Pudsey Bear's Makeover

I have just found out that advertising agency Fallon has redesigned BBC Children in Need's Pudsey Bear. The idea was 'to create a fresh new look' and create something that was 'exciting and accessible enough to make people want to get involved'. He was also redesigned so that Pudsey could be used digitally - online and in animation.
Unfortuntely I am not a fan of this redesign. Having grown up with the previous design, introduced in 1985, it seems a shame to change something which is so iconic. It is a design which appeals to all ages whereas this new design looks quite childish, created in a similar style to children's characters such as Miffy. I also think it looks more like a Gummi Bear than Pudsey!
Above is the new design and below is the old design.

Visit London

I saw the St Paul's version of this advert on the Tube at the weekend. Having done some further research I have found some more examples created by Oscar Wilson. I think they are clever, interesting and eye catching adverts. The use of typography to create the image is different from their other campaigns and makes them visually appealing. The coloured typography against the plain blackground is simple but makes it more eye catching. Another exmple of when simple can sometimes be more effective. The image depicts something related to the attraction being advertised and the type making up that image displays things to do and see at that attraction.




Agency: RKCR Y&R, London.
Art director: Neil Durber
Copywriter: Ben Hartman

Cadbury's Gorilla Advert

This is the new advert for Cadbury. I am not sure how a Gorilla relates to chocolate but it is certainly an advert which will get people talking about it which, in turn, will work in Cadbury's favour. It is intended to simply make you smile, in the same way chocolate bars do!
Agency: Fallon
Creative director/copywriter: Juan Cabral

Black Magic Rebrand

This week's Design Week featured the rebrand of the Nestle chocolate Black Magic by Elmwood. I think it has been executed really well. The finished product looks sleek, expensive and contemporary. The use of black and silver on the packaging reflects the brand. I think it will defintely boost the brand and help increase sales as it has made the product more appealing.

'Black Magic brand manager Rebecca Reason explains that the design brief was influenced by the Japanese philosophical approach to designing called Kansei, whereby consumer emotions are translated into specific design parameters.' - Design Week

The Queen

I saw this film the other night on TV. It is based on how the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family dealt with the death of Princess Diana. I was quite shocked by how the Royal Family reacted to the situation. However, the film cannot have been too far from the truth otherwise the Royal Family would surely have considered court action. It puts a good light on Tony Blair which shows just how much opinion has changed about him since the Iraq war. It is a rare and truly insightful look into the life of the Royal Family. It is an interesting film and I thought Helen Mirren played the role of the Queen very well, producing a controlled and understated performance.