Ice Creamocracy

Ben and Jerry's has officially released their latest pun flavored promotion! Do The World A Flavor and come up with a new flavor of ice cream to add to their cold & creamy collection! Props to the cute Flash animation!





I created "Birthday Everyday" because I used every single cake or brownie related thing that they had. I mean you eat cake and ice cream every year anyways so why not just combine them? Yea I know Baskin Robbins has been doing it forever but this is in pint form. Just take off the top and stick in a few candles. Done!

I've had an unsatisfied craving for some B&J's since Nick's ice cream comedy on Monday...

Babies Are Back in Style

For some reason, I've been finding a lot of cool baby stuff lately...

Ran across this super cool/cute website called Rattle and Roll. Who doesn't want their kid to be a little rockstar?. They also dabble in graduation and birthday announcements.






And speaking of babies, I love this new Huggies commercial! It's one of the first diaper commercials I've seen that (I'm pretty sure) targets guys and uses humor, rather than a bunch of babies crawling around or being coddled. According to Brandweek, it was done by JWT New York.



Geez! Another cool baby thing! Stumbled across this on the Lovely Package blog. Wry Baby decided you shouldn't have to wait to find out what your kid is going to be when he/she grows up. For just $12.95 Mysterio will send you future-telling t-shirt.

Infographistics

There are some pretty cool infographistics (information + graphics + statistics) that are informing the internet masses right now. The first is this cool new commercial from sprint by Goodby Silverstein in San Fran. Simple concept and superb execution. The website, the Now Network is nuts! See what Ad Week had to say about it.



And here is something a couple of my friends twittered: What if the world were condensed into 100 people? This simple .swf really puts things in perspective.





And finally, did you know all this about technology? Disclaimer: This may or may not blow your mind.



And I have to throw in this nifty little video about how marketing and advertising has dramatically changed. It was originally made by Scholz & Friends, a German agency, and included in a presentation by one of our guest speakers at school last quarter.



And the last one about social networking. Also from one of our guest speakers last quarter.



It's fun to learn new things! Which reminds me, I need to sit down and play with After Effects and Flash some more. I need more hours in my days. Ugh.

Happy Birthday Mother Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day ya'll! I'm hoping there will be some still awe-inspiring reruns of planet earth on the discovery channel when I get home tonight. Hands down, this is the best slow motion sequence in the whole series. The ocean off South Africa is effing scary (especially if you are a seal).



Speaking of Earth Awareness (shouldn't we be more aware of it everyday?) I fianlly got to experience the craze that is augmented reality.





Check it out at GE's Ecomagination website. The design and animation are amazing and to play with the AG application, you have to print out the form with the little black picture on it and hold it up to your webcam. Then voila!

It's really interesting but there's really no specific use for it in this example. It's just a cool techie gimmick to play with. I wonder what some other possibilities are...

Coffee Copy

So having an internship is a lot alike and lot different from school at the same time. It's the same in that I still have homework. Which I am hopefully finishing soon. It's different in the fact that you have a ton more restrictions, i.e. clients, superiors, budgets, brand guidelines, etc. And the fact that I have to get up way earlier, commute, and am at an office all day... which reminds me that I still need to decorate my cubicle.

Anyways, I have a ton of stuff I've been meaning to post but haven't had the time. I don't even really have time now, but I don't want to disappoint my fan(s?). Do I have more than one? LoL

Here are some cool long copy ads for the Ugly Mug Coffee Co. Cute Name, and I like the gritty, earthy design. Everything fits together like a puzzle. It's like Starbucks for hippies and non-pretentious college students.







On the way back to the beach today, I was rocking out to this new song called Something in your Mouth. The lyrics are oh so suggestive yet hilarious and I thought it was Theory of a Deadman at first, but it turned out to be Nickelback. I hate to admit that I still kind of liked it. Ahh!

I also recently heard the Black Eyed Peas' new track, Boom, Boom, Pow. A hybrid of hip hop and techno? I bet this song is super popular in Europe. "I'm so 3000 and 8, you're so 2000 and late." LMAO It makes me think of the matrix mixed with cirque du soleil on acid and appears to be an extended commercial for HP.

Breadtality

Gotta throw a random toast post in here every once in a while...



So tired. Will put actual effort into a post soon.

Stuff I'm Diggin'

Hey kids! Looks like the forecast for the internship the next few days is busy with scattered stressfulness. I just wanted to post a few things I'm diggin' right now before I start freaking out and don't have time for anything fun.



LOVE this gamefly commercial! It's so absurd that it's awesome. I really like the guy throwing the books off the shelf. He's my fav.

And some music that I am currently dancing around my apartment like a fool to. Believe me, you don't want to see it. Even though I cheered in college, I was always in the back for the dance sequences. And not just because I was the tallest one.



LG is my new hero. She is freakin' cool, not just another artificial pop tart. She actually writes all of her lyrics and melodies and designs and makes a lot of her stage outfits. Her big influences are Queen and David Bowie rock-style which she combines with modern electro and pop and we all know I like hybrid music.



This song is just fun. The lead singer kind of makes me want to get another piercing. That would put me up into the double digits. Hmmm...



I've also recently really gotten into Unwritten Law. Gotta throw in a does of bitter, angry rock. I also recommend Shoulda Known Better, F.I.G.H.T. and everyone knows Seeing Red.

I also recently discovered Demetri Martin on Comedy Central. His show is pretty funny and random (my favorite adjective) and reminds me of a younger, less strung-out Mitch Hedberg. So I checked out the website and found these great posters to promote his show. I wonder if he actually made them. The craziest thing is, he totally looks like Owen and Luke Wilson at the same time!







I'm going to get to bed at a decent time (before midnight) and actually run and/or swim tomorrow (like I have been intending to do for the past week and a half).

Monday Mirecommendations Vol III

It's Monday again already?! Well I have good news and more good news. The monologue went well, kind of. I got "nearly an A+" for content (not bad for an art director) but a B- for presentation because I can't freakin' quit laughing. But it's hard for me not to laugh when other people are laughing, which is the whole point of stand-up. So it's a mixed bag.

Last week for the class we had to sit in front of the class and be thoroughly yet anonymously judged by our peers. G Michael typed everything up and read us our alphabetical results this week.

Here were some of my favorites:
"Sunshine"
"Sweet Bangs"
"Piercing Fest"
"Cheerful person portrayed by clean wardrobe"
"Looks like she came from a plantation"
"Needs to do something or she may lose it and go nuts"
"Easily Amused" and "Easter colored"
And the two adjectives that apparently describe me best are "tan"and "blonde." No surprise there.

So onto the recommendation. I found this sweet pair of chopsticks in the desk drawer at my cubicle today. They were for this local restaurant called Sushi Maki which comes highly recommended by my co-workers. Partly because the sushi is good and because it is open late and delivers when you are trying to meet a deadline. I take their word about the quality part. I think sushi tastes like sea barf.

FUN WITH CHOPSTICKS -or- (WHAT NOT TO DO ON A DATE)









[The Walrus, El Diablo, The Fu Manchu, The Donkey, My Favorite Martian]

On the reverse side:

WARNING: Professional Chopstick Stunt People were used for the drawings above. In real life, chop sticks are dangerous - even lethal in a ninja warrior's hands. You could poke your eye out, or tear your rotator cuff or something. So our lawyers tell us that we have to warn you that they can be dangerous and cause serious physical harm if you use them for anything but eating. Sushi Maki is not liable for any damage or harm that may come to you from the improper handling of these utensils. Parents, watch your children closely and please exercise caution. Or just ask for a fork. Which could be dangerous too, we guess. Eating with your hands would be safe, but messy. Good luck.

Proof that you can make anything creative; even packaging for a mundane pair of Asian eating tools. I'm kind of infatuated with the copy. And the design isn't bad either. The website is very nice and check out this Get out of hunger free card:

Rise and Shine

Happy Easter, everyone!



This year's was unprecedented as I celebrated it with more Jewish people than Christian people. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Boca Raton to hang with Beth and assorted friends and family. The weekend also involved line dancing, my favorite drool-prone cat and being ON A BOAT (minus Andy Samberg and T-Pain).

Oh yea, and although they are usually my favorite Easter time treat, I DO NOT recommend the ones made with Splenda. Ick!



OK now back to attempting to write and memorize six minutes of funniness among other things for class tomorrow night. It's gonna take another miracle for me to pull this off...

Good Taste in Advertising

Being in advertising is probably going to send me to Hell, the first (and probably not the last) reason of which is it made me break my Lenten discipline that I just mentioned in my post yesterday. But this idea was worth it. And the chocolate was really small. LoL.

This chick Danielle Saltrese thought it would be a cool idea to make really weird flavors of chocolate, send them to major agencies in mystery boxes, and see how many people correctly guessed the flavors. Even though I'm still just an intern, I got to play!




Look! It matches my outfit!






No idea what my flavor was. It kind of tasted like flowers.




I was wrong. It was the taste of basil. And failure.



You can see the live results at Agency Taste. It will be more interesting once (or if) the other agencies participate.

Sweetness

So I discovered these at Whole Foods recently because I had to satisfy my sweet tooth despite the face that I gave up chocolate for Lent. Let me introduce you to QB's, the All natural crispy treat filled with ice cream." Although upon sampling, I wouldn't use the adjective "crispy." The texture is more chewy, then creamy, or melty, depending on how long it takes you to eat it.

So why are these frozen snacks named after an abbreviated position in football? What is the purpose of these snacks, as it would appear in the dictionary? What do these treats like to do in their spare time? I'm glad you asked. Just refer to the amazingly awesome back of the box.



QB n. (cube-EE): An all natural cube shaped ice cream treat that satisfies the taste buds and makes you smile.

Well there you go. I just can't get over the copy.

So they come in three flavors, Dave, Suzy Cube and Esquivel. What the eff kind of name is Esquivel?! It almost as bad a Gerbie! (Only a few people will understand that reference). And why is he removing his crispy garment?

I guess in addition to lewd and lascivious acts of exhibitionism, Esquivel enjoys extreme activities and high action sports. But chillin' is a definite must. That's not contradictory. And what the eff kind of sports would a crispy covered block of ice cream participate in? I guess they would have to be winter sports. Maybe he uses those popsicle sticks with those really bad jokes on them as snowboards.

And for some reason, my treats are trying to escape out of the right side of the box! Or maybe they're just being exposed to intrigue people. Again with the exhibitionism! Come to think of it, I think I saw Paul Reubens endorsing them in a commercial recently.



I think the contemplative king in the top left corner sums it all up: QB's or not QB's? There is no question.

Monday Mirecommendations Vol II

Ok so technically it's Tuesday but I literally haven't had time to post anything until now. After waking up at 6:30 this morning and working out a bit, I was at my internship by 9:30, worked all day, left at 5:00, stopped home just long enough to eat an All-American veggie burger then power walked it to MAS for my stand-up comedy class at 7:00. It's one of those rare classes that actually goes the whole three hours and according to our teacher even beyond that. This class is definitely gonna kick my ass but I like that my "research" includes watching the Colbert Report this week.

Then of course I had to watch the tarheels' inevitable victory over Michigan. I can't remember the last time I yawned so much during a basketball game. It was a well-deserved victory though. The only way I wouldn't have cheered for them was if they played Wake or Clemson, my first and second tier teams. Yes, I can cheer for three teams in the same conference!

So onto the mireccomendation: M.I.A., also known as Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam. I'm a big fan of hybrid music, and she's one of the most experimental and international artists I can think of, putting people on the map from Africa to Australia and more recently India, with her song O Saiya featured in Slumdog Millionaire.


She's also an interesting fashion and graphic designer. I would describe the style as American Apparel refugees on crack.




I think her big break (at least in the US) was when her song Paper Planes was used in the Pineapple Express trailer and movie. Here's a link to the music video because I can't embed it. And the pineapple express trailer:



I wasn't so impressed the first time I saw it. Maybe it's one of those movies I have to watch more than once to appreciate it like Napoleon Dynamite or Wedding Crashers.

Anyways, some of my other favorite songs of hers include Hussel, Sunshowers, Mango Pickle Down River and Come Around featuring Timbaland. T.I. also recently did a huge collaborative track with Kanye West, Jay-Z and Weezy called Swagger Like Us using part of her paper planes in the chorus. This song was performed by the "rap pack" live at the 2009 Grammys and M.I.A. was even pregnant!

M.I.A,T.I.,Jay-Z,Lil Wayne,& Kanye West - Swagga Like Us
by Alisvideo

I guess I've been on a music kick lately. I need to be more faithful to my blog title and switch things up a bit.

Music Mess

My credit card hasn't had a workout in a while, so I couldn't resist when I had to head out to Dadeland Mall for a Genius Bar appointment. Most of the damage was done at Sephora, Abercrombie and Macy's.

I got grabbed walking through the middle of Macy's make-up land by the Benefit beauticians and got a "free" cosmetic consultation, or cosmetation (b/c I like to make up words). I really like some of the packaging design, each one is different and reflects the mood of the product. However, the "beauty book" publication they gave me was ironically ugly.


(This photoshop fairytale does not have a happy ending.)


Anyways, driving back to the beach I continued my quest for a decent radio station to listen to. About half of them aren't in English, so those are out. A bunch are like R&B babymaking music, and that's not happening in my car, literally or figuratively. So that leaves the 80's and light rock stations, which I maybe like 1 out of every 7 songs played and the Pop Station which is the most decent of the ones I've discovered but still hit or miss.

Today was mostly misses. There are some songs that trigger my gag reflex and I have to switch the station hastily before I asphyxiate. So please remember never to play any of these in my presence.



"Strumming My Pain" by the Fugees. Bleh- starting to cough just typing it.
"Not Gonna write you a Love Song" by Sara Barealleslalasses
"Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White Tees
"Your Body is a Wonderland" by John Mayer. Actually, I hate anything by John Mayer. And anything that sounds like John Mayer. What a douche.
Anything by the Donnas. or that Michelle Branch chick. Not to be a traitor to my gender, but there are very few girls that can be legit rock stars.
"Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" by Jack Johnson. Keep it at the coffeehouse, buddy.
"These Words" and "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield (Although she's really pretty and I like her style)

Oh, and Britney Spears' latest release "If You Seek Amy" is possibly one of the worst songs ever written/recorded. However, that did not keep me from downloading it anyways. If you're in a musically masochistic mood, here's a link to the video. How surprising, more "orgyography" (choreography that reminds me of a massive orgy).




Other than all that, I'm pretty eclectic. LoL.

Now it's time to pop a few painkillers and hit the couch to tune in for a Tarheels victory!!!