Obama campaign

I read a good article in the Guardian recently about the contrasting marketing methods employed by McCain and Obama. The conclusion was drawn that the Obama campaign was far more savvy in the way it was run. A great example is shown here, where "home made" banners were handed out by the Obama campaign team to members of the audience at one of the rallies to really emphaisise the 'grass roots' support he had.

Peepshow Collective website

Peepshow Collective is, unsurprisingly a collective of people working in varying aspects of the creative industries. They attract some seriously high-end clients and there work is incredibly diverse. I am very fond of the work they produce but I am even more attracted to their website, which with its simple navigation and endearingly quaint visuals showcases their talents beautifully.
http://www.peepshow.org.uk/

MORE 4

As brand extension becomes increasingly more popular within television I think it is important to look at how to get it just right. The brand identity for More 4 designed by spin is a clever mark that opens up huge possibilities for idents etc, which they have subsequently capitalised on. The tone of voice is always spot on as is the channel itself. A great example of successful branding.

William Murray Hamm website

I really like this website mainly because of the simplicity of the concept of 'before and after' showcasing some of their finest award wining work in a clever flash video. A few of the sounds are a little annoying but this can certainly be forgiven. A great example of a top agency's website.

Pinar Yolacan's portraits

Yolacan's exhibition Body of Flesh challenges our ideas about what is acceptable, right, shocking and humiliating. This is certainly meant to shock and it does just that. The images stay with you and challenge the idea that these images are revolting with the portrait subjects appearing stoic. Mesmerising and questioning imagery form Yolacan.

MUTO

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.
This new ambiguous animation by Blu is spellbinding with the movement and transition between locations flowing effortlessly. The scale and depth of the animation is awe inspiring and the content, as bizarre as it is, is great to watch. Thoroughly enjoyable artwork.

Barclaycard advert

There has been a great deal of talk about this advert. It is a very impressive spectacle and relates well to its target audience.

Visual Creativity by Mario Pricken

This book is a great resource for inspired advertising ideas. I have picked just a few of the solutions that I found particularly interesting. There are also some informative and insightful interviews with leading professionals in various areas.

Peter Fuss on Barack

An obvious talking point I know but Fuss plays on our fears, concerns and cynisicm in a worrying artwork that is an eerie prediction for the future.

Walls adverts

There are a number of these adverts with varying degrees of success but I really like this particular advert. It is a very simple concept but communicates the message with humour in a successful way that resonates.

The Warriors

I recently had the pleasure of watching this epic film based around gang warfare in NYC. It has become a cult classic and is a fun film that is packed with action and some great one-liners. The scale of the film is also very impressive.

THINK!

As ever the THINK! campaign communicates their message perfectly. A slightly different tack is employed by This Is Real Art than their usual shock tactics but again succinctly and cleverly conveys a vital message.

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) – Scala

BIG is based in Copenhagen and operates primarily in the fields of urbanism, architecture, and research and development. They try to create a synergy between sound creative design ideals and the functional aspects of design that must be adhered to for a successful build. This said their projects are always extremely innovative and produce stunning results.
The example I chose to highlight is the Scala Library, conference centre and hotel complex that is currently still in development. The building is a reinterpretation of the Copenhagan tower and tries to combine a solid base that relates to the size of the surrounding buildings, with a slim tower that becomes part of the skyline. The base and tower are morphed together in a spiral shape cascade of stairs leading to a public rooftop overlooking the city hall square. The design is unique and blurs the divide between inside and outside spaces.
There are many more examples of BIGs work on their website, which is aptly named http://www.big.dk

Logo Design by Julius Weidemann

This book is packed with inspirational logo designs sorted in a clear and manageable way. It also has some really helpful case studies that give a great insight into the conceptual and design stages the top agencies go through.

Remembrance Sunday/Poppy day appeal

The same heart-warming visuals have been employed this year on the Remembrance Sunday ad campaign. I personally feel the subject is dealt with sensitively and works as an effective call to action as well as generally creating awareness.