Google Wave

From a design point of view, I'm not a massive fan of Google's logo. I think the font is ugly, and the drop shadow is so very 90's. But it's iconic - they simply couldn't change it now (perhaps losing the shadow could work, though!). However they are now starting to make up for whatever design faux-pas they may have committed in the past.

Google Wave (apart from looking like what's going to be an incredibly useful and timely update to what we know as 'email') has a lovely logo - still very Google, but thankfully not inheriting any of the bad things about Google's branding.

The shape has a pleasing flow to it, whilst also being utterly organised and regular. It looks like Google Wave is something you can trust. It's not going to let your electronic thoughts and belongings get swept away in a freak current.

The colours are of course, so Google, but they work well, and there is still a shadow, but it's a more modern floor-based variant which makes the shape look almost like a floating piece of sculpture.

A nice logo which represents the product really well.

Wembley Stadium

I've always loved the idea of the new Wembley Stadium's iconic arch, and since its completion I had often admired it from afar. However I hadn't visited the stadium up close until going to the Coldplay concert there in September.

The sheer enormity of the arch is incredible - it looks massive from far away, but is absolutely gargantuan when you come up close to one of its skeletal feet planting itself to the ground. It really is a stunning design. It also looks absolutely amazing from inside, as illustrated in the above image.

One of the best stadium designs, in my opinion. Giant in its scale, but simple and elegant at the same time. It's not fussy and it doesn't try too hard - it's just cool. Great architecture.

Brand loyalty = deadly habit

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8282579.stm

A very interesting article regarding the idea of stripping cigarette packets of their branding in order to reduce the amount of smokers.

It seems there is a lot of evidence to suggest that giving all cigarette packets a uniform, bland and standardised look would help people to stop smoking, due to the fact that many smokers have become so attached to their brand and its associated image that part of their addiction, is in fact, an addiction to "brand"!

Shows the power that branding can have...

Inglourious Basterds

I'm not Tarantino's biggest fan, but I did enjoy the cinematography in his latest foray into Nazi Germany, Inglourious Basterds.

The shots were all set up incredibly well and brought just the right atmosphere to every scene, from the green and pleasant rolling hills of the French dairy farms to the wartorn but strangely, almost cosy, surroundings of a charming cinema in wartime Paris.

My favourite scene in the film has to be the big fiery climax (without giving too much away, for those who have yet to see it). The scene is so atmospheric and creates a moving and unforgettable image.

The film is also notable for its use of colour, and as always with Tarantino's films, it's filled with small and symbolic details which most of us won't pick up on (at least not on the first viewing).

Beautiful dust

This beautiful, ethereal music video by director Esteban Diácono creates a stunning atmospheric visual.



Although it starts off fairly slowly, as the music builds up the animation also fires up and creates some stunning displays, not unlike some kind of organic firework. I also like the way the camera appears to be rotating around the action at certain points - either that or there is some sort of a whirlwind manipulating the particles.

Organic furniture

Ad agency RSA and Post Production house Golden Sq created this interesting and different commercial for furniture company Otobi.

http://www.goldensq.com/news/stories/2009/Aug/otobi?portfolio=page1

The cinematic feel of the film portrays the lush feel of the rainforest well, and the furniture growing out of the foliage is an interesting image, but I'm not sure if it does the job of selling the furniture that successfully. The furniture "grows" fairly effectively, but after it has done it just ends up looking like it's been "plonked" there rather unnaturally. Unfortunately I don't think the rather ordinary-looking furniture looks that great in the beautiful rainforest surroundings! In fact the rainforest seems to steal the limelight somewhat. I think it's a nice idea in theory, and I guess the company want to tout their products' links with nature, but I don't like the final resolve. Perhaps it would have been better for the background to fade away after the furniture had grown? Or grow the forest into a white studio setting?

For Print Only

Just to point out a very interesting blog - For Print Only.

Great resource for inspiration regarding print projects, showcasing some fantastic examples from designers around the world.

In its own words...

"FPO is a blog dedicated to both the visual stimulus and the detailing of the development and production of printed matter: Annual reports, books, business cards, stationery suites, collateral materials, posters, packaging and anything else where ink meets substrate. A subject matter we know, love and understand. A process that, despite numerous eulogies, is still alive. Perhaps even more lively than ever as designers are tasked with producing their designs under tighter budgets and pressing concerns about the environment. By focusing on print work, we know that we will have an endless array of work to showcase as it rolls of the presses and by creating very detailed project overviews and sharing the production details of each project we can actually establish a source of both inspiration and education."

Cheeky Dixons

This new advertising campaign from online electricals retailer Dixons.co.uk caught my eye on the tube the other day.

At first glance, the poster looks a lot like an advert for John Lewis, emulating the department store's very recognisable typeface, colours and style. By the time you have read to the end of the poster, Dixons.co.uk has taken over.

It's a cleverly written poster, because this is the way many people end up purchasing electricals these days - checking out the product first in a store and then buying it for a much cheaper price online. It also never mentions any other brand name, but most people will be left in no doubt of the stores which it refers to. Though ironically the campaign demonstrates the power of the John Lewis branding - the Dixons branding in comparison looks weak!

The only downside of the campaign for Dixons is that some people might not realise that the store is now online only - Currys Digital was the brand which replaced all of Dixons' high street stores in 2007 (my Mum being one example of such a person!). In which case the advert seems to say that Dixons' staff are untrained and not "well brought up"!

Perhaps if more care was taken to build Dixons.co.uk as an online only brand when the rebranding took place, this new campaign would be more successful.

Retail Week article on the campaign

Ever stay for the closing credits?

There have been some fantastic and amazing closing credit sequences featured on various films for the past few years, but on TV the credits have generally remained pretty boring and staid. Not any more...

Specialists in TV title sequences Kiss My Pixel were clearly allowed to go crazy with TV chef - no - cook (he's a cook, not a chef!!), Nigel Slater's new BBC series.

Though unusually they seem to have gone more town on the closing credits than the opening titles (which aren't exactly anything special).



Check it out here (this link will take you straight to the closing sequence)

http://bbc.co.uk/i/mq461/?t=28m12s

They are credits which certainly make you sit up and take notice! They have even managed to sneakily get the Kiss My Pixel logo in there, masquerading as a type of herb!!

It's a nice idea, but I'm not keen on the way they have implemented it. The way the camera jolts suddenly from one jar to the next and blurs in between seems stilted and strange, as if we're looking through the eyes of a bleary-eyed student who's just got in from a night out, stumbling around the kitchen to rustle up a pre-bed omelette. It just doesn't seem right. I would have preferred a simple line of jars/cans/whatever on a shelf, with the camera slowly moving from one end to the other.

That said, it's certainly different and kudos to them for that.

http://www.kissmypixel.com/

BBC HD

I'm a big fan of the new BBC HD idents. They are shot beautifully and capture the essence of the BBC's high-def output brilliantly - bringing the viewer something spectacular.

The cover all the bases, too... Wildlife shows...



...Strictly Come Dancing...



...Crufts!



...Music (This one's a bit cheesy and I think the weakest of the set)



And fishing/wildlife/kids!



I'm especially fond of the way the idents resolve in a very neat and gentle way after the initial surprise and excitement.

Interestingly there's something rather European about the idents as well, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Very nice. And a vast improvement on their previous CGI 1980's style effort! (which seems to have vanished from YouTube!)

Dollar Rede$ign

An aspect of design which has always fascinated me is when a situation requires you to take something which already exists and totally revamp it - creating something that looks fresh and new, but still using the basic raw materials and purpose of the original.

I stumbled across this project being run on Flickr which challenges designers to revamp the iconic US Dollar bank notes.

The entries are fascinating to look at. It's interesting to imagine what kind of impact a drastic change to the oldest remaining physical representation of money might have on peoples' relationship with it.

Some designs are obviously more extreme than others. Lisa Tse's effort (actually it's her personal business card - I think) is seductive and sexy - http://richardsmith.posterous.com/delicious-dollars-could-currency-design-get-a

Some are ultra minimalistic:



I think among my favourites are the ones which use the classic green but add a splash of colour (this was a runner up in the competition):



Have a look at all of the submitted designs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thinkcreatebelieve/ and the accompanying blog http://richardsmith.posterous.com/

See the overall winners of the competition at http://richardsmith.posterous.com/july-4th-special-announcement-dollar-redeign