Cherryflava

Made in China

Posted on 31. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

If you’ve ever wondered why your business should not consider competing with China when it comes to making stuff – then here’s a very interesting slide show look at China through the eyes of an American.
Clem Sunter’s talk on China is interesting – but these are the pictures, which complete the story. [thanks Tasos]

Made in China slide show

City Wall: Play with your walls

Posted on 31. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

Now walls are going interactive. Located in Helsinki, a huge ‘touch-sensitive’ screen has been installed, which functions as a collaborative art/information project for the city.

Members of the public can stand in front of the screen and scroll through the media content by using ‘Minority Report’- type hand gestures [always an entertaining way to end the evening after having a few beers].
The wall is designed to accept content from public sources like Flick and YouTube with the aim of sharing the information and giving visitors a ‘good feel for the city’.

Good idea perhaps for 2010. Just imagine fans and visitors uploading their videos and pics of the event on walls all over the city.

If you want to contribute content to the wall all the way over in Helsinki for whatever reason – you can email your stuff to post@citywall.org. Alternatively, tag your media on YouTube or
Flickr with ‘Helsinki’ and they will pick up. [via]

More: City Wall
City wall pictures
City wall video

Previously: Adobe’s interactive billboard – Cherryflava

Gorbachev turns into Louis Vuitton model

Posted on 30. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

The last president of communist Russian, Mikhail Gorbachev, has turned to the dark side and signed a modeling contract with luxury accessory brand; Louis Vuitton.
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz the ad is one in a series of shots featuring non-traditional modeling types clutching expensive bags.
In this one – it looks like Mr Gorbachev would rather be spooning a nuclear missile than sitting next to that bag.

But more believable than those ones featuring Scarlett Johansson.

More: Gorbachev made me buy it – NYT
[thanks Red]

Good enough to eat – fruit flava’d USB drives

Posted on 27. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

It had to happen. A USB flash drive maker has invented scratch-and-sniff memory sticks.

We knew there was a reason we were holding out on buying an appropriately flava’d geek toy for everyone.
No word on pricing, availability or flava’s as yet, but thank heavens they exist.

Product page

[via]

New Heineken Rugby World Cup ad is a direct ripoff of another beer commercial

Posted on 27. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

When we first spotted the new Heineken ad promoting the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France, we did at first do a double-take. The images and message seemed so familiar. Why were we developing an undeniable urge to down a cold frosty brew at 6:32 in the morning.

Oh yeah – that why, because it’s a COMPLETE RIPOFF of an old SAB commercial that ran a couple of years ago. Have look here – judge for yourself.

The ad shows people pushing mountains and
continents to bring them closer to the venue of the Rugby World Cup
2007. Almost exactly like the old SAB ad – just without the Johnny Clegg backing track.

The offending Heineken piece was created by Bates, Singapore. Tut tut.

more

The best moment from this year’s Tour de France

Posted on 26. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

If we were tasked to put together one of those Super Sport promo ads [the ones with a loud rock track from the 80's] reminding sports fans why they have to catch the 2008 Tour de France, this classic moment from this year’s tour would be in the first draft. [link]

…ok, and maybe this one too. [link]

Are you being robbed by your bank?

Posted on 26. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

If you also live in a country where; its more cost effective to be mugged at an ATM while getting your money, than leaving it in the bank – then you’ll be able to relate to this ad, which unfortunately was not shown in South Africa.

link

[thanks Dom]

Tour de France brand has never been stronger

Posted on 26. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

Michael Rasmussen: tour leader – OUT after lying about whereabout.

Alexandre Vinokourov: Khazakstan’s national hero -  OUT after having an illegal blood transfusion.

Cristian Moreni: Italian member of team Cofidis – OUT after testing positive for performance enhancing chemicals.

But, interest in the Tour de France is at an all-time high.
Although on the surface it may seem that the event has been plunged into disrepute by the actions of the competitors – in reality the opposite appears to be true.

People that would never have been interested in the Tour are now tuning in to find out what all the fuss is about. Mainstream news is leading with the daily soap opera and all the while the crowds gather on the mountain tops to go crazy for their remaining heroes.

There’s no doubt that the sport of cycling is taking serious body blows and needs drastic action to get its house in order, but the Tour de France brand is a victim of the problem and in the end will emerge stronger and even more popular if the organisors maintain their hard line attitude towards doping.

Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan have mastered the art of scandalvertising. France and it’s famous bicycle race have been given a gift.

Read: Tour de France leader removed from race – Washington Post

After positive test, team quits Tour de France – New York Times

3M should make our ATMs

Posted on 26. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

3M – the company you’d usually associate with duct and double-sided tape – are now making security glass.

To promote the much needed glass in Canada, a country with seems to have much need of such a product, they modified a bus shelter and fitted their security glass at the sides of it. They then filled the security glass space with real (Canadian?) banknotes.

Apparently, hordes of desperate Canadians then attacked the glass with their Burton snowboards and Louis Vuitton handbags to no avail.

Its a great ambient idea, but if 3M really wanted to test their security glass – may we suggest they install a demonstration over here.

We’re thinking maybe Constantia Village. It’s doubtful this thing will stand up to the power of a diamond-encrusted Cartier .22 handgun.

[via Adpunch]

Make your own ads – choose one of the 12 types of advertising available

Posted on 25. Jul, 2007 by Jonathan Cherry.

Could is be that an entire industry is built on just 12 variations on a theme? It’s an interesting concept and frankly relatedsinto a 5-minute crash course in human psychology. Advertising is designed to brainwash you into thinking that your life is lacking without the advertised product. These 12 techniques are clearly restricted to TV advertising only.
In our opinion, another more recent ad trend can be added – being the ‘shock technique‘. That is the outrageous use of shocking imagery or language to create a stir about a product or brand.

There’s the ‘demo’, the old favourite ‘show the need or problem‘, ooohh – then it get a bit more higher grade with the ’symbol, analogy or exaggerated graphic‘, then the ‘comparison‘ (which is not allowed in South African advertising law). The lesson goes forward with the ‘exemplary story‘, the ‘benefit causes story‘, the tacky ‘testimonial‘ and like our own much-loved Mo the Meerkat there’s the ‘ongoing characters and celebrities‘.
Finally there’s another ‘symbol, analogy or exaggerated graphic‘,  the old favourite of Nike ads the ‘associated user imagery‘, the dangerous ‘unique personality property‘ technique and finally the ‘parody or borrowed format’ of other ads or in our case political figures.

Now that you know this – you can make your own, or at least know how you’re being conned into buying something. [thanks Faranaaz]

[via Slate]