Si Scott

I know that many people will have seen if not heard of this illustrator as his work is used in advertising such as Orange, Nike and Casio and many more. I think his work is stunning. I love the organic curves and patterns he creates. Much of his work is well known. However, when I was looking at his website I came across some illustrations of animals he had created for Silent Studios. I was amazed by the detail he had created. He has managed to produce an abstract yet incredibly detailed image.

Sport in the 21st Century

This is a stunning set of photographs by photographers at Reuters. The photographs have been put together in a book, but are also on show as part of an exhibition outside City Hall in London. These photographs show the beautiful side of sport and celebrate sport. The exhibition features three themed sections that explore action photography, sports personalities and diversity of local sports around the world. The photos are really original, mostly due to the angle of the shot. I realise that as a keen sports enthusiast, this sort of thing would appeal to me but I also think it has the capabilities to attract a wider appeal as they are so different from other sports photography I have come across.

Sony Walkman Ad

It seems Sony can do no wrong when it comes to adverts. Following on from the Sony Bravia adverts where Sony have tried to own colour, they are doing the same with music to advertise their walkman. It is another awe inspiring advert which makes viewers instantly engage with it. One of the reasons I think the Sony adverts are so successful is the sheer scale of them. It will be interesting to see how Sony develop these music adverts, having seen how they have developed the bravia colour ads.

Bic Razor Special Build

A special build poster I came across. I like the way this advert for Bic razors incorporates the surrounding area to help tell the message. I think it is really simple but effective.

Anti-Smoking Ambient Campaign

Good placement of a piece of ambient media as it directly hits its target market. It carries a very blunt message which is given further impact because of the smoking area placement.

Advertising Agency: Everest Brand Solutions, Mumbai
Client: Cancer Patients Aid Association

Sony Bravia Bunny Advert

This is the follow up advert to Sony's bouncy balls and the splashes of paint advert. Unfortunately I do not think it is in the same league as the first one (the bouncy balls). Everything flowed seemlessly in the first advert and the music complemented it perfectly, helping create the feeling of wonder. It made it seem as though Sony really owned colour. However, in this advert, although I really like the method of animation used, I do not think it is as colourful, exciting and as awe inspiring as the other two. It is still an amazingly high quality advert and I do like it but Sony have set such a high standard with their previous adverts.


I found some interesting facts about the advert:
2.5 tonnes of plasticine were used
200 bunnies
40 animators
and one 30ft giant bunny!


Ad agency: Fallon, London
Production company: Gorgeous Enterprises

House of Flying Daggers

I am not usually a fan of subtitled films, but having seen this one I would recommend it to everyone. The cinematography is amazing. The scenery itself is stunning, but along with the camera angles and effects, the film is a master piece. I sometimes found myself so taken by the imagery that I would forget to read the subtitles. In this respect it is a shame it is subtitled because it draws your attention away from the imagery. On the otherhand, I think that if it were in English it would take something away from the film. Not only is this film expertly shot, but it also has a really good twist in the storyline which I thought was unusual in this type of martial arts film.

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.