A Spot of Genius

Love this billboard out of Buenos Aires. The ink spot is positioned on a pole in front of the board, so as you drive past it appears to move off of the shirt. Copy reads, "Comes out this fast." Great work.

A Magazine to Die For

This ad just rubs me the wrong way. I mean, it is a creative way to bring the headline to life (death?), but I'm sure there was a way to do it without offending the majority of the American population. Not to mention the fact that this ad is running outside of The States, so will people really recognize the imagery? via Twenty Four

Step Inside CS 2.3

Adobe has released CS 2.3. I couldn't figure out what the new or updated features are, but the site is pretty cool and very interactive. Adfreak has banner ads running that promote the release.

Shhh, He's Blogging

For anyone else who is fully immersed in the whole blogosphere, this video will seem hillarious and perhaps ring a little too true. This ad guy is addicted to blogging and can't handle all the stuff he has to deal with in his day job. But not taking a phone call from Donny Deutsch? Come on, blogging or no blogging, who is really gonna let that one come through?

Kellerman Times Two

While watching an old episode of Law and Order: SVU on USA tonight, I recognized a familiar face, who was then referred to as a familiar name; Kellerman. The actor was Paul Adelstein playing character Steven Kellerman in the episode. I recognized the face and name because Adelstein currently plays Agent Paul Kellerman in Prison Break (which I have a full-blown addiction with). This whole thing made me wonder how often a fictional character has made appearances in multiple shows/movies. That would take some digging to figure out, and I am too tired.

Don't Touch My Penis

Cigarettes; you can do what you want with my lungs, beat the hell out of my heart and tear holes in my throat, but my penis? Oh hell no. Smoking ain't gonna touch that. Love the visual in this ad. Not ground breaking, but clever.

Cry Baby Cry

I've seen a few of these new Playstation 3 ads running and I've kinda liked them. The art direction is nice and they are quick and easy. Then I saw this one and I began to cry in a corner alone. That baby totally freaks me out.

I'm Still a Mac

One of my favorite currently running campaigns, Mac vs. PC, released some new ads today, including a holiday one. I can't help but wonder if there is some PC running with that sweater pattern as its desktop background somewhere. This also puts to rest the whole 'Justin is Done' rumors. Check out the genius of Apple here.

Cha Cha Cha Chaos

There has been so much talk about these Charmin Restrooms, I just had to check them out (plus I was in Times Square and had to pee). I can honestly say it was the single strangest restroom experience of my life. Guys dressed in Charmin letterman jackets and scarves, Charmin songs playing, dancing bears and cheerleaders, people roaming around with cameras and camcorders; pure insanity. If you're in the area, however, and have to do your business, check out the Charmin Restrooms.

So I Got Blogged

I spotted this billboard in Times Square tonight. It has taken the place of the dropped calls piece that has gotten much attention. This one tries to be as creative as the previous billboard, but doesn't do quite as good of a job of using the medium to its fullest. And what is with the line, "So I got canned peaches"? I think they could have reached a little deeper on that one.

Walk As You Are

While doing some Christmas shopping tonight, I stumbled into the Virgin Mega Store in Times Square. Inside the store, this huge Nirvana album cover for Nevermind caught my eye on the floor. Then I realized the baby was floating around, how fun. Then I realized the projection was interacting with people who walked over it by producing bubbles and ripples, even cooler.

Ronald McPenis

Is this a glimpse into the future of advertising or just a crazy spoof for a crazy contest? A recent Worth 1000 photoshop contest, "take a piece of fine art and turn it into an ad for a company of your choice", produced this masterpiece, The McDavid. Great job, but I gotta say, I never wanted to see Ronald's junk.

Pure Gold

Gotta love the creative use of media in this guerilla piece for Gold's Gym. I'm sure you get the idea, but the closing elevator doors appear as if they are being pulled together by the strong man. Although, it must be awkward standing inside that elevator with your boss, an intern and this oiled up, muscular man in tiny shorts smiling like an idiot.

Prison Break Tonight

The Prison Break season two finale is tonight on Fox at 8pm and I can not wait. This is the first show in years that I have actually been able to get into and watch each week. As a friend so eloquently stated, "$%&#*%@ INTENSE!"

Don't Go in the Water

I'm not sure where this ad ran or what it is actually trying to do, but at least it is making people look. I guess it is just intended to create awareness of watching your child by the pool, but this little kid seems to be well on his way to being scarred for life.

Mentos Cool

Nice, simple art direction here for Mentos. Gets the idea across quickly that Mentos will cool you down. I like. See other versions here, here, here, here and here.

That '90s Pimple

I've been seeing this Clearasil commercial running quite a bit lately. It's an old spot featuring a teenage Danny Masterson, whom became known for his role on That '70s Show. I wonder why this commercial has made a comeback. Maybe because Masterson became known later in his career so they figured they would bring it back out? If this is the start of a trend, here are a few more classic commercials, see if you can spot the would-be stars.

Go to Peep Thai Peeps

Last night I checked out Peep Thai, located at 177 Prince Street. Their website intrigued me and being a Thai food addict sealed the deal to visit. The atmosphere was interesting; pink walls, a mirror ceiling and bar stools made of tubing. The service at the restaurant was great, and they kept up with the technology of the website by taking our order with a PDA. The food was also great, and reasonably priced. Our dining experience was capped off with a visit to the restroom, within which you can see out into the restaurant through one-way mirror walls as you do you thing. Definitely recommended.

Lame Blaine

While the water from his last failure is still being pumped from his lungs, village idiot David Blaine is at it again. He is currently hanging around 46th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue chained to a rotating sphere while dangling from a crane. This stunt, however, has a purpose. Target has sponsored it, and if Blaine completes his amazing goal, getting out, Target will award $500 gift certificates to 100 needy children. Good work David, way to appear as a charity worker in order to get your steal ball paid for. Someone needs to tell him that riding a state fair ride is not magic. Gothamist has nice coverage of the event, and here is the commercial promoting it:

Letterman, Seinfeld and Richards Threesome

Alright, if this whole "Kramer the Racist" thing wasn't crazy enough for you already, it got another insane twist last night on The David Letterman Show. Jerry Seinfeld was a guest to promote Seinfeld Season 7 on DVD (which I am very excited about, by the way), so what better thing to do than invite Michael Richards to appear via satellite to publicly apologize for his comments? Well, I can think of a few things that would be better. What resulted was Michael pissed at Dave, Jerry pissed at the studio audience, and Dave kinda quiet. This better not be the closest thing we ever get to a Seinfeld reunion episode. Check out the video below:

Pile in People

Nice guerilla work out of Ogilvy, South Africa. The idea is to show the spaciousness of the van by having someone pose as an airport chauffer looking to fill his van with tons of passengers. Love it.

Roam Around Roper

I stumbled across this artist's, James Roper, site today. I love the paintings and he also has some amazing work in other media such as digital, film and sculpture. Surf his site for a while and get a lesson on color.

Lego My Ado

First it was an in-store display that stole my idea to use the "Construction Workers Lunching on a Crossbeam". Now Adfreak has a posting where Lego uses the iconic image in a print ad. If this pattern continues, my portfolio is going to look like a Xerox of iconic work. Damn it.

Lego Ad

My Ad

Lots of Little Links

I spent the other day searching for the best websites on the web. The best flash animation, the best layout, the most original format, etc. I don't know if I've actually found them, but I found a few that at least came close. Enjoy:

playgroundsfestival
markgervais.com
xango
xenao
bradmillerstudio
havaianas.com
lakesider
stephaneguillot.com
thanea.com
vectorpark

Kramer Goes Krazy

Michael Richards, better known as Seinfeld's Kramer, went Mel Gibson on a few audience members during a recent stand-up routine. He starting yelling racial slurs at a of couple black men that were heckling him:

Richards began yelling at one of the men, "Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass."

Richards continued, "You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"

The crowd is visibly and audibly confused and upset. Richards responds by saying, "They're going to arrest me for calling a black man a nigger."

One of the men who was the object of Richard's tirade was outraged, shouting back "That's un-f***ing called for, ain't necessary."

Whoa there, Cosmo, whoa. TMZ reportedly has video of the incident here.

UPDATE: Here is the video of the incident:

Jeter's Hot List

ESPN.com does some amazing sports reporting, like their in depth coverage of Derek Jeter's love life. They outline Jeter's career accomplishments, from Mariah Carey to Scarlett Johansson to Jessica Biel. His highlight reel plays like a whose-who among internet paparazzi stars.

Central Park Rambling

The opportunity to enjoy a fall day in Central Park is winding down by the minute. I took advantage of a nice day yesterday and hit the park. We picniced on Sheep Meadow then headed into The Ramble. The Ramble is a part of the park that really takes you into the woods. There are tons of foot paths, benches, streams, rocks and other hidden treasures along the way. It's a great way to pass a November Saturday or Sunday. I highly recommend it.

You Can Be Reflective, or Shitty

I've been seeing these ads on phone kiosks all over the city for the past month or so, but I finally captured an image of one. The headline reads, "You can be here, or in Los Cabos. Only in Mexico." The idea is great; put the viewer's surroundings (dirty city scenes) in the ad by using a mirror and then compare it to the beautiful scene you could be instead. The execution, however, is less than award winning. The crappy material they use for the mirror doesn't reflect well at all and just makes a blurry image with no recognizable objects, ruining the whole ad and making the headline simply confusing. (It's not just the camera flash that makes it blurry, the flash actually helped it some.) Next time you try something like this, maybe you should put one in the phone kiosk to test it before producing thousands of them. Nice try though.

Rickshaw Me

A photographer, a cinematographer and an art director are sitting in a rickshaw in India... sounds like a great joke, but it's about to come true. These guys are taking a rickshaw 2000 miles through India for two weeks; all for charity. The crazy kids even have their own blog to document the trip. Can't wait to see what such creative minds in such a zany place can come up with. It also reminded me of the time Kramer strapped a couple rickshaws on the NYC homeless:

Relieving Yourself is Fun

Needless to say, after too many glasses of free wine to count, I had to make a pit stop on the subway ride home. Where better to go than a bar? To my pleasant surprise, while standing at the urinal something magical began to happen. A little sticker in the urinal turned from black to a message, oh amazing advertising! This would have been enough for me, but oh no. Above the urinal was another ad for the movie giving you tips on how to better aim at the ad in the urinal. Very nice work whomever you are, very nice. Oh, the ads are for the new Van Wilder movie; "The Rise of Taj" which will probably suck. It's 'only in theatres' which basically means 'this movie sucks and will not sell a single DVD so we aren't even going to make them, bootleggers welcome'.

Wonderful Wine

I had heard the stories, but could it be true? A chinese restaurant on the Upper West Side that serves unlimited free wine with your meal?

Saturday night a few friends and I decided it was time to find out if it could actually be real, and oh boy was it ever. I can't remember the name of the place (many multiple glasses of wine will do that to you), so I will let you all figure that out for yourselves as we did. All I can say is that the restaurant is located at 81st and Amsterdam and is well worth the journey. Once you find this holy grail, here are a few tips for maximizing your wine intake as we did:

1. While you wait to be seated, ask for your first glass of wine. They will love to give it to you.

2. Don't let any opportunity to raise a toast pass you by. We toasted to everything from a great story told to someone finishing a glass of free wine.

3. Do not start eating until everyone at your table has been served. This is not only good manners, but a key ingredient to hundreds of glasses of free wine.

4. Eat very slowly, and share food with others at your table. This way, the staff will think you are just very hungry and can eat for hours.

5. Ask for chopsticks half way through your meal and refuse to eat another bite until they are given to you. Definitely, however, down a few more glasses of free wine while you wait.

6. Make sure that every table in the restaurant has changed parties before you even think about leaving. If a group has been there since you arrived, there is no way you can let them last longer than you. This is a great strategy and motivator.

7. Ask for a dessert menu. (The restaurant does not have one, but this will buy you some time.)

8. Don't let the waiter asking you to leave deter you. You are on a mission and nothing can stop you. I mean, come on, it's free wine!

Animation Overload

aniBOOM is a site that I came across that features animation videos. The site is set up very similar to YouTube with comments and video ratings, etc. but the videos are unique because they really focus on animation and editing, so they have more of an artistic feel than the YouTube vids. Here is a video I liked because of one of the destinations:

Bettier Advertisier for Perrier

I've been seeing these new Perrier water ads all over the city, and I have to say I have grown to like them. I love the simplicity in the art direction and the endless possibilities for the headline. These three here I picked up from one of those GoCARD stands at a gallery opening last night. I've also seen print ads and a wall painting in the meat-packing district.

Shred Your Paper, for Your Own Good

I love these ads. They actually made me laugh, and become a bit scared of my trashcan. Copy reads, "Paper is Evil. Do your taxes online in minutes."

Smoking Hot

This ad is apparently for some type of warm alcohol or drink. Oddly, though, they decided to advertise it with people looking as if they are smoking. Maybe it's just me, but seeing someone with a mouth that looks like a chimney leaves a bad taste in my mouth (pun definitely intended) and in no way makes me want to drink something related to it. See the male version here.

VW Urban Jungle

Volkswagen has these new ads running in Brazil. The copy reads, "Life is a jungle." I really like the ads as far as design goes, but I'm not sure what exactly the message means. Who knew a cluster of street lights would look so cool? See all three variations here, here and here.

Comm Arts Does Blogs

In the November issue of Communication Arts commentary section, a handful of design professionals weigh in what websites they think are essential for designers and advertisers. They also include a few blogs that are good to read. Glad to see them recognizing little blogs as good sources of information on the industry. Here are some of my favorites from the Comm Arts list:



newstoday.com
designers-who-blog.com
aiga.org
designobserver.com
yousendit.com
frozentoy.blogspot.com
sandeepmakam.blogspot.com
coolhunting.com
gigposters.com

Beta is Betta

So blogger.com or blogspot.com (whatever this site is, I'm not sure why they have both) has updated and created a Blogger beta which is supposed to be faster, more reliable and have more features. I have converted shedwa to the new format, so please bare with any bugs that may appear in the next few weeks. I, or rather blogger, promise this will be for the best.

UPDATE: One of the new features is the Labels feature. It allows me to label each post with keywords that can then be used to easily group posts into categories. For example, I can label this post with shedwa, and then you (the viewer) can click on that label and see all other posts relating to the blog. I will post later on what these labels will be and what categories this blog will have.

iFish is iRetarded

After seeing a commercial for some crazy contraption called iFish, I just had to find out more about it. It seemed pretty useless, but I thought I would keep an open mind. I was right though, it is useless. It's a crappy speaker for your iPod encased in a robot type fish pet thing. It just spins around and flashes lights like an idiot, and it takes up a ton of space at 8 inches long. Cats seem to be interested though. Read more about this lame novelty item here.

The Wonder Years on Wonderful DVD

Last night I had an interesting conversation with Thelonious about all things retro. Among the usual Ghostbusters and Clarissa Explains It All topics, we stumbled across The Wonder Years. It reminded me of how awesome that show was and made me want to watch it again and again. Surprisingly, the DVDs for the show are being held up due to the soundtrack used in the show. There are so many classic songs that were used, that it is hard to get all the copyright issues cleared. They need to straighten all that out asap, though, because without syndication I may never see this show again, and that is just unacceptable. Read all about the DVD issues here, and watch the final scene from The Wonder Years here.

LeBron is Funny

There are so many things I love about this commercial for the LeBron James Nike shoes. First of all, he is playing all the characters, which is cool. The old man is hilarious. The triple wing-ding off the diving board is money. Finally, the end shot with the swoosh super reminds me of the Nirvana album cover. I look forward to more of these spots.

MOMA Draws a Line in the Concrete

Some New Yorkers may have seen this long, meandering orange line running through Greenwich Village, but I did not. It turns out, the line spells 'MOMO' from the air and is a way to promote momashowpalace. The press kit has some good photos and maps. An interesting idea, but I'm not sure it accomplishes its goal to promote MOMA. Perhaps the line should have lead somewhere or something. I do like the ending of the video, however, showing where the line actually ends up.

Lost and Found - A Love Story

I've mentioned before about Victoria Levan and her interesting little drawings. Now she has gone and created a whole short story book. I took it and turned it into a video. Enjoy our creation.

Sniff Out SFIFF

I love the graphics in this short trailer for the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF). The contrast between the black and white screen and background with the colorful dots and lines over it is amazing. The festival already took place, however. Sorry kids.

FedEx Kinko's Supersized Me

I love these ads for FedEx Kinko's line of office supplies. They not only force people to stop and look, but they are on strategy to get the message across. Plus I just love over-sized things. The campaign included both creative billboards and sculpture type installations placed in high-traffic areas of major cities. The ads were done by BBDO New York. See more ads below.

Rocking Ice Skates at Rockefeller Center

Tonight I took a spin on the outdoor ice rink at Rockefeller Center with a friend. It was a great time, and reasonably priced for such a touristy New York City activity. The rink wasn't too crowded, and we were able to do a few spins and triple axles with the best of them. It was a little strange to have a crowd above (not to mention the people dinning through the glass windows around the rink) watch us as we went around in circles, but I recommend ice skating whole-heartedly to anyone looking for a fun date or night. Check out the video:

Snyder's Stole My Shit

I'm standing in a Greenwich Village deli today, waiting for my steak and cheese sub (which was delicious by the way) and what do I see staring me in the face? A near clone of an advertisement I made in a college advertising class two years ago. The only difference was that the Snyders ad was an in-store display, while mine was a print advertisement. They aren't just similar, they are the exact same idea executed identically, only with a different brand. Luckily for my professor, I received an A on this campaign or he would have some explaining to do. Advertisers of the world; if you are going to use my ideas, you could at least give me a job in advertising. Check out the two ads below:

Snyder's ad

My ad