worth sharing

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This does more to convince me that just maybe riding the Underground isn't the second worst experience known to Londoners than any number of posters I've seen them do. They really should encourage their staff to  express themselves more. After all they are the face of the company and if they're happy, personable, witty and interesting, then....

You get the idea.

(Photo via The Londonist.)

Something for the weekend

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Turns out to be a good week for work. Here's an impressive online game full of wit and style from a partnership between North Kingdom and Goodby Silverstein and Partners. I love the attention to detail and the depth of the experience. This was obviously put together by people who cared. Full credit should go to the California Milk Processing Board for stumping up the cash.

rock n roll

Nineinchnails

I don't know much about Nine Inch Nails. I know I don't like their music. I know I love their marketing  skills.

To launch their new album, Year Zero, they included URL clues on their tour t-shirts which lead fans to websites that described an apocalyptic vision of the US. Memory sticks were found in toilets with tracks on them. Samples of tracks were played on radio stations unannounced in the wee small hours. Telephone numbers appeared on fan sites. All very clandestine, all very brilliant. All very I love Bees.

I wish I'd done it.

Coke to sue Coke

Crispin Porter + Bogusky have done it again it would seem.  The joke goes, Coke Zero tastes so much like regular Coke that two representatives for Coke set out to question actual lawyers on hidden camera to gauge their chances of bringing a successful lawsuit against Coke Zero for taste infringement.

Personally the longer edits work best but nice joke none the less.

possibly the coolest skate boarding you've seen

Saw this over at the Stafenberger website, probably the coolest skate boarding I've seen. Definitely, the most hypnotic.

I LOVE SIMPLICITY

I love the simplicity of this.

why I love consumer power

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I've just been made aware of the exceptional reviews on Amazon for the above album. Thank you Anna. Thank you.

And then there's the video.

The Art of Plagiarism

Advertising creatives have an odd rule when it comes to plagiarism. I think it says a lot about the ingrained arrogance of the  industry that you can copy any film, art or photographic style, comedian's routine, in fact anyone or anything, as long as you don't copy an ad.

I have heard it said countless of times, 'Great ad, pity it's been done', usually followed by the agency name and year of creation, as the all-knowing CD goes over to his D&AD annuals and finds it for you. Proof, as if proof were needed of his greatness when it comes to the history of ads.

The t-shirt industry obviously don't share this obsession.

Howies original

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Mr Cloud's T-shirt Emporium rip-off

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Seeing this made me angry. I now don't like Mr Cloud. Why? Because they're lazy and stupid and spend all their time surfing other t-shirt sites looking for the easy way to a good idea.

But the thing is I actually don't know who was first, I based my assumption on the fact Howies is an old friend (known for it's integrity), while Mr Cloud is a new acquaintance, regardless of whether I'm right or wrong. In fact I'd probably take this position even if I found this t-shirt design on some kid's MySpace page.

Okay, what I know of Howies and what I can gleam from Mr Cloud's website would suggest I'm probably right, but I don't know for sure, maybe Howies just improved on the design.

In a world where we are all now meant to be creating content and posting and uploading and plagiarising and inspiring one another, this is going to create a whole new level of problems for brands and their agencies.

great shop frontage

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More shops should be doing this. Thank you Cass Art, thank you. Oh and I heartily agree. 

NEW BETA

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Here's a lovely little beta site that might help anyone who made the standard new year's resolution to,  get fitter. Called GPSies, you can create, view and download tracks which have been recorded by a GPS device. Whether you're searching for running courses,  mountain bike tracks, with GPSies you can see what Tracks others have recorded.