Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Viral Videos: Diesel Presents Pete The Meat Puppet




Diesel has just launched a new series of videos that are equally disturbing as they are funny. The series of unusual videos will make you cringe, wince and quite possibly wretch, as part of Diesel's latest twisted interactive entertainment experience. (Watch the videos at the end of this post).

Pete The Meat puppet probably relegates Chucky into second place as the most scary doll in the world. This hilarious music video plots the rise to success of a modern day Pinnochio made of meat, and his even more rapid spiraling decline into depravity. Be prepared to throw up as you see him chew on his own leg in a state of desperate hunger.

Each of the videos takes audience participation and community generated content to an entirely disturbing new territory.

Sailing even closer to the bone of good taste is Hair Bath. Like most people I am sure, I think there is something pretty disgusting about hair once it has been cut from your head. But to see someone quite literally bathing in a bath full of the stuff... and rubbing it all over their face! Weirder still than a naked girl bathing in hair, is that the girl claims the hair was sent in by visitors to the Diesel website.

Dance Party on the other hand is equally dark, but in less of a stomach turning way. Either its rye parody of reality talent shows, or the awkward semi-naked misfit dancers pulling some pretty odd dance moves, or maybe both, had me laughing out loud. There are more episodes being uploaded each week, so stay tuned to see who will win the contest.

View more videos at Diesel.com


Pete The Meat Puppet - With handy karaoke lyrics


Dance Party - An Underground Endurance Dance Contest


Hair Bath - Will you send her in some of your hair?

Some stills from the videos.








Friday, November 28, 2008

Sixense True Motion Sensor Demo

So motion sensors as input devices have taken computing by storm, for the Nintendo Wii, to the Apple iPhone. This company has developed a highly accurate motion sensor that demonstrates the possibilities for the near future of this kind of interaction. The presentation was made at Nvision08. More videos and info are available from Sixense.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Educating Through Interaction Design To Save The Planet


(See video at end of post)

Reducing C02 emissions in the fight global warming is a battle to be fought on many fronts. The more varied efforts employed the better. Other than the design of energy efficient cars and research into alternative eco-friendly fuels there are additional ways to reduce our individual CO2 footprints. One of the easiest and most immediate is simply to drive better. Applying a few changes to the way we drive can bring about significant reductions in fuel consumption. However educating people to drive better seems a boring and thankless task.

However, designers at Ford have proposed an interesting solution to this issue. In addition to all the standard driving information we are used to, such as speed, revs and engine temperature, their new high definition digital dashboard screen also displays a plant to the right of the screen. The plants health depends on the quality of the driving. The more fuel efficient a driving style, the more leaves the plant will grow.

The use of a plant is an emotive visual metaphor. Drivers with a forest growing on their dashboard will sleep sounder in the knowledge that they are getting the most out of the fuel they burn and that they have at least had less impact on the environment due to their actions.

Perhaps even more effective is the way it adds a kind of gameplay to driving. With ever more of us likely to have been brought up on a diet of computer games, this kind of solution appeals to our more competitive nature, and may just motivate drivers with a small shoot lacking in leaves to see if they can grow a better plant. Eventually the idea could be developed into a real game, where families with multiple drivers compete against each other to grow the best plants, or even a networked community of cars competing with each other, offering prizes to the most efficient drivers.

The digital gauge tackles the problem directly at it's source, in the moment when people are actually driving, and able to make a difference, and will be far more effective than other means of educating drivers on fuel efficient driving. With the rise in fuel costs many people are probably eager to have such useful fuel saving advice in order to save some money as well as the planet. By taking the advice of the in car computer you could save $1,000's over the lifetime of the car.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Giant Pink Knitted Toy Rabbit Seen From Space



Google Maps is fast turning into a gallery for pieces of giant sized art. This newly 'documented from space' project sees a giant pink knitted toy rabbit, that lies on the side of the Colletto Fava mountain in the north of Italy. Created by Gelitin, the Viennese art collective, who claim it was knitted by Grannies, and took five years to make.

Wolfgang Gantner, a member of the collective, says "It is supposed to make you feel small, like Gulliver".

The 70 metre artwork entitled 'Hase' (or Rabbit in English), appears to have either fallen from space, or perhaps have been carelessly left behind by an even bigger giant child, has unsurprisingly has become a very popular attraction. People do not just walk around it and take in its giant size, they also climb on top as it's belly makes a great place to relax and take in the spectacular view of the Piedmont mountain range. Made of soft, waterproof materials and stuffed with straw, the toy rabbit is hoped to remain in place until 2025. I can't see anyone being able to take it home with them, so unless the giant child returns for their rabbit, you are still in with a good chance that you can see the rabbit for a long time to come.

Experience the artwork from the comfort of your web connection, and view it in Google Maps here.

For the more active and adventurous that want to visit the artwork, the location of the rabbit is Bar La Baita above the Village of Artesina, Piemonte, Italy. Directions can be found here, and more information including photos taken by tourists to the attraction can be found here.


As seen from a plane.

Visitors to the rabbit upload their images to the art collectives site.

As seen from space

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Diesel XXX Live TV

Tune in and watch The Diesel XXX Party - the biggest party of the year. In a totally unique and never before seen online experience, you can select and watch live from 17 different simultaneous parties happening around the world.

Here is the 'Main International' broadcast stream that is going to follow the 'best' moments live. Visit Diesel.com to follow the individual events and get the enhanced experience.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Dirty Thirty - Limited Edition Diesel Jeans For €30



Expect queues outside Diesel stores on Friday 10th October if the rumor of €30 Diesel denim jeans turns out to be true. Recently several sites (Denim Blog, Set Your Style) have commented on the 'Dirty Thirty' rumor but until now there have been no images of the product (click image for hi-res version, more images below the fold).

Images posted to denim fan site Honest Forum show a new product that features a unique wash, custom details including 1978 leg stitching, and commemorative 'Dirty Thirty' patch, that would appear to be the jeans in question. According to SassyBella the denim is to be priced at €30, mirroring the brands 30 years (and making them finally affordable for me!). No official announcement from Diesel has been made, but an email and leaked URL on Diesel.com which has been circulating online among friends of people working for Diesel details the participating stores and draws reference to the 'special' price point, indicating that the rumor will prove to be true. Other than the absurdly cheap price, the product will apparently only be available for one day only (Friday 10th October), which would make this one 'limited edition' product that will be truly collectable.

I hope that they will also be for sale on the Diesel Online store as I don't live anywhere near any of the stores in question.

If this aspect of Diesel's birthday celebrations has not yet been officially announced, the fact that Diesel are having a worldwide party has certainly not gone unnoticed as their SFW viral video has already been seen 3 million times in less than a week. Tickets to the event are still available from Diesel.



Thursday, September 25, 2008

Diesel Viral - Diesel XXX SFW Porn Video

Just in case you hadn't already heard about Diesel's biggest ever party, Diesel have just released a viral video to promote their 30th anniversary party. The Diesel viral video, entitled SFW (safe for work) themed video is pretty hardcore as it takes old porn videos, but in typical subversive style they have carefully placed animations over the top to transform the previously 'adult' scenes' into humorous and innocent alternatives. Check out the video here - BUT BE WARNED, WHILE BEING SAFE FOR WORK, IT IS NOT FOR THE EASILY OFFENDED!


Diesel SFW XXX - Watch more free videos

Anyone can get a ticket, but their availability is limited. Check out the Diesel XXX site for more information. The ambitious event is taking place in 17 countries on the same day and the eclectic line up includes N.E.R.D., Mark Ronson, Pedro Winter, Mr Oizo & M.I.A. who has come out of retirement to play. This adds to the already buzzing rumor that Diesel are releasing a special limited edition pair of jeans for €30.

Monday, September 22, 2008

The Urban Survival Vehicle - Fiat 500 by Diesel





Not only powered by a Diesel engine, but also by the Italian denim and fashion brand of the same name. The special edition Fiat 500 by Diesel has been created by Fiat and Diesel's respective design teams. Their Urban Survival Vehicle concept is designed to navigate the busy city with added personality and style.

Thanks to it’s rivets and chrome air-vent details on the rear, nose and door pillars the military chic styling gives the cult car an added toughness. While Diesel branding is subtle, the car included many exclusive design modifications that add attitude and distinct Diesel design and fashion attitude. Diesel’s famous Mohican ‘Only The Brave’ logo is found on the 16” inch alloy wheels and chrome gear shift. The driver and passenger are greeted with the ‘For Successful Living’ claim moulded into the door sill. The tachometer and dials have been redesigned to look similar to Diesel’s distinctive watches, and even the stitching of the leather and fabric interior recalls details from denim jeans. Proving that the Diesel 500 is an exercise in attention to detail and not merely a cross branded rebadging, as has become the trend.

The car will be made available initially only online before Christmas 2008, before reaching showrooms early next year. Availablein a range of fuel efficient engine configurations, (1.2 69 bhp, 1.3 Multijet 75 bhp with DPF and 1.4 16v 100 bhp) and bronze and black colour options the car will be priced from €15,000 - €17,000.





Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Amazon Adopts New Business Strategy - Giving Away Films For Free!




The way people spend their free time is set to change yet again. The internet has rapidly been eating into into both the hours we don't send at work (as well as those that we do), taking more and more time away from the time we used to spend watching TV. Well, TV is just not quite ready to be cast aside so easily, and more than going down with a fight, it is seeing a rapid reincarnation. Most of my English friends spend their time online watching the BBC iPlayer, and now I am sure my friends in the US will have an equally time consuming distraction as the IMDB site launches its new free TV show and film service.

The IMDB (Internet Movie Database), is set to offer movies and TV programs for free. Amazon that owns the site has started to offer a range of movies as well as popular series such as Lost. New episodes from TV series that have not yet even been broadcast on TV, including the new Knight Rider series will be offered for free. Shows will include advertising, but should the film not be available, or should viewers want an ad-free experience an alternative film will be suggested that can be downloaded from Amazons video on demand digital rental site.

So, Amazon, a pioneering online success story and true company of the digital age has already shown that it is having to move to avoid it's business model coming under threat. Rather than deny the inevitable, and try to protect its online sales and rentals, by offering content for free, they will integrate an ad revenue model, which ultimately will lead to increase online sales from users that are willing to pay for enhanced and ad free content.

Amazon are clearly targeting being both 'the destination' online to buy content and to own the best sites about the content they are selling. They also recently launched SoundUnwound a new site that they want to become the 'Wikipedia' of music and bands.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

X-Rated Erotic Horror Film Marks Relaunch of Agent Provocateur Lingerie Site




Agent Provocateur, has completely revamped their website. It is not the most difficult thing to draw attention to, when you have the opportunity to legitimately show your product on scantily clad young models, but gent Provocateur do it with class and attitude in every area. They are leaders when it comes to innovating with video online, and are no newbies to video on their site. This time however they have the luxury of the web catching up with their ideas. The new x-rated style site delivers an emersive video experience. The erotic and dark theme has a combined look and feel of vintage horror and cult erotic movies - See end of this post for video. Sexy full screen action which also features an equally kitsch soundtrack.

The interactive video invites visitors to create their own path through the erotic story, and eventually decide the fate of the stories ‘Young Virgin’ protagonist. The main print campaign image also contains a hidden secret mystery to be solved. After a well made and evocative brand building experience there is a stylish online store to capitalise on all the visitors the site will have provoked.

The leading luxury lingerie brand is clearly investing heavily in online, and the site reflects and increased focus on the web, aimed at capitalising on the huge success of online sales through their site.




This campaign image contains a hidden message. Solve it to win the competition.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

New iPods Listen To Your Music




Apple today presented a revised line of iPods in a special press event in San Francisco. The iPod shuffle and classic iPod received only minor changes, while the iPod touch received a minor design upgrade making it thinner and with a curved iPhone like back.

The biggest changes announced were to the iPod Nano line that is the thinnest iPod Apple have ever made. It returns to a similar, vertical design of the earlier 2nd generation Nano, returning to a screen format that would allow it to share some applications available to the iPhone and iPod touch, with particular focus on games, in order to increase potential sales on the already successful Apps store. The Nano does not benefit from a touch screen, but does have a newly added accelerometer, to add more fun navigation of songs and albums. Simply shake the iPod and it will produce a different shuffle of songs.

All of the iPods are cheaper than their predecessors, and with larger capaicity storage, with Apple hoping to captitalise on the sale of content to the devices from the iTunes store. It was the store that also got an upgrade with support for High Definition TV shows, a new way of displaying albums, and a neat functionality that enables iTunes to build automatic playlists of similar music. The software can analyze the songs in your library and recommend other similar songs in your library or even recommend new songs from the iTunes store. This 'Genius' playlist is described like having the worlds best DJ in your iPod. In fact the iPod touch and Nano's actually come with the functionality built into them.

Always looking for more ways to increase the sale of songs, this new function is sure to prove fun and useful for users, as well as helping generate more sales. Though Apple still seem to be missing out on many other social media ideas that could really take iTunes to the next level.

Monday, September 08, 2008

OLPC To Be Sold By Amazon - Rare Opportunity To Get Your Hands On Future Design Classic




For all of you that missed out on last years opportunity to get your hands on one of the most important computers designed in recent history, AND do your bit for the developing world at the same time, there is a second chance! The laptop in question has been developed for the much talked about One Laptop Per Child initiative, with the aim of providing a sub $100 computer for each child in developing nations. In order to avoid the issues experienced when the OLPC programe ran the same initiative last year, Amazon has been chosen to run a programme to enable United States residents to buy one of the most innovative laptops invented (that can also be powered by a hand wound generator) and for every computer sold, a second laptop will be donated to a child in a developing country. The computer will be available from November until the end of the year. Despite the computer costing only slightly more than $100, this is a price point for mass orders and not the public. The combined cost of the two computers will be set at around $380. This is set to be a design classic, as some of the industries best have worked on the project and pioneered many innovations to reduce the cost to near the $100 benchmark cost. Don’t miss out this time round.

Visit the site of OLPC for more details.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Google Knol

So the much awaited Wikipedia killer 'Knol' from Google has finally arrived, but to little hype.

Write Great Google Knols is a pretty good blog for people interested to know more about Google Knol, that is full of articles, advice and news. Of particular interest is the fact that Google are now both content and an advertising distributor, and so to watch will be how their own content is favored within Google search results. It may be an interesting platform for driving traffic, but from what I have gleaned about the site is that it is more like the blogger platform, but for individual articles rather than peope that want to write multiple articles on a subject as they would normally do with a blog.

Giant Robotic Spider Roams Liverpool Streets




Probably the only time I thought I would say 'I wish I was in Liverpool rather than here in sunny Italy' is because this weekend sees what is set to be a spectacular street theatre performance that takes in the entire city. Starting with a giant 15m tall 36 tonne robotic spider that is set to come to life on Friday night, and will then roam the cities streets. There are bound to be other creature and players in the five day production if the previous show 'The Sultans Elephant' that took place two years ago in London is anything to go by. That show was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen, albeit having only been seen online I am gutted to not be able to see this one in person. Check out the video of The Sultans Elephant in this previous post, and for more info on the performance in Liverpool check out the official site, La Machine. I shall post images and video of the event next week.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Nokia Offer Free Unlimited Music Downloads


Nokia is aiming to take on the growing influence of the Apple iPhone by launching a new series of handsets that enable owners to download to their device and computer, an unlimited number of tracks from their library of over 2 million tracks. The cost of the service is built into the price of the phone, which is estimated to be around €300.

The service expires after one year, requiring customers to purchase a new ‘Comes With Music’ device, but the old handset will continue to work for normal phone use, and previous ly downloaded tracks can still be listened to.

This kind of packaging free music with another product or service is proving to be an interesting future model for the sale of music, aimed at getting to pay for music rather than download it for free. The only way to tackle this issue is to provide a better service than free music downloads offered on illegal P2P networks.

Nokia’s music service uses Microsofts Digital Rights Management and means that music downloaded from Nokia can’t be used on an iPod or the iPhone. This fact coupled with their policy of forcing people to buy a new handset each year, rather than offering customers the chance to pay for a new subscription seems aimed at ensuring more Nokia handsets to combat the increasing influence of the iPhone. But such a strategy goes against why the iPod and iPhone are such great success stories. Remove barriers and make things easier for the user, and you will be far more successful.

Offering a better and open service, where the revenue comes from actually selling the music seems to be a better approach that simply using the free music as a means to incentivize the purchase of a new handset seems short sighted in my opinion. In this environmentally sensitive time, and with a global recession looming, encouraging young kids to throw away technology after one year seems a little excessive.

Either way, expect to see lots more ‘Comes With Free Music’ bundled with everything, as the music industry seeks to revive itself.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Free Art - Download A Cloned Artist




When artist and furniture designer Bert Simons had a midlife crisis, he decided to tackle it head on . His solution was to clone himself. Not with complex biological methods using DNA and sheep, but with good old fashioned paper and glue. The results are striking. The three dimensional paper bust sculpture is fascinating in the way that it's computer generated form betrays a of high tech aesthetic while being something that is realised with such low tech materials. In this era of online avatars and virtual worlds, it is as if the artists alter-ego has stepped from the digital realm into reality.

The artist encourages people to help him in his quest, to mass produce himself, in true contemporary social media style, inviting people to download the online kit which gives you everything you need to recreate the artwork. People that make the sculptures have their masterpieces featured within the artist site. Is this art 2.0?

Bert has mastered the art of paper sculpting and has created many more in his series of photo realistic three dimensional portraits and sculptures. Visit Bert Simons site for more information and to check out his other works which range from furniture, interior, paintings and even rocket design.

Not only are the sculptures very unique, but he has also managed to craft an interesting story around it, and also by explaining and demonstrating his process.

Rain Of Madness

Check out this mockumentary of a trailer of a mockumentary of a documentary. So many great comic actors in one film, this is it a recipe for a great movie or a disaster! I can't wait to find out if Rain of Madness will live up to its billing. It will be interesting to see how Steve Coogan can play off Ben Stiller and Jack Black.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Artist Dominic Wilcox Is The Bee's Knees

I really enjoy the work of artist Dominic Wilcox. I found his site while browsing recent images on vi.sualize.us (a very interesting new social image bookmarking site, that I have been meaning to post about for a while). The humor and play reminds me a lot of the work of a close friend on mine, Daniel Eatock. Dominic is a fairly recent graduate from the RCA and is surely someone to watch out for. Please check out his excellent body of work on his site, but here are some of my favorite works by Dominic.


A bowl made from partially melted plastic toy soldiers. I love the contrast between the smooth outer surface and the rough inner surface. Resulting effect is beautiful, not only visually, but also in the fact that the final result has a lot of uncontrollability about it.


Chairs and installation created by vacuum forming plastic over office furniture and house hold objects.


Stickers to put on your car or bike that make it look rusty, to discourage thieves from taking it.



A bed where the mattress takes on the form of a sleeping body.



A bee's knees. A literal expression of the famous phrase.

New Sprite Ad & Old West Ad

A couple of ads that I found while browsing recently and wanted to consign to memory. I love the music in the Old Lady - West ad. I do not know who is the artist, so if anyone knows who it is please tell me if you know. How weird it that ad? I can't think of a less appealing character to promote smoking, which actually makes the ad all the more interesting! It really feels like an old Diesel spot.


West_Old Lady commercial from Stefan_K on Vimeo.

As for this Sprite advert, I really like it's simplicity and way that it delivers its surprise.


De lejos están todas buenas from Matias Tripailao on Vimeo.

My Friend The Next Victim Of A Serial Killer?



This shocking discovery of a serial killer in London seems to have every one living in fear. None more that one of my colleagues, Kimm Kroll who shares the same name as one of the names written on the killers apparent targets list found at the scene of one of the crimes. It is such a distinctive name, I just hope it is not actually my friend!! I hope that the catch this killer soon.

More information on the killings can be read here.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Top 10 Ways To Increase Your Visibility In Flickr

Thomas Hawk provides a very useful, informative and well written list of things you can do to help increase visibility of your images in the Flickr image hosting and photo sharing community site. Read it here.

BMW GINA - Morphing Car With Flexible Fabric Skin




Yesterday I posted a video of the BMW interactive kinetic sculpture, an installation that forms part of the companies recently launched museum. While browsing their Web TV site I saw a video of another exhibit from the museum. Called GINA, the exhibit is a prototype car with a flexible fabric skin instead of a traditional rigid metal or fibreglass body. The car is engineered to be able to morph, changing its shape. The changes can only be made within fairly limited physical parameters. It is a framework under the flexible skin that is able to move, but with such precision engineering in car design, even the most subtle of changes in a plane or line can have radical aesthetic or aerodynamic affect.

The concept of using a flexible fabric skin is in itself very radical and interesting, especially combined with the ability to change the cars shape, and I am sure that there will be great desire and expectation to see something so innovative find its way into production. However the thing that I find even more interesting is to see how the car itself has been so influential on the visual language of the current series of BMW production cars. The car itself looks very much a BMW. The shapes and lines that the car cuts, are distinctly BMW, yet it does not appear that a visual language has been mapped onto the car, rather the technology of a simple frame pushing through the flexible fabric skin creating its own unique language. From what I have garnered from other posts online, the car is at least six years old. It would appear that the team imagined up a car that not only explored the idea of a flexible skin, but also became a tool for exploring new forms and shapes, and became a tool in evolving BMW's avant guarde visual design language. This is an example where, at least in part the technology has been used to express the visual language. The shapes do not come from a computer, or from traditional crafts and design, rather from new materials and technology.

A truly inspirational project. From many angles!

See more images and video of the car below, and the teaser that preceeded it. Not only an interesting story, but also an example of successful online marketing, with the video notching up over two million views in several weeks.

I read about this first on Geekology blog










Tuesday, July 08, 2008

BMW kinetic Sculpture




The new BMW Museum in Munich, home to the company’s 90-year history, opened last month and has carefully combined architecture and exhibition design, focusing particularly on new media.

ART+COM media installations set the museum’s architecture in motion, creating a unique dynamic for exhibits and content. Along with atelier brückner, Stuttgart (architecture and exhibition design) and Intégral Ruedi Baur, Zurich (graphic design and visual identity), ART+COM has created a contemporary take on Schwanzer’s original exhibition concept of “the road in converted space”. Media installations literally set the museum’s seven themed buildings, 25 exhibition rooms and 125 exhibits in motion.

One kinetic sculpture uses 714 metal balls that move vertically along barely visible thread to reveal forms and planes. Seemingly weightless sculpture moves through a cycle of free abstractions and typical BMW vehicle forms to create a beautiful and magical effect. See the videos below.


The BWM Museum is open to the public from 21 June 2008.






Wednesday, May 21, 2008

XO 2 - OLPC Second Generation Laptop






Nicholas Negrponte unveiled the design of the next laptop computer that will be the future sub $100 computer designed to bring affordable computers to developing countries. With it's first computer, the project did not quite achieve its goal of developing a computer that could be produced for under $100, but they have at least made significant progress. As part of the process they designed a laptop computer that completely rethought the engineering of the typical laptop, and produced a computer that is far more energy efficient, robust and usable in more difficult lighting conditions. The innovation that they brought will no doubt impact not only on the children it is intended for, but will surely have implications on the laptop industry as a whole.

Based on the learnings made so far, the One Lap Top Per Child project have decided to take a different approach for their next computer. This time they are not 'improving' an existing product, they are inventing a completely new one. The device is half the size of the original, and consists of two flat panel screens. Looking like a digital book, the device can be used in a variety of ways; Held vertically like a book; Placed flat like a tablet; Or like a traditional laptop, where the lower touch sensitive screen can be used as a keyboard. The device will naturally benefit from advances in new technology and the inevitable lowering of production costs, so that the device will be able to be produced for $75 (or at least closer to the original psychologically important price point of $100).

Also to note is the repeat of the chance to get your hands on the original computer, by buying two and having the second donated to a child in a developing country. This is due to launch in August. I am not going to let that opportunity pass by, as this computer is not only cheap and useful, and would make a great computer for my son, but it will surely go down in computer history.

Interestingly, being a not for profit programme, they have taken the 'un Applelike' approach of revealing the design, two years ahead of production, with the aim that people actively adopt the thinking of their device. Therefor, the project and the public as a whole will benefit for development in this type of devise, ensuring a further reaching improvement than if they had been secretive. This is pretty revolutionary thinking, but I have another theory...As we all wait for Apple to launch their latest version of the iPhone, there are also rumors that they will also be introducing a new portable web device. I would not be surprised to find out that their devise is not dissimilar to this one. Maybe OLPC wanted to trump Apple?

Friday, May 16, 2008

What Do People Think About Your Brand?


This is pretty fun/interesting. A site where you can both browse tag clouds of perception of consumer opinion of brands. Site visitors to Brand Tag are the generators of the opinion, so I do not know how indicative of general opinion the info would be, but interesting none the less.

Go to the homepage, where you will be confronted with a random brand logo, to which you are asked to submit the first word that comes into your head. Select the rather confusing link 'whatever it is they say a brand is' link to browse the brands that have been tagged.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Diesel Launches Radio Station



Diesel UK are the first brand to have an official radio station. Broadcasting for the coming month, on 87.7 FM in the London area the station has some amazing DJ's and artist lined up, as well as featuring music from the unsigned Diesel:U:Music community.

Tune in live online at Diesel:U:Music.

There is a live video stream (streaming above!) on Yahoo live, where you can see the studio and participate in the programming, and chat with DJ's and guests.

Interactive Window In Diesel Milan Store



I just got back from Milan where together with Nanika we have completed the installation of an interactive window. The first phase of the installation is currently running, and comprises of two interactive sequences. Passers by can see their images ripple out infront of them across the two large screens that fill the window. The screens show the past second or so of time as series of frames captured by a hidden camera. The result is hypnotic. By approaching the camera and moving about in front of it you can create wonderful rippling patterns that oscolate down the screen. The window echoes the life of the facing square as it is affected by the herding tourists and locals. We will be updating the installation with new interactive experiences over the coming month. Check out the video below.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Jonas Damon - Numbers Clock




I love this clock designed by Jonas Damon, European design manager of Habitat. He has reduced the 'Numbers' clock to it's fundamental function of representing the time, in this case through four digital numerals. Each numeral can be positioned independently from the others, to make a personal time sculpture.

The clock is available to purchase from Design Public, that offer a really excellent range of design objects.

Check out more products from Jonas from his personal site. I really like his side table 'Echo' that is made from four independent identical sections that can be used individually or brought together to create a larger table.