Found via TED, via Ken Moore’s Design Blog is this neat hack of the Wii remote to create a modern version of the theremin. Please note those with a nervous disposition should view with caution. Scary faces are pulled in the making of this movie.
Monthly Archives: November 2008
Android augmented reality travel guide
I’m holding off getting my new all singing, all dancing phone until I know a) which one is actually going to be the best and b) when an acceptable deal comes along that doesn’t make me feel like I’m getting ripped off. The fact that we don’t get the latest handsets straight away, there’s no unlimited data plans and they love 24 month contracts in Aus doesn’t actually help much on either account. But when I see things like this I’m optimistic that I’m doing the right thing and not jumping on the iPhone band wagon.
It’s an augmented reality app for the android. Wikitude, developed by Mobilizy is a…”AR travel guide with functionality based on Wikipedia and Panoramio. You search landmarks in your surroundings and view them on a map, list, and on an augmented reality (AR) camera view. You’ll see an annotated landscape, mountain names, landmark descriptions”.
Here’s the demo, what do you think?
Posted in Communications
If acceptance speeches were honest
In your face!
Posted in Divergence
Can digital people develop better brands?
I started in what you would call a traditional agency, so I like to think that I have a balanced opinion on this subject. But I have started to find myself getting increasingly angry of late and it’s related to the fallacy that digital people don’t get brands. Or roughly translated as…old school ad agency types are freaking out that we have some extremely valuable input on the subject and we are encroaching on their territory.
I personally work in digital because brands have to be more authentic and people focused than probably any other discipline and I love this quote by Mark Zuckerberg which pretty much sums up why digital people are in some respects of more value to brands at this present moment.
“A lot of this is just social norms catching up with what technology is capable of”
We are the people that see these developments clearer and faster than probably any other people, and the ‘socialness’ of the web means that if your brand works in this space it will work anywhere, where as the reverse is very rarely true. So I have created this particular slide to start off some of those discussions. Use it if you think it’s good. If you think it’s poo or unhelpful then let me know why.
Hubdub – predicting the news
Hubdub is a great new site that allows you to test your forecasting skills and gamble imaginary money by predicting the future of the news. This is the perfect site for people who think they know it all and a great test of the ‘Wisdom of Crowds’ theory. You can predict the news covering everything from the price of oil to Heath Ledger being the next Oscar winner.
Posted in Divergence
The evolution of ideas
Image via
My friends over at Stellar have recently started a PR related blog. You should go over and have a chat with them they’re very nice people. One of their first posts raises a nice bit of bloggingness debatery to address on a Friday. The subject? The originality of an idea and how there is a fine line between totally ripping one off, giving people credit and using it as source of inspiration for something better.
It’s really not cool to reap big rewards and praise for directly stealing something as highlighted by Julian. Arguably some of the most iconic ads of the last few years have been accused of copying. For example Honda’s Cogs were accused of copying 2 swiss artists, Peter Fischli and David Weiss, Sony’s playdoh rabbits spot was accused of copying Koyzndan as was their bouncing balls ad. This time it was David Letterman’s Late Show. Search the web, they do all look similar.
However, flip this on its head and how many artists draw their influence from brands and consumerism. Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and even Banksy to name but a few. All have made a lot of money from brands. Both industries use each other as a source of inspiration and create a kind of cross culture as a result. Then there’s the introduction of digital and things get even more complicated. Faris explains it much better than I as recombinant culture.
I think as long as you can look yourself in the mirror and say you honestly created something that’s better or more interesting than the inspiration it came from, you will be OK. After all, I’m sure Fischili, Weiss, Letterman and Koyzndan all got inspiration from somewhere else if you dig hard enough. It’s a timely post after recently reading this article by Mark Earls on how brands spread through copying.
However with regards to giving credit where it’s due absolutely, and it’s probably a whole other discussion. Maybe that’s where Youtube could start making some money? After all they are getting sued for using licensed content, why can’t they license the content on behalf of their users?
Digital Drag Race – Start your computers
Created by our counter parts in the US of A on behalf of Intel, a kind of digital Cut & Paste has just been launched. Positioned in a slightly more geek chic place, Digital Drag Race widens the appeal aiming at creative professionals such film producers, animators & game developers. Supporting the initiative is an array of social platforms and tools including a blog and a Youtube channel that allow you to enter, and follow the progress of the best digital designers out there. Here’s the general gist…
‘Digital designers go head-to-head in a competition to concept, design, render and finalize a 17-second digital video articulating the ideas of Speed, Power or Innovation. Each racer is given the same asset kit, which includes Photoshop brushes, design swatches, and a soundtrack. They’ll have to use at least 3 of the assets provided (including the audio), as well as up to 3 gigs of their own materials to complete the video. The pro designers will also be using a custom souped-up machine powered by the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition ProcessorTM’.
Now I don’t pretend to know too much about Intel as a product (it’s just a little thing that helps my laptop work right) but from a ‘socialness of a brand’ point of view this is the second time Intel has created a really top notch campaign. The first being Intel’s Power of Music’ Myspace campaign.
So here are the lessons to learn from Intel
- Think bigger than an app
- Honestly contribute something of real value to the community
- Be contextually relevant to your audience and their space
- Provide the tools and let it rip
Posted in Brands, Communications
Planning quote – Nassim Nicholas Taleb
“Knowledge is bad for us. Give a bookie 10 pieces of information about a race and he’ll pick his horses. Give him 50 and his picks will be no better, but he will, fatally, be more confident”
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Author of The Black Swan
Anyone looking for a funky retail space?
If so, I found one down Crown Street at the weekend. You might have previously known it as the ‘Puf N Stuff’ Clearence store. Contact details for Justin & Victor below.
A little drop of happiness
Iain of Crackunit posted about this nice little touch to the shopping experience by the convenience store Co-op. Whether this collects valid, useable information is beside the point, at least I feel like they are trying to make me happy. Here’s his post.
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