Frohe Weihnachten!

It's time for my Winter hibernation. I finished my placement at Publics this week, time to move on. I am already in Hamburg enjoying the wonderful german Christmas fairs and the first snow here. I'm back to London & blogging in Jan, watch this place then, since I'm getting some support in the new year. Hope everyone feels the festive joy!

Absolut Icebar

Yes, being a Russian I am a big fan of vodka. Last week I visited the Absolut Icebar in London. I imagined it to be an Absolut Brand experience, whereas it is just a bar. I wasn't really stunned by the architecture, a plain room out of ice. I expected more, stuff like ice sculptures and funky shapes. Even if it' felt more like moneymaking than brand building – it's still a cool place.

Festive Delay

Looks like D&AD is taking it's time so it will not be until after Christmas/NYE until everyone will get the results about the Advertising Workshop. We are cool with that, let's enter festive mode and stop thinking about that stuff for a couple of weeks. Ho Ho Ho!

WK seeking

Wieden + Kennedy's Portland office started a recruitment campaign for all kinds of creatives a couple of weeks ago. I you are a creative person of any kind apply. Even if you do not consider working there, apply. It's an application that is fun to fill out, on top it is both, inspiring and motivating. Go to www.wk.com/seeking – you can't do wrong.

'This is it. The major casting call for all of the best of the best. If you don't know if you are the best, apply. If you can tell a good joke, apply. If you can use proper toilet etiquette (see below), apply. If your mom thinks you are handsome, apply. If you are a designer, a writer, a creator, a thinker, apply. Take a risk and the payoff could be huge.

This just might change your life.'

New New New

I decided that it's time for some change, so I've got myself a new haircut and lost some hair, thanks to Pimps & Pinups – great place! Together with this I got a new creative partner as well, yay! I am terrifically happy and excited. I cannot wait for January to start off in the new year and rock. Good things are about to happen, magic as a friend would say!

Who is it? We'll tell in January. Three more days at Publicis and then off to Germany for 'tis season's Christmas.

Digital Trinity

Here are my currently three favourite digital advertising pieces, stuff I get excited about. All different but all lovely indeed, stuff I wish I would have done. What's currently on your to like list?

First, the latest work for Burger King from Crispin Porter + Bogusky, asking themselves, what would happen if BK would discontinue the Whopper? Captured with hidden cameras and very amusing (although I am curious if all reactions are completely genuine), see the video at www.whopperfreakout.com


Next up is such a simple yet fantastic idea for SIXT, a car rental company in Germany. Jung von Matt used Google Ad Words to communicate visually via ASCII art. Brilliant! See it in action here.


A holding page for a new advertising start-up from youngsters Leo & Jo who just left Saatchi & Saatchi New York. Contagious communications, I'd love to enjoy this one interactively, mouse over manually to let more mouths speak – still great!

Oh and not to forget, as a bonus, the new clip from Lean Mean Fighting Machine, a very sticky song. Demphones, demphones...

Yaolee

This is yaolee, an idea I designed back in university. It's a wellness drink based on chinese herbs extracts to refresh mind and body – it comes in a small bamboo like packaging with a bright red brand mark on the front. I am a big fan of brand & packaging design and this is probably my most favourite piece I made.

More greenness

It is freezing cold outside. Just wait for January and February, it's gonna be even colder. Wait. Maybe not, climate change is on the rise, so our winter is gonna be warmer. That's the moment British Gas should start to worry. Pollution. Planet heating up. Higher temperatures. Less heating. Less money for British Gas – oh no!

Wouldn't it be logical for them to make a campaign to save the earth and stop climate change. Keep the planet cool so they can continue heating. Cause it's the best for the planet, for the people, and for their stakeholders.

We fear

The title of VCU Adcenter's magazine 2006. Dug it out from my bookshelf while looking for my typo book. There was a time I wanted to apply at VCU. In my opinion one of the greatest ad schools out there.

Designer Slash Model

'Sometimes I wonder. Is my work beautiful because I am beautiful?
Or am I beautiful because my work is beautiful?
It's probably a little bit of both.'

If you ever wondered how work & life is like in the creative industry, see the truth here at designerslashmodel.com. I discovered this gem a few months ago but never came around to post it. It is a brilliant self promotion /slash/ reel for Digital Kitchen, a US based motion design studio. Enjoy the video and remember – looking creative isn't enough, looking hot, that's the tiebreaker.

'It's as simple as this. Perfect people create perfect design.'

D&AD workshop work

The deadline for the workshop brief was an hour ago and the work arrived with them fine, so it means waiting for a response. I don't have a clue if they (whoever the judges are) will like the stuff, but I'll share it here. The first one contains the proposition, Organic Food made easy to Organic goes mainstream.

The second campaign submitted is a rather fun one, it's targeted more narrow, towards mothers. I'm curious about this one :)

Thorntons 'Stuck'

I found a wonderful ad yesterday on bestadsontv (very much worth signing up, it's free now). I was blown away, such a simple idea, executed so elegantly. I love the look of the child's face while he thinks. I haven't been fascinated about an ad for a long time.
I am with this one.

Watch it here, on bestadsontv, the quality is far superior to youtube. Done by creative team Tom Ewart & Dave Sullivan from SHOP London, does anyone know anything about this place? First time I hear about it. The spot is directed by Harmony Korine, who's most notable for his screenplay for Kids, at the age of 19.