peter. I think that if an artist or designer is offered an opportunity it is their perogative to take it.... Maybe the old boy wanted to stir up a bit of trouble?

'Global Cities' at the Modern

A fascinating exhibition detailing the effects of globalisation and modernisation on the cities of the world. These subjects may seem uninteresting in normal contexts, but the way the information on population explosion, pollution and migration is presented really creates an atmosphere that inspires and manifests interest. Of particular note for me were the 3-D mappings of the population distribution in various cities (see below)



Another piece was this concept of cultivating nature in a busy urban landscape with limited space- i really like the simplicity of this idea and i can envisage this being implemented in reality.

The Tate Modern

This gallery is a fantastic place to be. From the exterior, it appears as an industrial, featureless structure on the river, and is particularly imposing when walking across the Millenium Bridge. As soon as you are inside, you realise what a vast space the Tate Modern really is. What impresses me about the architecture is the grandeur of the features, especially the towering windows on the wall seen in the photo. Around this atrium are dotted small, modern structures of glass walls and bold colours- such a juxtaposition but semmingly natural, so much so that when i am there i can't imagine it being used for anything else. 'People watching' in this building is almost as compelling as the modern art on display...

'Se7en' Title Sequence

Another title sequence here, this time for the utterly brilliant film 'Se7en'. This sequence sets the whole tone for the film- it is unsettling, almost torturous yet unbearably watchable. There is something almost voyeuristic about watching the disturbing visuals that flash in front of your eyes. The audio begins almost like white noise and is throbbing thereafter, which makes it unnatural- add to this the scratchy handwriting of the typography and you have a deeply disturbing, powerful atmosphere that draws the viewer into the dark subject matter.

'Catch Me If You Can'

I thought i'd address my dvd collection as there are some gems of inspiration in there. 'Catch Me If You Can' is the true story of a con artist and the detective that spends decades in pursuit of him. The whole story of the film is outlined in the title sequence, and the viewer does not realise until the very end- like the film itself, it is a puzzle that is revealed in time. The typography and style of the flat colour tones are really strong and i love the seemless flow of the visuals accompanied by John William's intriguing score.

John French

John French is a British fashion photographer who had huge success in the 60's fashion industry. His photographs are the epitomy of the class and style of this high-fashion and decadent era. The female models are beautiful, and French was notorious for being meticulous in his construction of the composition of an image- rather than directing the model in various poses, he preferred to converse with them and organise a shot prior to shooting, which resulted, in my opinion, in lavish and beautifully composed images. The black and white tones remind me of this past era that i associate with a class, and sophistication that is missing from today's fashion... however i also note that modern fashion photography is different, and can be just as inspiring.

'New York Fashion Now.' Exhibition

The V&A is currently housing this exhibition of fashion items and photography from several decades. Some of the pieces are amazing, and contain interesting notes on the design process of the fashion designers that produce them. What interested me most about this exhibition was the photography, which, although limited, included exceptional classic shots from the photographer John French. I was initially drawn to this exhibition by the brilliantly designed poster- i love the bold monotone style and use of typography to create a cityscape skyline. It is keeping with the classy yet powerful visuals that this worthwhile exhibition has to offer. It's free so anyone interested should pop down...

Samaritans- Doodle Poster

This is the poster visual for the 'Things On Your Mind?' campaign. The doodle theme continues, as the subconscious troubles and thoughts of an unknown mind are poored out onto a scrap piece of paper. I always find these illustrations interesting, as they are full of different themes and meanings, all of which are perfect for the concept of this campaign.

Samaritans- Things On Your Mind?

I don't want to say much about this video as i think it deserves more than my attempts to praise it.

I love the idea of thoughts pouring out of someone's head, straight onto a page. The concept is unbelieveably strong and backed up by so much craft and care in the execution of the design. This is a beautiful video.

The Salvation Army

This is a running theme of my consciousness at the moment- charity design and the way charitable organisations present themselves. The Salvation Army building in London is a piece of architecture that is indicative of the modernisation of charity branding at the moment. Looking more like a bank, the transparent glass walls are decorated with quotes from the bible- while there is a clear concept here in making the organisation seem approachable and honest (by the fact that there are no visual obstructions or exteriors to the building) I can't quite help but feel it has no personality. It is this personality that i feel would make an organisation seem approachable and trustworthy in the first place...

Peeterman Artois

This is a great piece of design from Lowe London for Peeterman Artois. What a way to communicate class, sophistication and heritage- going back to a past print styles and creating a piece of art. The balance of the visual is perfect and the typography, as well as the colours that are adopted, are spot on.

Charity Design

My dissertation topic involves the role of design in the advertising and marketing campaigns of charitable organisations. I have found many examples of some really interesting pieces of design, and generally i think that this is one of the most exciting and innovative areas of the design industry. The recent ad campaigns for the drug charity FRANK have embodied what makes charity design so successful- a well thought out strategy based on an accurate and relevant tone of voice. Visually, alot of the work for FRANK is fresh with a strong graphic influence that i also appreciate.

Logo Design

With all the fury concerning the London 2012 logo, i started looking at previous examples, and found this logo for the 1968 games in Mexico. This is stylish, ground-breaking and has left a real mark both on the history of the Olympics and graphic design. I love the linear quality of it, and its effectiveness to convey a mood and era of style without reference to the landmarks of the city or sport itself- ultimately, this is what i think will make an Olympic logo relevant in future years, and why i actually quite like the London logo... it says more about the ground-breaking city and era than any silhouette or skyline of London ever could.

Sam Taylor- Wood

Sam Taylor-Wood is a photographer and contemporary artist that produces some really interesting work. I like the rawness and simplicity of her images and i think this gives it a real honest and hyper-realistic finish. Unlike most contemporary art, her work isn't dressed up to exaggerate image or concept- she captures life as it is and makes no apologies for it. The picture above shows one of her installations called 'Killing Time' that was in the Tate back in 2003, made up of several motion pieces on a large scale. Taylor-Wood produces raw photography and art that is refreshingly uncontrived.

Siam Square, Bangkok

While travelling in Thailand, one of my favourite places i visited was this modern district of Bangkok. Everything here is style- conscious, on the cutting edge, and huge... the billboards were the size of maybe 3 of our equivalents in the U.K. I loved walking around a place like this in awe, and seeing so much visual communication on such a large scale. It may just be me, but looking at a piece of visual work in a completely alien language (including the characters of the type) meant that i could appreciate the images and tone of voice on a very basic and almost artistic basis. It reminded me of Mike's assertion that Tesco's is a modern day museum, and although that seems a bit extreme to me, places like Siam Square really do capture a designer's attention.

Speed Magazine

This is a relatively new magazine to spring up in Bangkok. Because it is new and not pressured by sales figures, it produces some really fresh approaches to magazine design that are lost to western publications. Instead of 30 pages of adverts for couture fashion houses, there are entire pages dedicated to experimental typography, or graphic work. The photography is also rough round the edges which i think makes it more interesting- pretty raw and no airbrushing. Overall i like the fact that the lack of big budget pressure can create an environment that produces a raw and innovatively designed fashion magazine.

Good Song- Blur

Another piece of animation work by Shynola, this time for the Blur track 'Good Song'. Alan first showed us this during the motion module last year, but i thought i'd put it up here as an example of the diverse style of work by Shynola. Both of these examples are fantastic, though this is my favourite as the rough quality gives the video a charm that is perfect for the song.