states that swing

Living in a swing state is great. A few examples why:

1. Drive down the country roads and you will find homemade party signs with more right and left turns than the road will offer.
2. Google CEO Eric Schmidt is coming to speak t VCU tomrw
3. Caroline Kennedy is coming to speak at VCU on Sat.
4. Just had Rock the Vote in the park near VCU, sadly Beastie Boys just came to say hello, not to perform. Boo.

be offended.

My friends Jake and Kyle created these stickers.
Check out their blogs:
http://rollingondubs.blogspot.com/
http://www.eggplantcreative.blogspot.com/

the shining, with doritos.

I admitted to being a ninny in front of 200 people today. Yep, it's true. I can't handle hotel626.com by myself. The site is brilliant if for no other reason than because it is only available between the hours of 6p.m. and 6a.m. A wonderful stipulation that guarantees it will haunt your dreams. But here is my question: what is a snack brand, Doritos, doing making a website that would make the director of horror film, The Ring, jealous? The scariest thing about the snack to me is the chemical ingredients.

Account Director Martha Jurzynski from Goodby spoke at the Brandcenter yesterday about integration. In looking at the Doritos home webpage I have trouble understanding the connection between the two websites. Perhaps because I have yet to explore Hotel626. Fair enough...Those of you who are brave enough to venture through the digital hotel let me know. Here is a pic featured on adage.com of Hotel626. It looks like Alice fell down the wrong rabbit hole this time around.

Here is a picture of the Doritos website. The website has a spy/end of the world look; sounds like Will Smith's next movie.

i'm a maverick too.

Ahh Sarah Palin, I can't tell you and Tina apart.

Check out: http://www.palinaspresident.com/, for one view of what Palin in the Oval Office might look like.

A little ditty about our lovely flute player - "Sarah Palin Remixed:"

folk yeah!!

I love music festivals. The 70th Richmond Folk Festival was this past weekend and I saw a few awesome groups. Here's a video from an Irish group called Laidan:

My friend Everitt and I were jammin out to a reggae band on Friday night. The crowd was in full bop and from all walks of life. It was so cool to see such strangers break it down. I had an 80-something year old man on one side of me doing a side-step and dreaded hippies raving past me on the other.
I don't know where the heck I'll be next year, but I hope I can take the time to come down for the 71st RVA Folk Fest!

abandon your seat, let the beat unite you

Here is a paper that I wrote for Peter Coughter's Cultural explorations class. The assignment was to visit a Richmond attraction and write our thoughts about our experience. I visited the Armenian Food Festival. For the paper I drew a bird's eye view of the event and mapped out my foot steps around the festival. I'll have to scan in the drawing later (I'm not much of a drawer so it's not a great drawing!), but here is my story transcribed.

Lose the bike. Walk amongst a crowd to which you hold no tie. “Heck, I don’t even know where Armenia is.”

“Wow, check out all the families! Welcome to the suburbs! I wonder if I’ll ever really be a part of this? Is this my aim or my biggest fear?

(In the buffet line)
Two old ladies in line behind me discuss the high prices of the food this year. “I guess I can splurge, I never go out” one says, making me feel embarrassed by all that I take for granted. The convo moves to aging and I appreciate my youth.

Sit next to a girl around my age eating by herself. We listen to the live music and watch the costumed children’s dance group. Her father approaches and I hear him in his loving, musky voice ask “did you get a discount because you are Armenian?” I know she smiled back. I miss my dad.

The crowd joins the dance. Linked by pinkies, complicated foot patterns mingle with the music and I, ever observant of each step, begin to dance in my seat. Abandon the seat. Take to the floor, link pinkies and accept that failure is inevitable but fun.

We snake around the church grounds in the shadows the evening attempts to throw at us. Exhale into the movement any fear of cutting the flow, let the beat unite you. Let pinkies become arms when those who are losing their war with time celebrate their mortality, however quickly it may be fading. Understand tradition, become a part of it even if it was never yours to practice.

"In fact, romanticism and science are good for each other."

"The scientist keeps the romantic honest and the romantic keeps the scientist human."
- "Another Roadside Attraction" by Tom Robbins, pg. 150

I love this quote. It illustrates the idea that opposites attract. But is this true? One could argue with the equally common phrase "like attracts like." I personally believe more in the latter.

For the creative execution of one of my recent projects we compiled interesting love stories. I find listening to these stories very optimistic. In an America that is increasingly lonelier I can only hope that my optimism isn't blind naivety. My favorite is still my friend Amy's.

Amy, an American student was hiking alone in Chile when she came across a winery and decided to take a tour. Amy was the only guest on the tour but just before she and the guide began a young French man, who was also hiking Chile solo, arrived. Amy and her new companion, Jean, conversed in their second language, Spanish, as Amy spoke no French and Jean no English. After the tour the two became traveling companions for a few weeks. Upon returning to South Carolina, Amy began taking French lessons and Jean began learning English. Less than a year later, Amy graduated from college and moved to New Zealand with Jean to become organic farmers. As it was the rain season, the two were stuck in doors. Amy later told me that if their relationship was able to survive those months farming in the rain and being stuck in the same small space, it could survive anything. She was right. The two got married about a year later. Amy and Jean now live in France.

the here and now

Sorry for the hiatus. School. It's my only excuse. Could there ever be a better one when you go to Brandcenter? Here's what I've been up to...

Today Jakob Trollback from Trollback + Co. spoke at Culture Crash. Soft-spoken yet powerful I found his work incredibly inspiring. It reminded me of what I love about graphic design and how good the creative executions side of the industry I am entering can be. Loved this spot for Pop!Tech 06: Open. They are very conscious of the power of music and consequently their work would be powerful even if you had your eyes closed.

Media assignment: Working with a non-profit website whose aim is to get ordinary people to do good things. Trying to give their site real function and meaning to people who do want to do good things.

Fashion assignment: Falling in love further with things I can't have. Exploring theories on fashion and amazing photography. I know I have stumbled upon something good when 20 minutes feels like two. I love this girl Johanni's flickr account. She realized that she wasn't wearing everything in her closet so she created a mini-project for herself called 'the wardrobe project.' She is going through her closet one garment a day, building an outfit around it and documenting it with a photo. She has some amazing clothes and is a total classic beauty. I'm inspired by this idea, but not enough to do it myself as half of the time I am wearing sweatpants these days.

Assignment for Rick's class: My group is working on Scope. We're trying to shake up the aged image of Scope and bring some vibrancy into the mouthwash category. My strategy is a hybrid kind of like "the method and axe of mouthwashes." No, I promise that's not the line. No I don't think the company would actually do something like this but that's what's great about doing work that is hypothetical. You can be daring, do something crazy and fun for creatives.

Outside work: Soon to be starting a project outside school for a small bank in Richmond to get small businesses to bank with them. We have formed a small agency basically and will be working with two great advisors: Caley Cantrell and Kelly O'Keefe. Really looking forward to this one. Still doing some research for Naked here and there.

Might head out to Belle Isle today to enjoy the last of the summer sun. Can't believe how great the weather here has been.

design notes

Last Friday, my Kid Robot post got picked up by Michael Surtees and posted in his blog DesignNotes. Every Friday Michael writes a post showcasing the most interesting blog posts he found that week. I am incredibly blessed to have been included in his posting. : )

perspctv

I really appreciate how Perspctv has brought together different ways of measuring public opinion with regards to the current election. I'm tired of seeing one set of polls on the news without any credentials explaining where the results came from. My guess is that they are still using phone surveys. By measuring peoples' blogs and twitters, you are getting a glimpse of how they truly talk about the news without their knowledge that you are following them. Sneaky eh?

hang this in your closet

Assignment in Cultural Explorations class: Give a 3 hour presentation on fashion.

The topic of the presentation is broad and I need to find a topic that focuses it. I am currently contemplating how "recycling" could be the concept of the presentation. Here are a few ways I think this could work:

1. The recycling of trends/decades - Sartorialist's coverage of Stockholm shows beautiful 40s fashion


2. How a concept cycles out -The cycling of design concepts from the designer down into TJ Maxx. This could include the scene from "The Devil Wears Prada" where Meryl Streep talks about the significance of cerulean (for a chick flick, amazingly insightful scene)

3. The literal recycling of clothes - thrift store fashion and the creativity that some employe to make amazing outfits out of old garbs.

4. And of course, recycled goods going into clothes or as I'd like to call it "fashion with a conscious." Could include Vegan goods by Natalie Portman.
I want to avoid too much "green" talk though, I'm sure people are tired of having green shoved down their throats.


Still thinking, still searching, open for any and all recommendations!

frivolous necessities

Someone told me recently that you don't need to use toothpaste to clean your teeth. Toothpaste is marketing genius in that case. Make up a product that people use frequently and make it seem like a necessity. Now, I'm sure that is not how toothpaste came about, but you can just picture four suit-clad guys in a board room somewhere 50 years ago scheming...

What other types of products do we have that are completely unnecessary but we feel we couldn't do without? People always say that Hallmark created Valentine's Day as a chance to sell more cards. What about socks? They may be necessary in winter but with canvas shoes? Canvas is cotton and so are your socks...no, I'm not sold on that one either...I'm sure unnecessary necessities will pop up at me over the next few days, as for now they allude me behind their guise of marketing genius. Damn you Crest.

these tricks ain't for kids

When trying to explain Kid Robot to friends, they cannot understand why I am so enthralled by a toy store with smoking rabbits (I am very anti-smoking, however smoking bunnies for some reason I can condone). So, for those who find my fascination bizarre, here are the three main reasons why I love Kid Robot:

1. The store is like a museum - The “look, don’t touch” atmosphere created by the glass barrier between yourself and the cleverly designed plastic creatures worsens your natural desire to feel the smoothly textured toys. The museum feel is what elevates these creators off the toy shelf and into the category of ‘designer.’ Each piece in its case appearing more like a work of sculpture that tourists and other unworthy admirers can stare and drool at.

2. The power is in the hands of the card holder - Kid Robot is toys for adults and who ever really grows out of toys? Now that we are adults shopping for toys we are finally have the power to buy the toys we desire. No whining or begging, just card swiping!

3. Premium pricing! Truly the best strategy in play here. Putting the brand just out of reach for the common man, it creates the “Christmas-Effect.” Just as you held out all year for that one special gift (that you bought, wrapped and put under the tree for yourself) you appreciate it soo much more. Kid Robot, being as expensive as it is, makes buying one of the items a special event. Were their Dunnies or Star Wars styled creatures $20, they would get thrown aside a month after purchase. But no, if you shell out $200 for a Luke Skywalker Dunny, you will create your own museum-like atmosphere on the shelves in your office where only true fans and lovers will be privileged enough to touch the toy.

Congrats Kid Robot, you have managed to elevate your brand above any Toys R’ Us shelf. Go forth toy fans and spend $600 on a plastic toy that looks like something you’d see on a bad acid trip, after all we were all deprived of enough toys as kids.

zeitgeist fashion

Last night I had the privilege of seeing Tony Award winning musical “Spring Awakening.” What truly struck me was the unique combinations of fashions. It combined German 1890s style clothing of knickerbocker pants, suspenders and stockings with 1980s punk-rock hair styles and chuck tailors. The music felt very mid-90s. The collaboration of these decade-styles created an era all it’s own, one which I will surely attempt to replicate. The costumer of this show along with that of ‘Gossip Girl’s’ are definitely a force for bringing back the stocking. Full-footed, brightly colored, even patterned. I saw a teen on her way to prom this spring wearing a full 1920s flapper dress with an eye-penciled line going up the back of her leg to complete the look. I’m thinking that the slip needs to make a come-back.
Even the new Michael Kors line is inspired by the 1960s styles showcased in HBO’s “Mad Men.” Check out the Ad Age article for more: http://adage.com/article?article_id=130074. Classic is clearly in and the black dress is cheering. So grab your Fedora and skinny tie and head out on your own happy zeitgeist!

fashion mining

These chicks are so not dressed appropriately for mining. Is this ad asking me to change my belief as to what is mine appropriate? Or not to be afraid of the changes global warming is creating? After all, if you aren't sending out 'green' messages today, you are so last year.

Although this ad copy may be over-compensating, the clothes are sending some very soft messages. I'm digging the 40s hair style. Next month's issue of Cosmo will no doubt include an article on how to do this 'do.