Idea: FB Fantasy Friends

Why not develop a widget that would allow to create personal fantasy friends list? Or people you really admire and wish to become friends with?

Here's my personal FFB list:

Idea: Hopscotch credit card number

The idea is to encourage adults to exercise by hopscotching for a bonus. All they have to do is to make 16 random hops on a specially designed hopscotch mat that works like a numeric keypad.
The person who hits the right digital number of the credit card gets a reward, i.e. a credit card loaded with free 500€ to spend.



click on the pic to enlarge:

Everything is OK

Danny and Charlie go out to St Paul's Cathedral, the London Stock Exchange, and the Bank of England spreading a universal message of peace and love.



Danny cheering up the miserable commuters on the Northern Line, London July 2009:

Idea: How to sell Swine Flu

This is in response to AdAge's post announcing that Government PSA Urges Americans to Get Swine-Flu Vaccine . Called "Together We Can All Fight the Flu," the campaign features seven 30-second TV commercials, three radio spots, online banner ads and outdoor ads that remind Americans of the importance of being vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus.

To be honest, it sucks. Not just creatively, but also strategically.

The campaign fails to solve the main problem - credibility issue. Everybody I know (including myself) believes that the whole swine flu propaganda is a political ploy which has been artificially hyped up to instill more fear in the populace. (Very similar to "war on terror" strategy.)




Here's a better idea how to sell swine flu:

Instead of showing sheeple bragging about being vaccinated why not show those unfortunate souls who already have been infected with the virus? I would like to hear them and not some actors on pay roll. Who are those victims that the government so desperately trying to make us believe are real and many?

According to the Centers for Disease control, 22 million Americans have been infected with swine flu, and nearly 4,000 have died from the H1N1 virus.

Better yet, the most convincing ad for me would the one that shows members of the government themselves taking the shots!

Idea: Climate Wars game

According to conspiracy theory H.A.A.R.P. (High Altitude Auroral Research Program) is developing weather manipulation technology capable creating earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis and other devastating natural phenomena that can be used as a secret military weapon. (Otherwise why the project is owned by US Military and is highly secretive?)

Why not design a strategy game that would popularize HAARP's science program as well as educate general public about the dangers involved should this technology be used as a weapon?

The game is a realistic simulation of earth environment that can be played online and allows to manipulate weather conditions of the planet thus creating floods, drafts, tornadoes and earthquakes. Apart from that players can apply mind control weapons by using real time sound waves to alter emotional states of their adversaries.
In the course of the game players would not only learn about the use of technology as a mighty weapon but also different survival strategies in dealing with consequences of various climate cataclysms, i.e. moving population to safe areas, building infrastructure, setting up rescue operations, etc.






General benefit of the game:

Making HAARP's technologies transparent (by introducing them to public awareness in an entertaining format) would make their military use in the real world more difficult. It would not only alert general public of the possibility and dangers of it's military use (and create more watchdogs groups) but also would stimulate development of its peaceful applications.

Idea: Famous brand to sponsor crop circles

As we move closer to 2012 more people get interested in exopolitics (study of political relations between humans and extraterrestrial civilizations) and crop circles phenomena.

According to International Crop Circles Archive (ICCA) appearances of crop circle formations worldwide are increasing and now capture imagination even of the "mainstreamers".

It would be a good idea for a big brand to sponsor a piece of land specifically designated for communication with extraterrestrial intelligence through crop circles medium.
By this I don't mean "shaving" a huge brand's logo on the crop field or anything like that. The project should not be a gimmick but rather an experiment with an objective of possibility to
establish a meaningful dialog with ETs.

From a marketing perspective the project would contribute to the brand's progressive image (open-minded, forward thinking, etc.)

i.e. below is an example for Apple brand (since they claim: Think different)



I can't imagine Microsoft doing it, but if it did, it would definitely help the brand to change it's rather uninspiring mainstream image into a more forward thinking and progressive... as well as winning hearts and minds of millions of crop circle enthusiasts worldwide.

Other potential sponsors who'd benefit from this idea: BMW or Mercedes, Google or Yahoo, Shell or alternative energy groups, etc.

Really hot cat!

+ 49°C in the shade, south india.

Idea: video highlights widget

Problem:

When friends send us video links, why do we have to waste time watching a whole video clip when only a few parts of the video maybe interesting?

Solution:

Why not develop a special widget that would allow us to select the best parts of the video and send our friends just these selected parts of the clip?

Below are some examples of potential sponsors:



the idea would also work for a juice brand:



... or newspaper with "no frills" approach:



translation of Bild newspaper slogan: Who has important things to say makes no long sentences. This applies to video as well.

Mind vs Heart

The following map shows limitation of human mind in perception of the ultimate reality.
Higher knowledge of reality is achieved through integration of all the senses, i.e. 5 senses of the mind (which interpret material plane) and the 6th sense of the heart (which transcends the material).

Mystic arts

My ongoing project: Sacred geometry (metatron's cube) meets chaos magick (sigils).
Each sigil (loaded glyph) represents a specific wish to be manifested. The intent is to produce one sigil a day over a period of 151 days (the number of circles in the structure).




151 circles, sigils are placed from the centre along the clockwise spiral (1-150) which is looped up with the last one (151th) right in the centre.

Symbolism: black - colour of akasa (black hole, plane of probabilities), golden circles - colour of material plane (earth), 151 = 7 (" PATER NOSTER " = 151, 7 = mystic number representing the center of the humanity's connection to its source, god, Christ consciousness - or whatever name you prefer.)

Liars hate silence

link

Idea: dirty mouth soap wash

A soap brand produces viral videos with famous "dirty talk" rappers being "mouth washed". Their original music videos would be re-edited and a 'clean' word would be audio superimposed on each bad word , i.e. "love" for "fuck", "lovely" for "fucking", "ladies" for "bitches", etc.

A graphic representation of soap foam could be also flashed in sync over the mouth. All 'nice' words could be spoken with a voice similar to Sam from Microsoft "text-to-speech" app.

The Magician

Idea: Obscure Mission Statement Puzzles

Why not add more interactive fun to boring corporate mission statements?

provided by flash-gear.com

Bombay style vs NY style

One day passing by a barber shop called N.Y. Styling I had a whimsical thought: wouldn't it be great if there was a Bombay style barber shop right next door... just for the sake of it! ;)

I think I am missing something unpretentious and natural here... like having my ears waxed with a match stick and being kissed in a forehead afterwards...

The Magician

Idea: Invisible Girlfriends

On evolution of conscious observation, perhaps.

click to enlarge:



more Ufos here

Happiness = Productivity

Mollie Partesotti and Benjamin Alter at the VCU Brand Center created a thought-provoking animation which explains how work spaces need to be re-thought to ensure employee happiness. Showing how dehumanizing workspaces, such as cubicles, are at odds with both well-being and the way we work now, the duo artfully explores the domain of the modern workplace.

Episode 1 - A deconstruction of how we work from Cubes Are Evil on Vimeo.

Politics and social media

The end of top-down control of news is changing the nature of politics.

Personal encounter with UFOs

This is a bit random post: the pics below were taken at 9:55 am, @ Humbolthein park, 01.08.09 (Berlin)...there were 10 of shiny objects in the sky, moving pretty fast in a tight formation to the south, silently.
the photos were taken by a friend of mine who was next to me at the time of the event. as you can see the sky is very clear... and very bright from the sun... which made it quite difficult to make a sharp shot.
the whole event lasted about 2-3 min... until they vanished.




this is 500% zoom:

My interpretation of the dollar pyramid

Pimp up that Bible !

Just came across a rather curious brief on Mypitch.com from a client called Bible Illuminated. Basically it looks like a desperate attempt to make the old book more relevant to the modern culture - consumerism!
Strategy: To redesign it and pimp up with modern images.

Here's the winner of the pitch, who came up with an idea for a new Bible Illuminated audio book - iPod Cross:



It looks kind of interesting and weird but I don't think that design in itself is going to solve the problem or make any substantial difference. In fact, I believe it is a counter productive move to tie up the old spiritual teachings to something as flimsy and whimsical as modern pop culture. Strategically it is rather naive. It won't solve the problem and it won't make new "recruits" and it won't do any justice to Jesus teachings either!

I understand that the people behind this campaign want to make the Bible more relevant to modern life, but this approach is not the solution and seriously misses the zeitgeist (rapidly increasing disappointment with mainstream materialistic culture). So why on earth would you want to jump on this bandwagon that is heading towards the blind alley anyway?

What would be the solution? In my opinion, if you want to make Christianity more relevant to modern society, action would speak louder than words (or design gimmicks!) For example, focusing on solving world poverty, environmental problems, speaking loudly against politics of war, supporting those who fight against injustice (even if they belong to a different faith, like Palestinians!), etc.

This commands respect and attention and should be brought forth, not the tacky gimmicks.

Hot sauce made & marketed by prisoners

A couple of years back I had an idea that involved jailbirds marketing products for Esprit clothing brand. I remember that quite a few ad folks liked the idea (the claim) but weren't so sure about involving the prisoners in it. To them it seemed a cultural taboo not to be crossed! Fast forward to the present... and we see a different picture - the taboo is no longer a taboo! Check out this website www.jailhousefire.org where prisoners from Florida's Hillsborough County Jail are making and marketing their own hot sauce online:



There you can also see some print ads and a couple of tv ads for the product.
I am not sure if the ads were concepted by the prisoners as well - they have professional look, but are too conventional and bland in comparison to this brilliantly original product idea!

Idea: Gmail Send Later button

... just like the "post options" on this blog.

IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT JOB

Welcome to my vision of the future advertising agency. This is my video application for the perfect job.

Idea: Green grave stones anyone?

following one of my previous ideas on graveyard technology (tombstone slideshow), here's another proposal:

Idea: New 2012 scenario, perhaps?

Check out this trailer for a new 2012 movie. The only interesting thing about it, in my opinion, are special effects. As for the plot - it's a yawn. Hollywood execs use the same old strategy of scaretactics, physical destruction, lots of noise, explosions, etc. This might appeal to an average Joe, of course, but definitely is a misleading interpretation of the global event (21 dec. 2012)



Personally, I would be more interested to see a different interpretation of the event. For example:

Why not to explore a different scenario with the base idea that on December 21, 2012 all people of the earth suddenly become telepathic? What would be the consequences of this global phenomena? And would it change the world for better or worse? And how many of us would survive the sudden change?

I have spent a fair amount of time researching the subject of 2012 and to me it's more about the paradigm change in our human consciousness, and less about earthquakes, tsunamis or falling fireballs. Booo hisss!

Engagement vs Compliance

Below is a very interesting TED talk by Daniel Pink. In December Dan has a new book coming out called Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. This talk will make you (re-)think about work, management, and what motivates you — and those you work with — to excel.

iSnort mobile app

... a controversial iPhone app from PeterMagicJohnson:



1,720,962 views, 1,926 positive ratings (plus one from me ;)

Idea: Personal Data Art app

Here's another mobile app idea inspired by data artworks from http://www.visualcomplexity.com

Wouldn't it be cool to have mob application that turns all the statistical data in our cell phones into individual interactive art visualizations?

click to enlarge:

Sorry I ate your slippers!

featuring Molino (our house dog) on the guilt trip...

Idea: Personal Mobile Oracle app

This is a concept for a mobile phone app that helps undecided to make a decision.
It works as a psycho-digital oracle and provides four possible answers to any given question.

Idea: Inventing New Free

This idea was inspired by the latest book from Chris Anderson "FREE " where he writes about the future of a radical price:

Wouldn't it be cool if a brand offered us a free product from its rival?

i.e. Special promotion with underlying message:

We are so confident in superiority of our product X that we are willing to give you a free sample from our closest competitor for you to judge for your self.



idea can be applied to all sorts of snacks and sodas, tea and coffee brands and other premium products.

Tossers mirage

Charlie Brooker of BBC shares his view on aspirational TV.

Idea: Inspired ears

a quick project for Eyeka Philips contest. Using the existing slogan "Let your ears decide" was mandatory. (Music comes from my mate)

The taste of B.S. marketing

source: http://www.tappening.com/

Idea: AD-EXORCIST widget

an idea for a browser plugin to get rid of those annoying banners and popups while you surf the web

Great product, silly slogan (2)

awhile ago I made a post (Great product, silly slogan) where I criticized a slogan on a website and offered a more honest version ... and today I accidentally found out that the company responded and changed that slogan on their website. Grrreat!
(They didn't notify me about the change directly, but I guess they were worried that I would be asking money for that. Which is kinda silly too :)))

No magick in interruptive advertising

Here's my personal take on why classical interruption ads don't work any more as they used to.

Think of advertising as a dominant and controlling type of person in a social group. He exudes power, authority and influence upon this group... but only to a certain point! As soon as the group starts perceiving him on a conscious level, for example becoming aware of his manipulation tricks (body posture, eye contact, voice, etc.) - his credibility and influence on this group starts to wane rapidly.

The same is happening to the classical format of advertising. It's been around for too long for consumers to learn almost every trick of the trade. Look at the growing trend of online advertising contests where "amateurs" are imitating "professionals" and produce their own ads.
(AdHack, Poptent, Eyeka to name a few)

In other words, consumers became well conscious of the method and therefore immune to it.

Of course, there are still some ad-literate laggards left in the world, but they are no longer a dominant majority and their numbers are constantly dwindling.

To summarize: it is not enough to communicate a selling proposition and put a logo with a slogan in the end. It's too obvious for increasingly critical consumers. I believe that the future credibility of advertising will depend on two main factors:

1. more subtle formats (seeking innovative methods of product placement, for example)
2. integrity of the message ( lovertising / ethics)

here's a classic interruption ad for laggards:



and this one experience engaging for more enlightened ones : )

Benjamin Fulford's vision of the future

Armed also with a contagiously optimistic vision of the future, Benjamin is fully prepared to be the next Finance Minister for Japan. His plans for how he would spend Japan's $5 trillion of foreign reserves to eliminate global poverty are plausible and inspiring as practical steps, way beyond rhetoric, to repair the generations of damage done by a ruthless ruling elite. This is a man with a deep understanding of both East and West, a global economic historian who thinks way outside of the box, a lover of peace who is unafraid to speak warrior words.

In this comprehensive three part video, the first two parts focus on global financial history and Benjamin's most interesting personal story leading up to his approach by the Ninja. The third part contains the details of The Ultimatum itself.




And his interview with David Rockefeller:

A tribute to the cheesy 80's..

Total Eclipse of the Heart: Literal Video Version

The future of advertising

Prediction: Brand vs Customer video wars

Here's a case at hand: United vs United customers

"Carroll and his band, Sons of Maxwell, decided to write a song about the incident, called 'United Breaks Guitars' and posted the video on YouTube, which has been viewed nearly half a million times since July 6.

United caught wind of the video and apologised to the singer for the dispute, issuing a statement via Twitter, which read: "This has struck a chord [with] us and we've contacted him directly to make it right." source Revolution



After watching this one can only sympathize with the makers of the video.
I wouldn't be surprised to see in the near future more videos like this one coming from ordinary pissed off customers using digital media and expressing their grievances in an artistic way . For example: private videos that make fun of bad customer service in a restaurant, or unfair treatment of insurance company, or just about any product or service a consumer finds a fault with.

This video is a kind of celebrity endorsement for it.

Benefits:

For video makers - fame and recognition
For customers - improvement of the product (brands can't afford to ignore it)
For brands - improvement of the product (and customer relationships)

here's a link to my previous post about a pissed off customer burning his creditcard and making a public statement about it.

Best Job in the World

An open letter to my former boss Jean-Remy von Matt:

Idea: Daily Mirror Special Edition

Why not to have a special event when Daily Mirror online display goes literally mirror?
Imagine you go online to check out news and instead of a normal display you see a mirror image (click to enlarge):



those who have difficulty to read backwards can always click on "normal view" button.
the idea would work as a total surprise and generate a lot of buzz.
for the 1st of April addition, perhaps?

Comment: Great product, silly slogan

the link

why use meaningless and silly slogans for such a great experience that this french company is offering? Enjoying the stars (instead of conquering them) at least makes sense.

Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul In The Streets

a brilliant idea from BBH to let street musicians remix and play songs from Oasis's upcoming album. So simple, so viral.



I wonder why not to let each street artist their own live video streams on the internet? Each profile will have a google map with current location of the artist and a paypal donate button. See my previous idea for beggarcam.com as an example.

Desmond Dekker: feline rmx

one day i woke up in my hut to discover a wild cat mother and a kitten lying next to me.
the mother, probably fearing for the safety of her kitten (dogs, crows, etc), decided to move her family to my bungalow. they stayed for over a week until the kitten was big enough to climb down the staircase.

Spacecollective.org

This is a link definitely worth sharing: Spacecollective.org is a place where forward thinking terrestrials exchange ideas and information about the state of the world we create and inhabit. Inspiring and insightful. Here are a couple of the introductory videos from the site:

Idea: A Fight Tank (mobile emergency service)

Problem: How many times did you have an argument with someone and later really regretted that you didn't record it? It could be for reasons of personal record, entertainment value, educational value or even as a legal evidence.

Solution: Why not to set up a service that offers a special mobile room where customers can sort out their differences in an organized and fruitful manner?

A FightTank van, for example, that can be easily rented out when you need to have that serious talk with someone. Click on pic to enlarge:


All arguments are automatically recorded by installed inside cameras for further study or references. The service promotes a constructive argument and personal awareness.

(A set of disposable vases to smash around is available upon the request.)

Couples who seek an objective opinion may also choose to get their tapes analyzed by an independent specialist (i.e. as a free bonus for customer loyalty :)

Mobility of the service also let's the customers to choose appropriate settings for their disputes, for example, a countryside waterfall, a back street alley, a fairground car park, etc.

Happiness project

Wise men tell us: Unhappiness is caused by our excess of desires and worries over trifle things. Here's a simple idea to communicate it:



Also works on street waste/litter baskets, rubbish bins, etc.

The idea would work for a public health organization, a psychotherapist, spiritual website, etc.

Idea: McPorn

Anti fast food guerilla project idea: large stickers over McDonald's outdoor ads featuring naked obese models:

Idea: Interactive ad on Youtube

United by trivia.

i don't know, maybe it's just me.. but after spending some time out of the system you come back to civilization and look at things afresh... and you see rather psychotic stuff....here's what i mean:


Is the community really obsessed with such trivial bonding ...or is it some kind of conspiracy? )

A healthier option, perhaps: