Cherryflava

The September Issue: A documentary about the woman who runs the global fashion industry

Anna Wintour is the most powerful woman in fashion and The September Issue is an interesting documentary film about the inner workings of American Vogue magazine and what it takes to produce a world-class fashion bible.
She's like Oprah with a magazine - whatever she decides is hot - sells. That's a lot of marketing clout for somebody that seems to say 'no' a hellava lot.
One to watch when it gets off the film festival roundabout an into Cinema Nouveau even if fashion isn't quite your thing.

The next 'Crocs phenomenon'

 

Yeeeeeessss - it's a baseball cap with a purse neatly welded to the front of it. Called a Cap-Sac it's like a Moonbag for your head.
Store anything from money to dagga in this sneaky pouch and nobody will know. Sure to be a hit with drug-mules and American tourists alike.
If you're quick, you may be able to secure the South African distribution license for it and retire rich with a fashion police warrant for your arrest.

[via Coolhunting]

Next to electric sportscars, folding bikes are all the rage

 

Public transport may be environmentally friendly and all that, but it's a pain in the backside when it comes to actually using - especially in South Africa.
Sure they're building this 'bus rapid transit' thing and Joburg is getting a new train that goes in a hole, but the chances of a public transport station exisitng right outside your front door and then dropping you off at your desk are zero.
In which case, a bicycle that you can take out of your top pocket and blow up to cycle between these points is ideal. Now, we're not at that stage just yet, but a folding bike is the next best thing and right now there are lots of new ones popping up all over the show. Our favourite is the one above, called an IF-Mode and designed by Mark Saunders, but the Montague Paratropper Folding bike would also do nicely when enroute to a beer tasting or something important like that.

Not too much action can be found on the local scene, but folding bikes could be the key to a successful public transport system in South Africa.

More: Fold Up bikes in London - PSFK

New Diesel store in NYC taunts the hungry masses with store window celeb dinners

In the midst of the biggest financial crisis our generation has ever seen, Diesel have launched a brand new 20 000 square foot store on New York's 5th Avenue.

Instead of a big fancy party to celebrate the opening of their Diesel Planet store on 54th street and Fifth Avenue, Diesel, the Italian jeans brand, is hosting a series of dinner parties in their Fifth Avenue window which is dressed like a real New York apartment. Last night players from the New York Giants sat down for a meal. Monday night was club kid night and Diesel hosted Richie Rich and Kenny Kenny.

Taking 'shoppertainment' to a new level is not the only marketing trick up their sleeves however.

Diesel is offering several one-of-a-kind features in their new outpost. Customers will have the option of customizing the inside waistband of denim purchases with their name, or initials, using a never before offered service that uses laser-etching technology. Additionally, customers can step up to a number of magic mirrors located within the denim areas. When a customer looks into the full-length mirror, a snapshot is taken so one can check out their backside while looking into the mirror from front-on.

Designed by Diesel’s internal team, the newest Planet features four materials throughout the entire structure: raw vintage wood, black steel, cast glass and hints of bronze. The design concept is a building within a building where customers walk through the front door to be greeted by exposed stonework mimicking another façade wall. Fifth Avenue shoppers will get a peek inside the body of the Diesel Planet through a window that rises beyond the first floor all the way up to the third.

The stark contrast in textures embraces an ‘opposites attract mentality,’ combining different items working together harmoniously such as raw industrial drop lighting combined with hand carved inlayed wooden floors. Always playful, this new face Diesel can accommodate pop up DJ booths on every floor. [thanks Karli]

Don't expect anything remotely similar popping up in Cavendish.

More:

How much is that dinner in the window - Time
Diesel's Five on Fifth - The Coolhunter

Cats sell video game in London

The economic downturn in the UK has forced some marketers to really scrape the bottom of the barrel in their attempts to sell stuff.

News from London is that stray cats are being used to promote a new video game:

Warner Bros has revealed that it plans to advertise its forthcoming shooter, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, via a clowder of black cats around London on the game's launch day on Friday 13.

Shamelessly branded a ‘cat-vertising campaign', the scheme will see the specially trained black moggies sporting F.E.A.R. 2 cat clothing, and then roaming the streets of London.

That's impressive. Most cats won't even release a dog from its mouth when prompted to do so with a boot and yet in this case movie execs managed to persuade them to keep still long enough to attach a branded bib to their torsos.

Here kitty kitty! [thanks Jeffrey]

More: Gawker

Marketers making millions from Obama

The number 1 brand in the world right now - is Barack Obama - but unlike former president Nelson Mandela, his people haven't yet clamped down on the unlawful use of his hallowed name.

From a Ben 'n' Jerry's ice-cream flava: "Yes Pecan!" to a beer in Kenya called "President" the use of the new American president's image and name is now the hottest thing since the Magnum PI ad slot to hit marketing brainstorming cubicles.

Marketing experts, in any case, warn that attempts to latch onto the Obama brand are potentially hazardous. Unlike the sale of "Obamabilia" - memorabilia with the president's branding such as hats, stickers, T-shirts, pyjamas and condoms ("Who says experience is necessary?") that make no secret of their sales pitch - they said that Obama-tinted advertising risks seeming gratuitous. [via]

With Michelle Obama reported to have a taste for Graham Beck Brut, our own brands have also experienced the magic of the Obama touch. It's anyone's guess as to how long the hysteria will last, but maybe the Obamas will see the hijacking that's taking place and put the secret service onto the offenders long before the spell wears off.

More:
From ice-cream to cognac, advertisers try to hijack the magic of the Obama brand - Guardian

New winged recreational activity perfect for fans during 2010

You may not have a guest house to hire out during the upcoming global football events, but slap a winged suit on a happy fan, hike them up one of our many mountains and see them fly, screaming like a little girl, over the edge.

This video has some of the most unreal shots we've ever seen outside of an Imax theatre. [thanks Martin]

[video link]

Facebook for dogs...designed by South Africans

..

Actaully Sniftag is more like a speed dating service disguised as dog ownership.

According to the marketing info: Sniftag is a sleek, little pet accessory that combines wireless sensing and social networking technologies.  The makers came up with the idea when they realized that although dog owners in Boston Common [USA} meet every day, they do not connect or make friends. By recording encounters with other dogs in the park and automatically downloading the information once home, owners can connect with other owners in a safe and easy way. [thanks Tasos]

The success of the social networking side of the product will obviously depand largely on the number of units which are purchased. At $299.00 for the starter kit it's not cheap, but then that also ensures a filtering of inappropriate riff raff dog owners that are going to waste your valuable coffee date time.

Update: Almost forgot to proudly mention that the product was designed by a South African  company by the name of Readymade. Nice one guys.

More:

Sniftag video
Sniftag products

Prediction: In 2009 there will be...a strong commercial heavy metal revival

In tough times, nobody wants to hear Usher ft Chris Brown croon about the bottle of Bollinger they just poured over some loose groupie in a lame attempt to make music that has meaning in a world filled with BMW repossessions and slumming it with Pierre Jordan Brut.

Metallica are back with Death Magnetic - easily the best album release of 2008 and now another 80's classic outfit AC/DC have hit number 1 on the Billboard chart with their latest offering "Black Ice" smashing that High School Musical drivel into submission.
What's next? Iron Maiden cracking the nod for the soundtrack of the next Bond movie - a proper Guns and Roses reunion resulting in the band strumming the backing track for the next Sony Bravia ad which features many multi-coloured Fenders getting smashed on an ice stage?

Somebody get Phil Wright to stop selling out by doing voice overs for Top Billing and back on late night rock radio. Stop disrespecting Barney Simon with an arb 30 minute show on GO and give the legend his Night Zoo slot back on 5FM.

Recession times call for something a little stronger. Forget slurping on an alcopop to take the edge off after getting retrenched for the third time, it's time for Jack Daniel's slammers with an Absinthe chaser delicately flava'd with a pack of Camel Plain.

No more Amy 'Whine' house - the real gods of rock are back.

Read: Heavy Metal clobbers High School Musical - NYTimes
And: Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan on AC/DC and music's latest sales model - Hollywood Insider

Free Business Idea: Smash hit retail

Our office usually doubles up as one of these on a daily basis, but we had to bow and genuflect to this business idea courtesy of Springwise.

Called Sarah's Smash Shack - it's a safe and easily washable space for people to go and smash stuff.
We've always had a fantasy of smashing a white Steinway baby grand piano with a nickel-plated hunting axe in a sound-proof room, so with any luck it looks promising that our dream may actually oneday become reality at a place like Sarah's.

After donning protective gear, smashers are escorted to one of the break rooms, where they stand behind a waist-high barrier and hurl their arsenal at a stainless steel wall. To make the process more personalised, customers are encouraged to bring their own soundtrack on MP3, and to write messages on whatever they’re about to throw. There’s also the option of flinging objects at a photo or mantra of choice. A VIP room is available for group smashes. [via Springwise]

All you need to start one of these potentially lucrative retail outlets is some space in a shopping centre, old stuff from fleamarkets a couple of masks and a Slipknot album or two.

See: Sarah's Smash Shack