more banksy please
fun with hipsters
Over the weekend #hipstersitcoms was trending on Twitter, so BuzzFeed was kind enough to put together this "Best Of" list to get you smirking this Monday morning. I'd say laughing, but that would be too obvious of an emotion for you hipsters.
snow as a creative outlet
Just because there's a snowpocalypse every four days doesn't mean that you can't have fun with it.
Visitors to NYC's Highline, the elevated rail line turned park are doing exactly that, and creating some fun and interesting snow sculptures along the park's walkway.
Maybe you could do the same thing with your co-workers this week, after that boring meeting on Wednesday.
eating bloody hearts in the name of love
Fancy a romantic date with blood, gore and inside a dungeon? Then grab your lover and head to the London Dungeon on Valentine's Day.
The famed attraction has teamed up with our friend Miss Cakehead, London's Princess of sugary goodness, and will be giving all visitors a heart ventricle cupcake to eat amongst the horror of the attraction’s Blood & Guts exhibition.
Sometimes creating attraction is as simple as adding a cupcake. Mmmmm, sounds super tasty.
how many positions have you tried?
You bring your laptop everywhere with you. You've found ways to use it that you never thought possible. You love your laptop.
Now someone's illustrated the Kama Sutra for laptop poses. You know you've done at least half of these. From @guykawasaki
eerily fascinating
When you get your picture taken do you always try to flash your good side? Well, this creepy new app, Echoism, now lets you see what you'd look like if the other side of your face matched your good side exactly. Or how darn ugly you'd be if it matched the bad side. I'm not sure if this is really interesting and cool, or freaky and ridiculous. You?
banner ad FAIL
You know that saying "location, location, location"? Yeah, that applies to banner ads too. Just saying, if this BuzzFeed list of really unfortunate internet ad placements were a blog, I'd check it out regularly. Oh, and there are 101 of them for you to enjoy on this fine Friday morning... it's not like you were really working anyway.
awesome times 1000
The Awesome Foundation (awesome name!) wants to share a little awesome sauce with you.
Got a cool idea of something you'd like to do in your community? Submit it to the Awesome Foundation, and if it wins approval, they'll send you $1000 to make it happen. That's the most awesome festival of money distribution we've seen in a long time.
Go forth, make awesome happen. From GOOD.
the future will be tagged
Popular mobile/social photo sharing tool Instagram has just instituted tags to their photo sharing system.
What's the big deal? Think about all of the photography that takes place around any single event. Then think of your one friend's tweeted photo, and how cool it would be to see how a couple of other hundred people saw the same event. Bam.
Tags allow us to view photos categorized however the crowd sees fit. This has been a feature of Flickr since forever, but adding the feature to a more mobile and social photo community changes everything. Tag it.
pot soda.
Just when you're absolutely sure that they've thought of everything as it relates to food and beverage innovation, along comes pot soda.
It's a THC-infused carbonated beverage in a host of fun flavors. For sale now at medicinal marijuana dispensaries, or maybe that dude in Washington Square Park.
The product is the work of concert photographer and political cartoonist Clay Butler, and If It's Hip It's Here has a wonderful set of product photos and detail about the creation of this new hippy dippy drink.
you're getting hotter
JetBlue ran a takeover series of banners on Boston.com yesterday, that were totally cool.
The banners start out cold blue and state "you're freezing", (true, with another eighteen inches of snow to boot). As you move your cursor closer to a banner to book a trip to a warmer place, the banners change their messages to "getting warmer" and "you're getting hot" treatments, as the colors change to the color of the sun.
Super cute fun in an unexpected way. Proof that you can use standard digital media in new ways if you're awesomely creative. Nice work, @stuartfoster & team!
netflix: fighting for better/faster internet
It's long been reported that Netflix commands up to 20% of all internet traffic.
Knowing that their future very much depends on their customer's ability to stream content efficiently, they're planning to launch a new campaign today that rates internet providers by efficiency. They want to help their users get fast, full internet access without having to pay ridiculo mondo fees.
This is sure to generate fans of the brand from internet users, while creating a very public price/product comparison between internet providers. Keep your eye on the screen, because this will be fun.
street art with nothing but tape
What do you need to produce beautiful public art? Paint? Markers? Sculpting tools? How about a roll of masking tape.
3M/Scotch tape: are you paying attention to this? This would also serve as a fun tactic for a small business looking to attract foot traffic to a retail store.
what if video game characters were real?
Artist/photographer Aled Lewis explores what it might be like if video game characters existed in real life.
This is begging to be an ad campaign. From Quipsologies.
faces of the union
As further proof that the internet is filled with awesome juice, someone has collected the best faces from the State of the Union last night, from still frames of video.
Love the internet, because it makes this possible.
KILLER INFOGRAPHIC
tetris takes manhattan
Artist Tim Clark is painting a Tetris board over the streets of Manhattan, using his mobile phone, and walking the game board. The result is a digital drawing of Tetris pieces filling the city with their digital goodness.
Why would you do this, when you could easily paint the same thing in Photoshop? Why not?
free youtube video idea
Have you ever dreamed of hitting the slopes with a lawnmower chasing you?
We came across the Skizee on Thrillist, and had to know more. It turns out that Skizee is like a mini snowmobile that rides behind you, pushing you across the snow. (Sold!)
Because in our heads everything relates to the internet or advertising, we saw immediate opportunity. Imagine a squadron of skiers filling a field with their Skizees behind them, performing a choreographed routine for all to enjoy. It's a YouTube sensation just waiting for your budget to make it happen.
Just sharing because that's what we're all about.
super awesome social media case study
How do you make a fan of your brand in social media? Sometimes it's not as complicated as the big agencies try and make it seem. Sometimes, it's as simple as having a conversation with your customers, and giving them a little surprise and delight.
That's exactly what the C-Town in Williamsburg, Brooklyn did. They became a part of the local conversation, incorporated the internet convo into their marketing, and then gave their customers what they needed. File this under "awesome case studies." Thanks, Casey!
stay safe, soviets.
These old school, rough and bloody soviet safety posters will make you really happy that you work in an office, behind a keyboard all day. Be safe out there.
princess leia in your living room?
Everyone's buzzing about 3D tv, and talking about buying devices that require them to wear silly glasses in their own living rooms. Stop the chatter, and just wait for the Star Wars future that you've always dreamed of.
The super geeks at MIT are actually experimenting with the delivery of holographic tv through a device like XBox Kinect and standard graphics chips. For real.
state of the union: web edition
This being State of the Union day and all, it wouldn't be complete without a state of affairs on the entire world wide web.
And for that, we turn to The Oatmeal, who serves it up like nobody else can.
more people are using foursquare
FourSquare released their own sort of State of the Union detailing key data from 2010's checkins. And they made them all cute and infographicy.
The hot points:
+ FourSquare grew 3400%
+ MOMA NYC is the most popular museum
+ There's only 1 Mayor of a Wendy's named Wendy.
Maybe it's time you checked in on this bandwagon, and let everyone know where you're at.
where social media stands
Ever wonder which social media tool is least lame? Curious about what the masses really think of your favorite social media platform? Well, no worries, Google suggest will let you know right where they stand... and apparently it's in a steaming pile of poop for most of them. Man, people are harsh. Not sure which is my favorite: "Google buzz is a dirty snitch" or "Google is a pervert?"
I spy things on the internet
UK digital agency, Syzygy, worked with illustrator, McBess, to create this fun little illustration of 20 things that happened on the internet in 2010. To get the brain flowing this fine Monday morning go ahead and try to guess what all 20 memes, projects, events, etc. are. If you get stumped, or are just plain lazy, they'll be tweeting clues for the next couple weeks. And, they're also giving away 100 of these puppies everyday for sharing it on Twitter using #20things. Fun times for all.
print doesn't have to suck
Print pubs have been pulling all sorts of trick to try and keep themselves relevant in a digitally dominant world. Some have been FAILS, and others are actually pretty sweet, like this latest augmented reality iphone app from Esquire and Gold Run, which has two levels of awesome. Awesome level 1: The app lets you take a picture with a virtual version of their latest cover model, Brooklyn Decker, in over 700 Barnes & Noble stores. When you hold your phone up within 50 yards of the magazine section and see Brooklyn "standing" there, you can basically freeze her in space, run over to where she's standing and get your pict with her so you can pretend you're cool on Facebook.
Awesome level 2: The app also allows you to go on a virtual scavenger hunt in cities across America for all the letters of their cool new logo created by Tronic Studio. When you see a letter and take a pict of yourself with it, you can enter it for a chance to win an ipad.
Pretty cool use of augmented reality in a promotional way and a good way to up the ante for the print world.
the biggest science fair in the world
Google is putting on the world's largest science fair, and asking students from all over the world ages 13 to 18 to submit interesting and creative projects.
They've even produced teacher classroom materials and a complete list of Google Resources that students can use for help. Prizes include a family vacation to the Galapagos Islands, and a $50,000 scholarship.
Here's a brand that's doing good, yet demonstrating the value of their product at the same time. What could you do for your community (or the world) that would do the same? From GOOD.
a chase across the internet
This is a few weeks old, but if you haven't seen it, your head will explode with the production of this YouTube video for Intel. Fun on the internet. Thanks, Bill!
crowdsourcing a better nyc
NYC is about to launch a pretty awesome crowdsourcing project that lets citizens suggest ideas for improvement, join action groups, and then get matched with city funds or existing projects and teams that will make things happen.
Here's a great way to involve a community and become stronger than resources alone would allow. It's all kicking off later this spring, but you can start exploring the website now. Crowdsourcing, FTW.
selling cigarettes to hipsters
Like it or not, some people need to smoke. And tobacco companies want to sell these people more smokes. So how do you make an old brand even cooler? Localize it.
That's exactly what R.J. Reynolds has done with their Williamsburg, Brooklyn branded cigs. The exact same product, but stacked in a pack branded Brooklyn. According to the Gothamist, they're flying off the shelves just as fast as they can stock them.
Proof that packaging design, localization and smart marketing can light up sales for just about anything.
you can still buy zip disks
Our friend @MTLB points out that you can still buy Zip disks at Staples. Just in case you wanted one.
More importantly, he found a pretty awesome poster illustrating the entire history of digital storage.
every soda can you never knew existed
Aren't you always complaining that you don't have a resource for browsing soda cans?
Your prayers have been answered: a comprehensive library of soda can art, conveniently sorted in alphabetical order. It exists, and it's awesome with sugar inside. From Coudal.
what it's like to be shot into the sky
Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be an arrow, shot into the sky from a bow? Wonder no more.
raybans: faster than a speeding train
The wacky dudes at Rayban are at it again, because sunglass season is just around the corner.
For now you may be spending a lot of time underground, so Rayban shows you how to run the length of five subway cars at the speed of...a train. If you wear the right glasses.
have sex everywhere
This new campaign for Viagra shows that if you put your imagination to it (and the right amount of pharmaceuticals), that pretty much anything can be your bed of fun.
Cool concept, that would be awesome to see extended to experiential placements across cities, trade shows and anywhere else where people like to have sex.
celebrating genius
Anyone who tells you that B2B marketing has to be boring to boring, needs to get out of the business, period.
GE is sporting a wonderful new example with their Genius of the Day promotion. They've created a calendar app that users can download, and it features a different employee in the company each day, cleverly positioned as the Genius of the Day.
Great for the brand, great for the employees. Genius.
the worst ads in nyc
Anyone who spends more than a fair amount of time in NYC knows that the ads that grace the subway cars are some of the absolute worst advertising on earth. Some are so bad they've even attracted sort of a cult following.
From firefighters throwing gang signs to the world famous Dr. Zizmor, now there's a place to document it all: Paging Dr. Zizmor is a Tumblr blog devoted to the worst underground advertising on earth. With commentary. Super awesome. From the Thrillist.
give us your email address, for something magical
Thousands of people a day are signing up for a service that nobody really knows anything about.
Hipster is a new tool/service/network/magical potion that promises to change the way we interact with our community. At least that's what Hipster CEO Doug Ludlow explains in his answer to the question everyone wants to know, on Quora. But you'd never know that from the entry screen. No product promotion. No information. Just a single sign up box, over a provocative city image.
Want to sign up? Use my link, and I'll have a better chance at an earlier beta invite. The more you share your referral link, the faster you get an invite. Next, we'll find that they've been valued at $35 billion. Freakin' genius.
it's ok to have fun at work
Our friends at Xplane have a new book called Gamestorming that walks you through the creative brainstorm process, Silicon Valley style.
While we haven't read the book yet, the trailer says so much:
Employees aren't motivated or inspired by cubicles, conference rooms, structure, your rules or money. They need to feel free, and have fun.
And not to worry if you have a dud work environment - apparently the book will tell you everything you need to instill fun, creativity and massively awesome brainstorms. Even at your place.
zombies, squirrels, cocaine, oh my
This apparently left "web guy," Adam Hemphill, with some free time on his hands, so he took it upon himself to explain the cause of their issues at http://wellbebackshortly.com.
As of last night there were 101 hi-larious reasons including zombies, squirrels, and of course really strong drugs. Join the fun and tweet your own using #reasonstumblrwentdown.
mystery in a snowpocalypse
NY filmmaker, Todd Bieber, was cross-country skiing in Prospect Park after the blizzard and came upon a mysterious film canister. Curious, of course, he went home and developed them only to find they're pretty darn good photos.
In this video he documents his exploration of the photos as he tries to get a grasp on the photographers' story.
Todd asks that if you recognize the guys in the photos to contact him at brooklynfoundfilm@gmail.com.
youtube driving experience
Subaru produced a totally awesome YouTube driving experience for you to see what it's like to drive a WRX through a pine forest.
They've taken advantage of the fact that you can add links within a YouTube clip, and created several camera views of the road test. What's even better, they've linked them so that when you click through to the other clips, they bring you to the exact point in the alternate clip, so it's a pretty seamless experience.
This is how you rock YouTube.
don't wash your jeans
Denim lovers and connoisseurs have known this forever: don't wash your jeans after every wearing. Some say you shouldn't wash them until they stink. (And technically, you shouldn't dry them, either.)
Now Levis has come out with a campaign that looks to educate buyers about how frequent washing is unnecessary. They've also updated their manufacturing process, so that their jeans require less washing in the production process.
So if you don't wash, and they don't wash, we'll all save tons and tons of water. And a few of us will stink a little.
easy fonts = harder to remember
A new study at Princeton shows that easier to read fonts - like the kind that display text on your e-reading magic iPad or Kindle - actually make it more difficult to remember what you're reading.
We'll say that again, in case you've read this on an iPad, and already forgot:
A new study at Princeton shows that easier to read fonts - like the kind that display text on your e-reading magic iPad or Kindle - actually make it more difficult to remember what you're reading.
douchebag citation
SPOILER ALERT - not citing always ends in you being a douchebag.
Oh, and to make sure we're not douchebags ourselves, we'd like to give a shout-out to Brain Pickings for finding this.
Jay Leno eats babies
It's Monday morning and you were probably up late celebrating the Golden Globe victory of your favorite celeb (or something like that). So in their honor we give you Google auto search talking crap about celebs from Screen Junkies. Enjoy!
this crash brought to you by...
When I'm being pulled out of a wreck with the jaws of life, could you just make sure there are some super hot booth babes dancing around the car?
That's the premise behind Crashvertising, a satirical look at how our industry has taken advertising on everything just a step. too. far. Funny.
when you go, who gets your internet stuff?
Digital explorer and artist Evan Roth is up to something awesome again. He's invented an Intellectual Property Donor sticker that you can affix to to the back of your drivers license. When it's time for you to go, everyone will know that you want all of your internet babies donated to the public domain.
If taken seriously, this could lead to the generation of grand digital libraries of public art and content. If taken for fun, it raises the question about the relevancy of current copyright laws that require a 70 year waiting period to cross into the public domain. From @mtlb.
@tsand needs your help.
Mercedes Benz just launched a fun promotion called Tweet Race that pits some influential Twitter users and their celebrity coaches against each other for a Twitter-fueled race to the Super Bowl.
We're not exactly sure how tweet fuel works, but we know one thing for sure: You must take 30 seconds right now and join Todd's team.
There may be a SuperBowl spot in the making, there may be a free car for Todd's wife, and there will certainly be SuperBowl tickets.
(We also like Len Kendall's team, but @tsand has already pimped his kids in the name of Humongo, so we're returning the love in the most Humongo way we know how.)
Join, vote, like, and help a Twitter brother out. Ok?
turning your users into your street team
Tired of explaining to a business owner that you're the "mayor" of their store, and getting blank stares back, in return? Or a "that's great...we're real proud of you..." response?
FourSquare just launched an ambassador program that gives dedicated FourSquare users handy info cards that they can give to retailers and businesses to help them understand the FourSquare phenomenon.
Super smart. FourSquare will be building an army of people on the street, without actually paying for an army of people on the street.
say yes more
Nirvana fans will love this old flyer promoting the taping of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" music video.
It also serves as a fantastic reminder that there's greatness happening all around us every day, sometimes right in front of our eyes. If you saw this flyer back in the day, would you have gone? What aren't you saying "yes" to today, that could be great tomorrow?
a most impressive case study
If you work in advertising, marketing or digital business, you'll absolutely love this case study on the most important project the John St. agency has ever embarked upon.
What a fantastic lesson in how marketers could take themselves just a little less seriously.
art appreciation in 5 seconds or less
When artist, Leo Caillard, visited the Louvre in Paris he noticed something interesting: People spend only about 5 seconds viewing any one piece of art before moving on to the next one, much like they would when browsing images on the internet. Intrigued by this, Leo digitally rendered a redesign of the Louvre inspired by Apple's UI to make a statement on people's (lack of) ability to reflect on what they're looking at due to the large number of images we're exposed to every day on the internet.
Case in point - I looked at his renderings for about 5 seconds before deciding they were awesome enough for this post. Nuff said.
grand theft auto: the film
Someone made an entire feature length film using nothing but scenes from the Grand Theft Auto video game.
This is machinima brought to the next level. From @satisfeye
super high energy sugary goodness
Check out this sugartastic new cereal packaging that has wirelessly powered lighting, and even an electronic freshness monitor.
Trix never tasted so awesome. From @mmcgreevy
facebook too much?
Sociological images asks if maybe we've gone too far integrating Facebook into our media. This screen grab of one of America's most notable publications pretty much says it all. Thanks, Eliza!
people don't really say these things
The most beautiful thing you'll read all week: A Tumblr devoted to Things Real People Don't Say About Advertising.
It's advertising magic, in a blog. From @thisisio
the life of our gadgets
Check out this super awesome interactive graphic that illustrates the the price and adoption of gadgets. Remember when cell phones cost $4000??
turning devices into virtual windows
Virtual tours have been a part of the real estate industry for years now, but a new app and product may push virtual tours even further, while opening some pretty awesome opportunities for brands.
Tour Wrist turns your phone or iPad into a virtual window onto another world. What used to be possible with only janky webcams, is now brought to life by giving the user control of the experience. Ideas = endless. Thanks, Casey!
google is smarter than you
evolution of photoshop
what motivates people to do good
Katya's got an awesome post detailing what motivates people to do good. If you're a non-profit, or a brand that needs to activate an audience for good, this is a an excellent benchmark to hold your campaign up to.
Here's the top three:
1. When other people around them are doing good.
2. When they have a personal tie to a cause.
3. When someone they know asks them.
You'll have to click through to Katya's blog for the full list of 9 motivators. Don't be lazy, your boss is counting on you to learn this stuff.
Photo: Henrik Strom. From @geoffliving
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