Headbox

Headbox is a place for young people to share ideas, thoughts and opinions and get rewards for it.

As a Headbox member I was selected for the Co-creation Programme to help develop the brand identity, packaging and marketing plan for a major Unilever brand. Not only was this a live brief it also gave me the opportunity to work with 17 other young designers/marketeers from all over UK. Not to mention an all expenses paid trip to Alicante & BBH London plus £300!

Headbox members come from different backgrounds. They're typically between 16-25, and are a vibrant mix of individuals who represent today's youth market. Our members get involved in a wide range of exciting projects with the media, brands, social researchers and other organisations. Headbox members enjoy rewards from projects including: Online surveys and focus groups, Innovation and planning workshops, Testing and previewing products, Word of mouth marketing activities.

The Headbox online community is definitely worth signing up to: http://www.headbox.com/

Number Imagery

I photographed this billboard for Yellow Pages on my way to work because it uses a technique reminescent of the existing Channel 4 ident & recent British Airways campaign. Instead of using standard typographic symbols to display a number these ads all use imagery. This is an effective style because it makes the adverts more interesting and more attractive.

Yellow Pages

British Airways

Channel 4

OK GO!

Initially the "A million ways" video was only intended to be used as a video piece for the closing of their gigs. I first saw the dance performed LIVE and remember thinking how funny & different it was from anything I had ever seen at a gig. I felt the dance gave the band a sense of personality which is something many bands lack when performing LIVE. In many cases a band will rely on their frontman to give a great show. OK GO demonstrate here that they work as a team.

The follow up to "A million Ways" takes the concept behind the first low budget video to a whole new level because this time they incorporate treadmills. The name "Here it goes again" also seems very appropriate!

Both videos have received millions of hits on Youtube and even a year after their releases people are still buzzing off them. If that isn't the perfect viral for promoting a band i don't know what is!

Photomontage

Leeds Universities Summer Ball 2007 (5:00am)

The creator of this montage style is David Hockney, one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Using a varying numbers of small Polaroid snaps or photolab-prints Hockney would arrange a patchwork to make a composite image. The results, which have an affinity with cubism provide an insight into the way human vision works.

The impossible quiz!

Probably the most addictive quiz on the net... be warned!

This quiz would make a great viral because its engaging & challenging. Also, it is likely you will tell other people about it so that they can experience failure too!!!

Give it a try: http://www.gamershood.com/flashgames/2902

Rotational ambigrams

Definition: An ambigram is a graphical figure that spells out a word not only in its form as presented, but also in another direction or orientation. i.e. When rotated 180 degrees.

I have started to appreciate ambigrams because they are unique, unconventional and offer more typographic freeedom from a design perspective. Below are several ambigrams I have seen over the last few months.

Angels & Demons (Dan Brown - Novel)

Trick or Treat (Derren Brown - TV)

True or False (True North - Design Website)

One clear message

I believe that the best adverts convey one clear message in the simplest way possible. Below are two examples of this; one is for an anti-racism campaign whilst the other is for a karate school. Quality!

Entry.................................Exit

Sand City

Earlier this month I was on holiday in Turkey. Whilst I was there I stumbled across the 2007 International Sand Sculpture Festival in Antalya. This year’s theme and story is 1001 Arabian Nights.

The ambience within the festival was very surreal. Most of the visitors walked around in silence, as they learnt about the Arabian history and culture. What mesmerised me most was the size and accuracy of the sand sculptures. None of my sand castles ever look this good!

Trompe-l'œil (Trick the eye)

Trompe-l'œil is an art technique that creates the optical illusion of 3D form when viewed from a certain angle. Julian Beever is a chalk artist that has taken the Trompe-l'œil technique and developed it into his own contemporary style. His drawings, which appear to defy the laws of perspective, will play tricks on your eyes over and over again!