the taxi tops of tokyo
Photographer Alexander James has a beauteous collection of Japanese taxi top photography.
Chances are, there's something you see in your life every day that could be realized as art, too. Or maybe you should just hire Alexander to walk around with you to point these things out.
Labels: art, japan, photography
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:23 AM
0 comments
Monday, February 08, 2010
print publishing: the new non-profit?
Giant Robot is the most awesome resource for Asian meets American pop culture. The trouble is, like most pubs on paper, not enough people are subscribing or paying for ads.
They've put together a pretty heart-touching video and fundraising site that explains their predicament and how they need your help.
Kind of makes you wonder if NPR-style fund-drives are the future of print publishing, doesn't it?
Labels: anime, art, japan, pop culture, publishing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:23 AM
0 comments
Friday, January 08, 2010
augmented reality for buildings
Check out this mall building in Tokyo. The facade is wallpapered with a giant digital QR code. View the building through your cell phone, and you get all of the detail about the stores inside.
In the future, we will walk the streets with our cell phones at arm's length. Oh, wait...we already do that. From @adgenius.
Labels: architecture, augmented reality, japan, outdoor
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:11 AM
0 comments
Monday, November 09, 2009
who says models have to be hipsters or hotties?
If apparel is awesome, it should make anyone look great. Even a random old man. That's how Japanese brand Unused has positioned their 2009 Fall/Winter collection. (Maybe your modeling days aren't over, after all.)
From Make the Logo Bigger.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:58 AM
0 comments
Monday, October 19, 2009
uniqlo takes over the world
Uniqlo has created another one of their Flashterpieces as a part of their "Tokyo to the world" campaign," and to coincide with the launch of their new store in Paris.
Uniqlo Calendar lets you create a widget, screensaver or web page calendar that tracks the weather, date and other important calendar stuff to an animated sequence of tilt shift photography.
Yes, the tilt shift revolution is overused, but if you put that aside, this is yet another sweet piece of of Japanese fashion super love. Shop on.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:11 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
astro boy for a new generation
Japanese anime lovers will either freak out in anger or delight at the fact that they're making a full length feature film of the classic Astro Boy character.
Astro Boy was created by Osamu Tezuka who is considered the godfather of manga, and was originally popular in the 1960's. Astro Boy has since become somewhat of a pop culture icon to anime fans. The producers of the new film worked with the son of Mr. Tezuka, and promise that it keeps true to the Astro Boy culture. Get your rocket feet ready.
Labels: anime, film, japan, pop culture
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:36 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
you control the catwalk
Uniqlo always has a fresh way of presenting their new season of product, and fall is no slouch.
You're presented with a virtual catwalk fashion show, where you can change the show from men to women or select an individual style. Click on any model walking the catwalk and you'll get the full rundown of what they're wearing.
An elegant way of presenting a fall catalog. Beautifully produced.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:26 AM
0 comments
Friday, June 19, 2009
cities pitch for the olympics
News from the Herd has a good review of all of the pitch videos from cities who would like to host the Olympics. Kind of cool to see someone other than agencies pitching for a change.
I like Tokyo's pitch best, because they promise to create magical flying ribbons and use comic book characters. Always a win.
Labels: japan, sports marketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:15 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
tour japan and shop for hoodies too
Uniqlo has launched another one of their cute infectious Flash promos that will have you bouncing to the cute beats while touring Japan. And you'll see how cool a hoodie might look on just about every type of person that you'd find in Japan.
This is a super simple concept wonderfully realized. Creativity wins again. Thanks, Kyle!!
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
Friday, May 22, 2009
rubberduckzilla is the friend of water haters
I will never drink water again. Go, go, go rubberduckzilla.
Labels: ads, beverage, japan, pop culture
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:35 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
public art that you can cram people into
Aren't these beautifully colored/painted/wrapped trains from Japan the most awesome public transportation that you have ever seen?
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:43 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
mcdonalds now just a quarter pounder, in japan
McDonalds is doing some weird stuff in Japan. They've opened two new stores - called Quarter Pounder. No golden arches. No McDonalds name.
There are two things on the menu: A quarter pounder and a double quarter pounder. The stores were opened with some attempted fanfare, a fake secret service type security guard and "Top Secret" signs.
The store design looks beautiful, and the graphics and package design are equally well designed - a departure from the poor/cheap/please everyone design that MCD's is known for elsewhere.
New micro retail concept? Marketing stunt? Only that freaky red headed clown knows for sure.
Labels: design, hospitality, japan, retail, stunts, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:41 AM
2 comments
Friday, May 30, 2008
how to create your own custom woven beanie
First, learn how to read Japanese. (You can do that this weekend.) Then go to stitch 2, and with your mouse, draw the graphics that you'd like to have woven into your hat. Click submit and wammo! Your beanie is on it's way!
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:02 AM
0 comments
Friday, May 09, 2008
uniqlo t-shirt promo rocks. again.
Uniqlo, the greatest store in all of the land, has produced yet another awesome interactive piece to promote their new line of t-shirts. Users can sample "beats" made from clips of Uniqlo models, and put them together in a way that it creates an original loop.
The result is a never-ending loop, created by users. While listening/watching, you can vote on favorite loops - which then pushes more popular loops further forward in the "song".
This is amazing work on so many levels. Time to go t-shirt shopping.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:29 AM
0 comments
Friday, April 18, 2008
what the pope is doing for fun this weekend
If you're looking for a reason to stay indoors this weekend, (and live in the northeast,) here you go: New York Comic Con. A festival of geekiness about comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, television and other nerdy gems.
A handful of the dorks from our agency will be there, so keep an eye out for us. If you're too cool for this level of geekdom, then we'll do our best to give you the highlights here on BrandFlakes. Or on Twitter. Or Flickr.
(We hang with geeks, so you don't have to.)
Labels: anime, illustration, japan, newyork, pop culture, tv
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
finally: a fashion guide on how to wear your surgical mask
I guess that if you live in Japan, you wear a surgical mask all the time. It's the thing to do. But how's a girl supposed to make it all cute? Thankfully, there's now a fashion guide for making your surgical mask stylish. Finally.
I think I'll start wearing a surgical mask when I video chat with friends on ooVoo, or Seesmic. That'll be my new video chat image.
Labels: fashion, japan, pop culture, trends
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:23 AM
0 comments
Friday, December 07, 2007
latest japanese trend: poke your eye out
Oh, goodie - they've come up with a word for the latest Japanese youth trend: Kegadoru. Kegadoru is technically a sub-trend, falling under the category of the already existing Cosplay. Use the word when you're referring to kids who have dressed like they're seriously injured. Seriously injured people are hot.
Labels: japan, trends, youthmarketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:11 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
artful japanese manhole covers
Cool collection of Japanese Manhole Covers
Labels: art, creativeinspiration, japan, outdoor
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:33 AM
0 comments
Friday, September 28, 2007
cute cars the next big thing
Wired Magazine has a little piece on the latest Japanese school girl trend. Cute cars.
The Pino, by Nissan, is a sweet little car that comes in a variety of really cool colors, and is completely customizable. From seat patterns, to tissue dispensers, stickers and matching fashions. And, they're cheap. They sell for about $8K - and Nissan has already sold more twice what they projected for the brand. Can't wait for these to hit the USA.
Labels: automotive, japan, pop culture, trends, youthmarketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:26 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
uniqlo has some more internet awesomeness
Just in case you were wondering, my favorite store in the entire world has yet another wonderously beautiful microsite. To promote polo shirts. Bask in its Flash goodness. From The BFF, via Twitter.
Labels: creativeinspiration, fashion, Flash, japan, youthmarketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:36 AM
0 comments
Monday, September 10, 2007
tokyo growing
Really cool clip featuring 35 years of photos from a single place in Tokyo. Apparently this guy doesn't get out much.
Labels: architecture, japan, photography
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:04 AM
0 comments
Friday, September 07, 2007
cosplay from the cosplayer.
Ping Mag has a really cool interview with a Cosplay girlie from Japan. And a little bit of insight from the source about the culture. Who knew there were warring factions of Cosplay, Lolita, and Gothic Lolitas? Subcultures of subcultures. Love it.
Labels: anime, japan, pop culture, youthmarketing
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:16 AM
0 comments
