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.

Go With The Flow- QOTSA

Coming back to my blog, the earlier video for Kavinsky's 'Testarossa Autodrive' reminded me of this work by Shynola for the queens of the stone age. This video is still relevant and hasn't lost its edge, even though it may be considered dated now.

The Hands

Great simple and fresh piece of motion work. AMV BBDO have been producing a lot of surreal motion pieces recently and this one for Guinness is one of the better ones, once again it is an example of the innovative approach to marketing by the agency for the Guinness brand.

Guinness Extra Cold

I remember seeing this ad in print and appreciating how fresh and clean it is. It is witty, with a simple and effective message that isnt clouded by overdressing the visual; the tonal values of the ad communicate the message completely... perfect.

The Strongest Brand?

Does Guinness have the strongest visual product around? Personally i think it does. In my opinion Guinness is the perfect brand- from the moment it poors to the way it is marketed, most people in the world will know what it is just from seeing the contrast in tone and proportion of Black and White. For those people who do not consider brand power a constructive thing in design, Guinness does not follow the mould of Coca-Cola in uninspiring or dull campaigns that rely solely on brand loyalty and recognition. Guinness pride themselves on being at the forefront of advertising, producing some of the most memorable pieces in recent times. I thought this post on brand recognition could spark some sort of debate... is brand power productive for our creative industry or does it inhibit creative ideas? Is there a point where the brand restricts innovation?

Testarossa Autodrive- Kavinsky

This is another video credited to the producers of Justice's 'D.A.N.C.E.' produced for the electronic artist Kavinsky. The designer's talents are clearly diverse and i appreciate the way they do not stick to just one style when producing these motion pieces. I also like the visual identity for the artist himself, it has a strong graphic quality which is something that i always appreciate.

D.A.N.C.E.- Justice

This is a music video for the latest single by french duo Justice, credited to the producers 'Jonas And Francois' from irene75 production company. Not only is this a tune, but the video is one of my favourites for a long time. The use of typography on the t shirt designs and the linear chronology of the video makes it just a really simple, interactive experience. It is one of those experiences that you can come back to and gain more from everytime, i especially like the way the wearers of the tees interact with the designs, by pulling them down, or by brushing them down. Apparently there has been huge demand for the designs to be printed on real tees, and i'm not surprised- they're pretty cool. I like the genuine craft of this video and its something that i would aspire to in any future motion work.

Blink...

This is a book by Malcolm Gladwell that i think is an essential read for any 'visual' person. It discusses the notion of 'thin-slicing', which may also be described as instinct. In essence, Gladwell suggests that a trained mind can subconsciously solve a visual problem and provide a solution in a split second, and suggests that these persons should learn to trust the subconscious messages that they receive from their brain. It struck a chord with me as there have been many times where i or someone else has looked at a piece of work and without being able to describe why, knows there is something not quite right with it... I found it a fascinating read, and although i disagreed with some parts and felt Gladwell to be contradicting or clouding his overall message, i still recommend it as a very interesting read for all designers.

Last one i promise...

This is the last one i'm going to put up but there are more in the series on Youtube that are just as funny. The Starburst 'reveal' in this ad is probably my favourite, i love the texture of the background when the tag line comes up- it communicates the idea of flowing juicyness perfectly. The way he smells the packet at the end is also a perfect touch...

Another in the Starburst series...

Another of the Starburst ads, this time a little less surreal in concept but not lacking in comedy. What interests me in these ads is the courage to do something entirely different- i would never have thought that a huge product like Starburst would be marketed in such a way, yet they have produced fantastic ads that really say something about their brand and set themselves apart from the rest.

Starburst Surrealism

I first saw this TV Ad a while ago and loved its surrealism. I don't think i've seen something quite so strange before or since, but i really respect the agency for coming up with something so daringly strange and Starburst for backing them to do so. Imagine trying to pitch this idea to a billion dollar company...