While I'm on the subject of good t.v. not only has Hero's started again but BBC Four showed a cracking documentary featuring Steven Fry, some old machinery and a lot of type, humor, history and typography - you can't go wrong there.
Stephen Fry and the Gutenberg Press
Stephen Fry examines the story behind the first media entrepreneur, printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg, to find out why he did it and how.
If you can catch another viewing of either of these two programs that its well worth it. An interesting insight to the history of advertising and how it all started. With frank and honest views from some of the industries legends on the growth, demise and future of advertising business.
David Ogilvy: Original Mad Man Part of the Mad Men season.
The story of David Ogilvy, whose advertising agency started out in 1948 with no clients and two members of staff and became the largest advertising conglomerate in the world.
In time, this would become the era of the Mad Men, the men of Madison Avenue who worked out of sleek offices, chain-smoked and conjured up the heaven-on-earth vision of suburban consumer splendour.
The documentary reveals Ogilvy's extremes and eccentricities through interviews with individuals whose lives he touched: those who knew him and worked with him during the conception of some of his most famous campaigns.
Past
Present
The Rise and Fall of the Ad Man ...Time Shift
Showing as part of the Mad Men season. Peter York investigates the inside story of British advertising from top British advertising figures past and present, including Alan Parker, David Puttnam, Tim Bell, Frank Lowe and Martin Sorrell.
Inspired by the maverick US advertisers of Madison Avenue, a new generation of British ad men created a unique style of advertising based on authentic British culture. During the 1970s, British ads came to be regarded as the best in the world. But when the business climate changed in the 1980s, the British ad man had to reinvent himself for a new, global market.
What the logo was meant to do: The logo, for the Office of Government Commerce, was intended to signify a bold commitment to the body’s aim of “improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement”.
What the logo does do: I don't think I really need to explain ......
Being a designer I can see how this can happen as your looking at a design for so long you don't even read it as words or letters any more. However I don't understand how a whole office of other creative and non creative people couldn't have spotted this one! It just shows how important it is to run your ideas past others and of course flip it 90 degrees just to check before you send it to print! (well I will be doing so from now on)
O well at least they invented a new 'smiley' OGC
very funny made me giggle!
I just found this:
not my normal blog material but just in case any one was having difficulty understanding!
Whilst researching into the branding of The Body Shop for my final major project! (scary) I came across this great website www.bestrejectedadvertising.com that lists various banned advertising campaigns and why they where seen as so offensive. In the case of the The Body Shop advert above I find the given reasons slightly ludicrous:
'Mattel sent The Body Shop a cease-and-desist order, demanding to pull the self-esteem posters featuring Ruby - a rubenesque anti-Barbie - from American shop windows, because she was insulting to the real Barbie. Then, in Hong Kong, posters of Ruby were banned on the Mass Transit Railway because authorities said that in her nude (albeit nippleless and pubic-hair-free) condition, she would offend passengers. One shop in the US was forced to take down a Ruby poster after a mall patron said his daughter had been traumatized by seeing it.'
Why shouldn't there be a larger sized Barbie? there where no complains when yet another blonde stick thin clone in the form of Cindy came along. Also I am slightly concerned of how a plastic doll can be classed as 'nude' personally 'Ruby' reminds me of some of the greatest historical painting we have seen.
The christmas bear tree seen in the lobby of Ogilvy and Mather on 49th street New York not only created the most fabulous minimalist christmas decoration i have seen but was also created for a good cause as they give all two thousand bears away to needy kids in hospitals on chirstmas day.
Just goes to show how 2,000 red teddy bears can create a great talking point, attraction for visitors, support a good cause and a great bit of advertising for Ogilvy and Mather.
As the last three years seem to have flown by it seems to have suddenly dawned on me that its time to enter the real world and find a job! That is of course when i finish my degree.
A lot of my time at the moment seems to be spent browsing through various design and advertising websites. Unfortunately being a designer i am often swayed by what the website actually looks likes and most importantly if it is usable. One website that has particularly stood out to me was Grey London.
My friend pointed me towards this website and i must agree that it is simply adorable. I am particularly fond of the turtle eating the tree and the strange pac man like characters floating about. I also love the irony of the company being called 'Grey London' and their website featuring bold, childlike and rainbow imagery - very chic.
A rare view of how a commercial is made and produced along with all the other jobs that come along with it for instant possibly one of the most expensive and unusual orders Argos has ever seen! An example of an idea taken from the initial stages and well executed into a simple yet visually fascinating advert.
Behind the scene: Making of Big Yellow 'Tide'
Finished Advert
CHI & Partners are big on ideas, with adverts such as the Barrett Homes 'brick' being one of my personal favorites. The tone of voice, simple idea and curiosity in this advert seem to be pitched perfectly leaving you (well certainly me) with a warm feeling inside and a small grin on your face.
Giving the over all impress that Barrett Homes offer a friendly, personal and unique approach to buying a home setting them apart from other companies on the market. Personally this is the only advert for a housing company that has stood out to me.
see http://www.chiandpartners.com/ (work - barrett homes) for a higher quality version
