Thoughtful Tombola

Check out the link below for a fantastic opportunity to win a D&AD 2007 Annual from Manchester-based design studio Thoughtful!

More details to follow

http://thoughtful.squarespace.com/journal/2007/9/14/thoughtful-tombola-draw.html

My Amoy

A promotional interactive site for My Amoy cooking sauces someone recently told me about and that I then discovered had received recognition for it's design/concept. Intrigued I visited the site, MyAmoy, to find I had to cook my own stirfry online; the visuals arent great but I can see the concept behind it - a new way to get the customer to come into contact with the brand and product in a hope they will then put this into action and purchase in store. By making the user, the potential customer, 'make a stirfry', choosing their preferred ingredients and using an Amoy Sauce, it encourages the customer to consider how they can use the product in tune with their own cooking habits and tastes. It's interesting to see how digital media outcomes can be used for everyday products, but then I do wonder the effectiveness of this promotional site - would the target audience of Amoy products really spend ten minutes pretending to make a stir-fry online?

Wire Design Studio

London-based design studio Wire Design, encompass all aspects of graphic design, brand identity, campaigns, digital media, illustration and photography - their portfolio is one of the most wide-ranging I have seen recently and offers examples of some inspiring and thoughtful work. I have included some of my favourites above.

Jen Stark

Really unique and refreshing portfolio from US-based artist Jen Stark. Her work includes both three and two dimensional exploration through sculpture, drawn and animated mediums, all flourishing through her skillful use of paper and colour. I felt this work had real commercial potential and her approach and techniques could be pushed in graphic and environmental design. I also found it particularly interesting to see how she had approached an animation using her recognisable approach to work.

Graphic Picture Warnings

A recent news article I noticed reporting the government have decided to print gruesome images depicting the effects of smoking on all cigarette packets from next year. "The graphic images, which include pictures of diseased lungs, must be printed on all tobacco products made in the UK by the end of 2009, under the new regulations. After public consultation 15 images have been chosen to accompany text warnings about smoking related diseases, including lung cancer and heart disease" (Guardian).

It is claimed the reason for the move was due to the diminishing impact of written warnings on cigarette packets and I have to agree, these have almost become part of the conventions of a cigarette packet and once you've seen one you've seen them all. It would be interesting to hear peoples' responses to the use of images - it is said an image is worth a thousand words but will an image have any prolonged impact in this context. If a smoker is repeatedly reminded visually of what he/she is doing to their insides, would it deter them or will this merely merge into the conventions of cigarette packets aswell?

Visit London - Oscar Wilson

Agency: RKCR Y&R, London.
Art director: Neil Durber
Copywriter: Ben Hartman

Designer Oscar Wilson has created a series of illustrations for the Visit London campaign designed to draw tourists to some of London's best attractions and places to visit. This campaign really appealed to me as it broke the conventions of usual tourist advertisements; the hand-drawn type and bold colours make for striking visuals and seems to inject energy, excitement and intrigue into our capital city.

Oscar Wilson's personal portfolio site is also worth a look if this style of work appeals.