mmmm. meatwater.
Brooklyn based designer/photographer Till Krautkramer has invented the most delicious and refreshing beverage ever: MeatWater.
MeatWater comes in all of your favorite flavors, including Beef Stroganof, Beef Jerky, Texas BBQ, and my favorite - Dirty Hot Dog. The same juice that powers the most awesome NYC hot dog carts. Mmmm. Get some. Pure parody fun. Found on Gothamist.
Labels: package design, parody, productdesign, typography, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:19 AM
0 comments
the elevator is lying to you.
This is an interesting factoid, about human behavior, and product design. You've probably seen the clip that's made its way around the internets, featuring the guy stuck in the elevator for 41 hours. Yech.
This leads to a fun fact about elevator design. It turns out that the handy "close door" button doesn't work. In ANY elevator manufactured since the early 90's. It's only there to make you feel like you have a sense of control.
When I read this, it made me angry. Why can't we be honest?
There's a new Quiznos spot running, featuring a yummy looking chicken thing. And in the new spot, it features the sandwich as "naughty." I laughed, because I saw that as honest. I'm not going to eat a mega-calorie gut buster because I think it's the healthy thing to do. I'm going to eat it because I deserve it. Or because I feel like being naughty. (In the eating, kind of naughty way.)
So, bring on the honesty. Let's stop deception. Let's get naughty.
Labels: ads, branding, productdesign, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:32 AM
2 comments
interactive at the bus stop
Here's a cool way to make your outdoor work interactive. They should put a big tub of hand sanitizer next to the piece, too. But I'm pretty sure everyone at the bus station has clean hands, so we're probably good. (photo by Alexander Pihl)
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:21 AM
0 comments
mmmm. vintage coke.
It's all about the packaging. Coke is releasing limited edition versions of their 1906 "diamond label" bottles. These are the bottles that helped establish Coke as unique. (They had to do something, after removing cocaine from the ingredients.)
From the girlriot, via Twitter
Labels: beverage, package design, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:12 AM
0 comments
some awesome bimbos at the bodega
The bodega on the corner by our agency is filled with Bimbo products. And they always make us snicker. Brand Identity Guru points to this, and a couple of other funny and unfortunate product naming blunders, and wonders why they even exist.
Labels: branding, identity, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
0 comments
honey bees: not just stinging, killing machines
Think bees are scary creatures with daggers in their asses, ready to strike you down? Well, you need to lighten up and fall in love with them. Thankfully, Haagen Dazs has made that easy - and removed all of the fright from the bees' brand essence.
Put the insecticides away, and visit Help the Honey Bees. You'll completely forget that bees can swarm, sting and kill. This piece has been produced to raise awareness about the plight of the bees, and helps to show why we need them. And to promote ice cream. (Beautiful design/illustration work, too.) From Adverblog.
Labels: yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:43 AM
0 comments
another reason to buy loads of easter candy
I have no idea why they decided to put this into a blog instead of a campaign site (they heard blogs were a really big thing? They think video contests = social media?), but this is at least a fun idea. Put Peeps in a video. All you have to do is make something better than the 4 minute borefest they've launched as an example. Easy.
So, you get to buy peeps, play with them until they get stale, and then munch them down. Win/Win.
Labels: yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:42 AM
1 comments
now hiring: pinata man
A new spot for chocolate Skittles features a new breed of humans. We need a few people at our office that we can bash open at random, for tasty snacks.
Labels: ads, workplace, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:25 AM
0 comments
hubba, hubba, bubba.
This is a cute series of outdoor for Hubba Bubba Gum. You can't see it on the image above, but when you click through, you'll see that the bubbles are balloons. Or bubbles.
The girlie in her undies is appreciated, but seems unnecessary to the campaign - unless they were going to change their headline to Hubba, Hubba, Bubba. I kind of like that idea. You could create a whole bunch of scenarios where the phrase could be used, right after popping a bubble gum bubble. It would become a part of our pop culture. And we'd be heralded as the agency that turned Hubba Bubba into a household name. One day.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
1 comments
a museum for beer and soda package design. in tennessee.
How we missed this on the Plaid tour this summer, I'll never know. We must have not seen the billboards. Tennessee - not only the home to Elvis' home - but also the home to the Museum of Beverage Containers and Advertising.
Where else would you find package design for Johnson Juice? (One would assume, healthy juice for your johnson.) Justus Johnson in our office probably lives on this stuff.
So sad we missed this. Although the website is an experience, itself. I so would have driven an hour out of the way for this. From quipsologies.
Labels: beverage, design, package design, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:28 AM
1 comments
jack gets freaky
Ever dream of having a threesome in a hot tub with that freaky headed dude from Jack in the Box? Yeah, me too.
Well, now you can live your dreams and upload your photo next to Jack and some babe with 70's hair. And then send it to your friends, like a trophy. From AdFreak, appropriately.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:16 AM
0 comments
a sweet and tasty facebook campaign
Mashable reports that MarsUK has launched a campaign allowing Facebook users to actually purchase chocolate for their friends. Not chocolate made from those nasty tasting pixels - but actual, delicious chocolate treats.
The campaign allows you to send points to your friends, that they can then redeem at a local convenience store chain. AWESOME. That's the way to promote, sell and utilize a social network in a new way.
Everyone wins. Twix gets great social branding. People get Twix. Retailers get store traffic. Isn't chocolate the most wonderful thing ever?
Labels: ads, facebook, social media, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:50 AM
1 comments
what the kids are drinking today
I've got to get to the store today, and get me some Bot. I don't even care how many calories. Or if it's made from the blood of gypsies. I'm just sold by the awesomely delicious spot. I hope it mixes with vodka. From Adfreak.
Labels: ads, beverage, youthmarketing, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:34 AM
0 comments
brown and gooey is the new flavor of romance
Marmite, now in the flavor of love. Unilever has released a special flavor of Marmite - with champagne - just in time for Valentine's Day. You can see the spot on the Kontraband site. The special packaging is cool.
Not sure if it's available in the US. Or if you even care - because it's all brown and gooey. But brown and gooey with champagne. mmmmmm.
Labels: ads, package design, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:44 AM
1 comments
mmmm. scrabble.
The Scrabble lawyers must be working overtime. First Scrabulous, and now Chocolate Scrabble. Better eat it now, before they take it away.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:17 AM
0 comments
miller beer on top of the game
In the event you haven't already seen this, check out the Miller Beer spot they released immediately following the Superbowl. Very smart move, and impressive turnaround for creative. Brands that can react at internet speed are going to be the winners in the glorious internet future.
Labels: ads, beverage, superbowl, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:17 AM
0 comments
you can now live inside whole foods
Jackie Huba has a most delicious post about her love of Whole Foods. This isn't just a love letter to her new favorite place of food, it's an analysis on what makes a successful business.
For the people too lazy to read her entire brilliant and entertaining post, I've copied and pasted her four key points to Whole Foods success:
1. Cater to the niche, baby.
2. Business is theater.
3. Hire for attitude, train for skill.
4. Let fans spread the word digitally.
But you can't just take that list and go build an empire. Go read her post. It'll be good for you.
Labels: marketing, retail, strategy, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
some superbowl ads before the superbowl
Here's a PepsiMax spot that made me chuckle. (Is it ok to use the word chuckle?)
And here's a Pepsi Stuff ad for the JT fans.
Watch them now, so on Sunday, you can say to your friends "I already saw those. That's so last week."
Not to be outdone, Coke has created a blog devoted to their history of big game spots. This will be good if they continue well past the Superbowl, and really talk about the brand. Let's watch. Nothing worse than brands that launch blogs and forget about them a week later.
Labels: ads, superbowl, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 9:36 AM
0 comments
turn down your volume
Cool spot for Pepsi, that will debut on the Superbowl. The production was created and performed by EnAble, a network in PepsiCo which supports diversity and the inclusion of persons with different abilities. See behind the scenes on the making of the spot here. Nice.
Labels: ads, beverage, superbowl, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 6:22 AM
1 comments
a good excuse to cover yourself in cheetos at the office today
MakeTheLogoBigger Bill has discovered the Orange Underground.
An excellent campaign for Cheetos. A really, really excellent campaign. Completely integrated. A Cheetos spot on television (some people still watch it), plus websites and YouTube. Social participation. Really nice job by Goodby Silverstein. This is how we do it, yo.
Labels: ads, social media, youtube, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:47 AM
0 comments
toast to the new year. and to spam.
NOTCOT points to the latest form of advertising - Toastvertising. A promotional site/spot made from toast, in an effort to promote the Book of Spam. The meat kind of Spam, not the kind all over your inbox. Awesomely toasty.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 2:23 PM
0 comments
this week at Plaid
Here's what happened this week at the world's so-ready-for-the-holidays agency:
Construction on our addition continued. They pretty much finished the roof, so we can now get a sense of the full space. We met with the electrician, and decided where all of the lights, switches and ethernet terminals would go. We've also begun shopping for furniture, which is awesome.
Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. We completed everything that we needed to (as far as we know) so that everyone could cut out early today.
MMMMMMMMM. So many loads of sugary goodness. And just enough alcohol. Special thanks go out to Brian, Katie, Bill, Diana, Paul and Chris, Derek, RMI, White Light, Ben, and the master of all things sugar, Eliza. And I'm sure I've forgotten someone. Safe to say we've all put on a few pounds this week.
Plaid offices are closed for the holidays, giving us all time to stay up late, sleep late, and do untold things. We're back in action on Wednesday, January 2nd.
I'll blog periodically (probably) during this period.
Happy Christmas, Happy New Years, and Happy whatever you might celebrate to all of our BrandFlakes friends!
Labels: holiday, thisweekatPlaid, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 4:41 PM
0 comments
sugary goodness that's art, too.
Later today, I want to photo document all of the sugary goodness that's graced our office this week (or what's left of it.)
As an inspiration (or just a reason to show beautiful yummy cakes), check out the Cake Girls. They're Chicago's hottest baking duo. Sisters Mary and Brenda Maher make the most awesomely delicious cakes you've ever seen. But if you want to taste the CakeGirl sweetness, you'll have to buy a plane ticket to Chicago. They don't ship. :(
Labels: creativeinspiration, design, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:37 AM
1 comments
big 'n' juicy needs big clean-up
To promote their new Big 'n' Juicy burger, the largest burger to ever grace the earth with its presence, McDonalds created fun instore signage. They're actually super giant napkin dispensers. We could use one of these in our office.
Labels: ads, pointofpurchase, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:20 AM
0 comments
how to produce a whopper freakout
You've seen the Whopper Freakout. Maybe you've wondered how the geniuses over at Crispin, Porter, Bogusky pulled it off. Are all of the people real? Actors?
Turns out they used some actors - but the real people reactions were so much better, they used them instead! Read all about this and more in the cool behind the scenes interview with the director, over at Creativity-Online. (Their site looks like it was hacked late last night - check this link later.)
From SwissMiss (whom I totally have a blog crush on)
Labels: adindustry, viral, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:36 AM
0 comments
the end of the whopper
By now you've probably seen the new BK spots. And maybe you've seen the clips from BK Freakout. And damn - Crispin Porter Bogusky has done it again.
An age old advertising concept - what would the world be like without your product - but realized in a style that only CPB could do.
As Make the Logo Bigger points out, they've managed to create a production that's so engaging, you won't mind spending 7+ minutes watching. A commercial. A 7+ minute long commercial - and you want to send it to your friends. Well done. Flame broiled and well done.
Thanks Justin!
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:09 AM
0 comments
have sasquatch pee for your friends.
Because nothing says happy holidays like some sasquatch yellow snow. From The Denver Egotist.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
mmmm. good potatoes.
How do you make ordinary potatoes good? Dress them up like Mother Theresa. Sweet.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:29 AM
1 comments
brand tips from dunkin donuts
What do you think the Dunkin Donuts person wrote on Diana's cup the other day? Turns out it's a secret code for french vanilla, extra light. That's what Diana says, but we think the Dunkin Donuts girl is trying to tell her to F off.
And then yesterday, we witnessed proof that style guides really do matter. And how icky it feels to buy bagels at the joint with the wrong fonts.
Labels: branding, identity, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:26 AM
0 comments
this week at Plaid: thanksgiving edition
An early weekly update, as we close our offices for the Thanksgiving holiday.
As I search my brain for a list of fun stuff that happened at our joint this week, I'm realizing that I was either out of the office, or in meetings the entire week.
I've heard there were a couple of food fights. Something involving marshmallows and sausage - two things that taste great together, I'm sure.
Giuli is buying the oddest crap. It's supposed to be related to our holiday card, or holiday gift for our clients. But there's some odd stuff arriving via FedEx and UPS.
We're out of room, and are looking forward to getting our new addition off the ground. We have interns, assistants and account people sharing desks. Be thankful for the internet.
Brian is shopping for new phone systems. Giuli is finding some cool furniture.
Hope your thanksgiving is filled with yummy, fatty, highest calorie food, and nothing on this list of the ten worst Thanksgiving dishes. If you live in a place where turkey day isn't celebrated, then it's time to get your consumerism on. Start holiday shopping. They've been playing xmas music in the stores since July, so you might as well jump in and get started. They're waiting for you.
See you at the mall.
Labels: yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 12:06 PM
1 comments
create your own potato parade. just in time for turkey day.
Ok, so they don't celebrate turkey day in the UK, and that's where this e-card generator for McCain originates - but that doesn't mean that you can't make a parade of potatoes for your friends.
Cuz potatoes rock. And they like to be fried. And lightly salted. Great work by Glue, London. Work by Glue, London.
Labels: yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 6:54 AM
2 comments
orange you glad you're blogging?
Now oranges are blogging. A fruity new campaign from Florida's Natural is promoting oranges with a nice blog, and handy videos. Juicy.
Labels: ads, blogging, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:03 AM
0 comments
chipotle shows their user generated goodness
Here's the finalists for the Chipotle user generated spot contest. Makes me hungry. From American Copywriter.
Labels: ads, social media, youthmarketing, youtube, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:22 AM
0 comments
ruby tuesday re-brands.
Inspired. Jealous. Wow'ed.
Designer DJ Stout has accomplished a wonderful re-branding of restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday. And in a heartbeat, the place seems more inviting.
Labels: branding, design, food, identity, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:40 AM
0 comments
wendy's wig: for professional use only.
And this was going to be my costume this year. Apparently, if you're a consumer, and you want to wear a Wendy wig, you need to follow the usage guidelines. LOL.
No worries if you wish to dress like a king - any drunken fool can do that. But Wendy needs to appear like a consumer, but not actually be a consumer. Professionals only.
Oh yeah - check this out, too. Mmmm. Meaty burgers.
Labels: branding, pop culture, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:51 AM
0 comments
coffee. everywhere you need it.
Guerilla Communication just completed a tasty promotion for Coffees of Hawaii. In an effort to target athletes, their families and friends, they set up a floating espresso bar on the IronMan swimming course. People could swim up to the bar (during training week) and sample the deliciousness. While being informed that you could get Coffee of Hawaii brought to you wherever you live - whenever you want, thanks to the world wide webs. Mmmmmmm.
Labels: outdoor, sports marketing, streetteams, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:15 AM
0 comments
pez enters the art world.
A collection of hand adorned Pez dispensers. This would be a sweet idea for an art project - for an agency, as a creative exercise - or for students, who can then collectively display their work in a show. And you could put the pez candy in fancy bowls, for added art gallery flavor. Mmmmm. Pez.
Labels: art, creativeinspiration, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:31 AM
0 comments
is your out of the box marketing piece offending greensters?
AboutDesign makes a great point about a new ad insert for Yellow Tail Wines. He was offended by the ad. Not in the traditional way you might expect to be offended by advertising. There was no racy message, nudity or inappropriate language here. Richard was offended by waste.
Yellow Tail Wines produced an insert in RealSimple Magazine, where the ad incorporated blinking LED lights. You've seen this before - cute, and attention-getting. And probably a significant budget expenditure for the brand. What they didn't consider was that they'd also be putting hundreds of thousands of electronic parts into a landfill. Not a great practice for a product that originates from the earth.
It's not easy being green. Customer perceptions and cares are changing. And as creatives, we're not all accustomed to thinking about the impact of our physical campaigns. But some audiences are paying attention - as evidenced by Richard's post.
Before launching your next physical campaign, it may be a good idea to ask things like:
"what impact does this have to the environment?"
"how will my customers with environmental concerns perceive this piece?"
Because the best advertising can capture attention and be green.
Labels: adindustry, ads, beverage, green, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:32 AM
0 comments
mcdenim. mcd's mcriffic uniforms
What uniform designer decided that every uniform had to be constructed from baggy ugly color polyester? Why can't uniforms be made of denim? If the retail experience is an extension of your brand (and it is), then are ugly polyester pants really appropriate at all, for anyone?
I say bring on the Mcdenim jeans. Why should China have all the fun? While you're at it, get some McPuma's too.
Labels: branding, fashion, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:14 AM
1 comments
is it awesome?
Absolutely lovin' this spot (thanks Brian!) for Skittles. Completely different than any candy ad you've ever seen. In an engaging way. Sweet.
Labels: ads, youthmarketing, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:38 AM
0 comments
the evolution of super sugar crisp
This has already been around the internet and back again - but in case you missed it, here's a sweet collection of images showing the evolution of Super Sugar Crisp. Back from when sugar was a good thing.
Labels: package design, pop culture, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:28 AM
1 comments
teachers lose all sense of humor.
A super hilarious new ad for Carl's Jr. has some flat bunned teachers in a tizzy.
Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Carl's Jr., said the ad was designed for the target audience of “young, hungry guys between the ages of 18 and 34 ... it's meant to be funny, silly, interesting and not as a social statement.” Hooray Brad. Sounds like well targeted creative.
Forget the old days of hot for teacher. Now it's "disrespectful and inappropriate."
Labels: ads, youthmarketing, youtube, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:47 AM
0 comments
grab a twix and explore stuff
Totally loving the navigation in this cool new site for Twix. Fun to explore. Reminds me of the Esty Time Machine exploration tool. Sweet.
Labels: youthmarketing, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:44 AM
0 comments
sara lee buys kansas
Here's an appropriate use of crop circle advertising. But everyone knows that if you turn a field into an ad in the middle of Kansas, nobody will notice it. So, to call more attention to the field, Sara Lee paid Kansas to officially change the name of the state from "The Wheat State", to "The Whole Wheat State" for a day.
I hope that they required everyone to get new license plates, and changed all of the "Welcome to Kansas" signs on the highway.
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:30 AM
0 comments
waaaa. waaaa. i don't like the man in pigtails.
The grown up little girl that was the inspiration for the Wendy's mascot doesn't like the new campaign featuring red pigtails. Waaaaa. Waaaaa.
Judging by the photo comparison that Brand Noise put together above, I'd say the agency cast the part pretty well. The new Wendy looks almost exactly like the old Wendy.
That, and - the campaign is apparently a success for the chain. The pigtails are working, Wendy. Stop being a spoilsport.
Labels: adindustry, retail, youthmarketing, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
0 comments
how geeks eat cake
Here's a sweet little collection of geek wedding cakes. Ummm. Tasty. Even better than the cake, is the expression of the guy in the photo above. Let's hope that's not her husband. What a spoil sport.
Labels: yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:24 AM
0 comments
diet coke is 99% water. "that's our campaign."
Steven Levitt writes a good piece on the social dynamics that have brought us to a place where advertising Diet Coke as 99% water is an acceptable ad strategy.
Now, if we could prove that gummy bears are made of 99% fruit, I'd be all set.
Labels: ads, beverage, trends, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:50 AM
3 comments
gummy bear price increase. creative industry to collapse.
To hell with the mortgage crisis. Prices of gummy bears may be going through the roof. Now I'm concerned.
What does this have to do with design and branding? Gummy bears are proven creative fuel. I know this for a fact. I've done research.
Labels: adindustry, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:29 AM
0 comments
...and the sky rained coffee.
This is from the dream of a few Plaid employees, I'm sure. Wake up, and it's raining coffee. Coffees of Hawaii just "airdropped" a bunch of coffee with parachutes to busy neighborhoods and tourist spots, to promote their new coffee home delivery service.
Sweet idea. But where's the video? When Microsoft did this a year ago, they issued a video "documenting" the effort. I still like the concept, as a great way to create buzz within a local community.
And, if they needed to REALLY drop these from a plane, they could have called on Rob and Ryan from our agency. Rob and Ryan have experience with this sort of thing. Although I'm pretty sure their instructors wouldn't have allowed for a load of coffee and parachutes on board. But it never hurts to ask.
Labels: ads, outdoor, streetteams, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:44 AM
0 comments
funny ads for irn bru soda that you can't have.
I so want a six pack of Irn Bru right now. But we're not getting it in the US, because it's got some ingredients that haven't been approved for our taste. You know, because our other sodas are so healthy-like, and we're only allowed to imbibe the most health-a-licious drinks here in the fat ole USA.
Anyway, someone's collected a bunch of their other hilarious ads in the campaign here.