Video • Creative • Brand Development
It’s hard not to get on the Canucks bandwagon right now. The boys are on fire and so is Van city. There have been a number of fan made viral video and songs, and in a city with a deep talent pool, it was only a matter of time before some professionals stepped into the ring. Kyprios’ YouTube based Canuck tribute “How the West Was Won” is actually pretty cool. Next up Moka Only>?
Go Canucks!
First of all, do you like the new Gap logo?
It’s certainly a peculiar time for a redesign, but perhaps with a decline in sales and market share it was time for a reboot.
On a personal level I don’t feel that every brand should take this clean and simple approach. Helvetica is one of the nicest and most effective fonts available, but to say it’s ubiquitous is an understatement. Don’t get me wrong, I love the font, and I love the clean and simple look, but I feel that the “Scandinavianizing” of graphic design may not actually be a good thing.
While it may look good in your apartment, think about how boring Ikea furniture has become. It’s not that it is bad at all, it’s just that it is everywhere. If you truly want to stand out you would need to shop elsewhere (full disclosure: I shop almost exclusively at Ikea or places that resemble Ikea).
Maybe the point is that The Gap is to clothing as Ikea is to furniture — functional, clean, fun — but painfully mainstream. I highly doubt anyone would set out to be average, but then maybe I’m wrong. I have recently converted my wardrobe to all plain black t-shirts and blue jeans to simplify my life.
Maybe the new Gap logo stands for a simplification of life. Maybe you should look at it and feel a wave of calm that is often felt when absent of clutter? I honestly don’t know.
What I do know is how I feel about the old Gap logo now that it’s gone. I kind of miss it like an old friend. It was a familiar landmark that would act as a reminder of home while travelling and it was literally everywhere. At no point did I ever feel like the Gap was intruding on my life, and I think the old logo with the navy blue square and serifed font stood for something. It was timelessly wholesome and has probably met it’s demise before its expiry date.
You could say that there is no such thing as bad press, but I don’t know that making a controversial change is the best way to make a splash. Still though, people will be talking about the new Gap logo for a while, just as I am now.
I know, I know. Helvetica…controversial? I’m not changing my choice of words. The Gap moving from it’s old logo to a stark Helvetica version is like the party in high school where all of the goody goodies showed up and took a sip of beer and thought they were rebels, but after all, this is the Gap – not Guess.
What do you think of this? Go on now…don’t be shy. I want to know. Please feel free to comment below.
Conan announced his new show today via YouTube and a “pretty crappy” office. The show which airs on TBS starting November 8, 2010 is to be called — Conan. That’s right, just Conan. Although as Conan O’Brien writes out the name of the show in his one take YouTube clip it looks more like Conaw, so there you have it. Conaw. Check out the video and see more at TeamCoCo.com
My first experience with Facebook places has been a bit of a bust. Since its release I have tried to use it, but to no avail. I’ve tried using it in Vancouver and in the Okanagan, but nothing.
I just get the message about Places not being available in my area.
Apparently Facebook Places is a bit short on places.
Update – Sept 25: Facebook Places is now in my area. It’s about bloody time!
There is no question that the recent Old Spice body wash campaign was a success, so much so that the responsible ad agency, Wieden + Kennedy, has produced a case study around the campaign efforts.
This campaign didn’t just deliver on an entertainment level, but it also resulted in a significant increase in sales which has led Old Spice to be the category leader in the man’s body wash arena.
To me there are two distinct eras for the modern youth culture — pre and post Jackass. Maiming and deforming one’s self for the sake of a laugh has become de rigueur amongst the UFC loving Christian Audigier set.
I suppose before Jackass there was a tamer form of “shoe-to-the-nuts” humour in the form of Funniest Home Videos, but the difference is accidental versus deliberate maiming.
So in the spirit of a good bollocking, I’m going to give this guy his 5 seconds of internet fame as a send-up to our post-Jackass society.
I was floating down the channel in Penticton with friends, a common summer activity, when I see this guy go flying off of the dike into the water. At first I thought it was an accident, but he just kept going, at least 4 or 5 more times, repeating this moronic stunt for our entertainment.
Despite the fact that he could have bashed his head in, it was hilarious and had everyone in a roar of laughter. The fact that he repeated the stunt so many times was mildly disturbing, but here is his second attempt captured on my iPhone, which is now waterlogged and possibly not functional.
Cheers Jackass.
