Backwards Dave

I’ve been meaning to blog about Backwards Dave for a while.

About a month ago he was spending a bit of time chatting to the crew on JJJ. He can phonetically pronounce words backwards.

He doesn’t actually read the words backwards, he reads the word to himself – to see how it sounds – and then pronounces it backwards (as you can see from the clip above).

Unfortunately Sunrise and Fox FM tried to jump on the Backwards Dave bandwagon too. They got it wrong.

Instead of tracking down the cool phonetical genius that is the Australian Backwards Dave – they managed to get a hold of another Backwards Dave. An American guy who holds the world record for the being the quickest to read backwards.

It’s nothing to do with phonetics but with the ability to read backwards.

I don’t know if it was pure coincidence that all three media stations were talking about Backwards Dave between weeks of one another – but all I know is that I wouldn’t put it past ol’ Fox and Sunrise to do some content poaching and actually get it wrong.

Pronouncing words backwards is way cooler than reading backwards.

Fanuary

I wonder what the beaches will be like this summer . . . ??

However I'm more excited for August after I was told today that it could possibly be 'Norgust' (if that's how you spell it) so that women could get their cans out in aid of breast cancer. Or something . . .

It's Movember

Are all the boys hanging 'round your hood looking a little french at the mo?

Well just wait until the end of the month - they'll be looking seriously biker!! Thats right it's Movember!! .

I've been begging my boyfriend to take part, he's hairy so his mo will be Frantastic!! It's purely because I've never pashed anyone with a moustache. But then I found this on Thoughtspurs .



So I’m kinda grateful. But still curious . . . and also very supportive of the cause!

I also think that this little musical number from the Tick is a classic. Very lucky find for the Mo bros.

The Mum Song

I thought this was rather nice.

ARIA subliminal advertising

Did anyone catch this the other night?



I don't know how 'mind controlling' this is but I wonder what the deal between Rove Enterprises and the advertisers really was.

If it doesn’t break the rules, and it’s not subliminal advertising, or a ‘new creative execution’, what the hell is it and what is the point? If it doesn’t do anything? Seems useless to me.

Back online

I’m baaaack.

In the long period of absence from my blog a lot has happened

• I’ve done work experience at Grey.
• Organised the Creative Advertising Graduate Exhibition for RMIT
• Successfully executed the campaign to advertise it
(check out the website)
• Organised a Creative Advertising graduate dinner
• Shot and produced a dvd showcasing the lives of three people from different areas of the communications industry
• Handed in all my uni work
• Launched a new product for Trampoline
(Trampoline ICE – cool name huh)




• Pulled 3 all nighters, lost three kilos

and the ultimate . . .

I have finished uni forever!!

I could be a doctor but no – instead I have two degrees.

1 x Art Degree from the University of M and 1 x punk rocker (aka Creative Advertising) degree from RMIT. And I plan to wear jeans to work for the rest of my life. That’s if anyone hires me (wish me luck).

I have also managed to procure two large scabs on my knees from derby day. Not so good. Some cow pushed me over. She was jealous of my hot new dress.

RMIT AD EXHIBITION 30th OCt - 6th NOV

This is the photo shoot for our campaign for the RMIT E.O.Y Ad Exhibition - THE NEXT AQUISITION.
Alex Aslangul has kindly helped us out!
Stay tuned for who's pictures end up in the frames!!

4 HIRE

Notice i have the exact same facial expression in two of the photos, scary. A child of the digital camera.

MADC Mentorship Winners

Last Thursday the 6 out of the original 10 MADC mentees (4 dropped off) presented their final campaign for Schools4schools at CHE. Everyone presented really well and the judges said that the decision was really hard.

Congratulations must go to Myra Hood (2nd yr RMIT Creative Advertising) for taking Mentor of the Year out. Cat Chen (Swinburne Advertising) took out second place and Amelia Birrel (another 2nd yr Advertising student from RMIT) came third.



This is the second year in a row that Mikey and Evan from Draft FCB have had their mentee win.

All the campaigns were fantastic and the client went away with a whole lot of new ideas. However I must say that I thought the judging was quite controversial especially given the thoughts and comments of the Schools4schools representative.

None of the campaigns were boring or worthless, all had strong ideas that carried and cut through – however the one campaign that answered the brief completely and the one that the client said she would run straight away didn’t win.

Sometimes I wonder whether people are too preoccupied with what they think will win awards and gain recognition in the ad world – as opposed to attract attention and do it’s job in the real world. Don't get me wrong I'm all for winning awards but I also think the whole challenge about advertising IS dealing with the boundaries that your given. That's what makes it so exciting, your always coming up against someone - whether its the client, a teacher, a CD - whoever! You have to push through and get the best idea you can that actually does the job it's meant to do.

I also think the MADC should reconsider the way that they come to the conclusion of who wins, instead of voting they should just have a discussion about which one should win. This is not to say that the winning campaign wasn’t good – it was great.

Amelia, in my eyes you rocked the show with your campaign and should have taken out 1st place. So congratulations for impressing everyone and answering the brief. Lets hope the Schools4schools uses your AWESOME virals and runs your campaign.

You dark horse you!! Neeeeiiigh.

Harder, better, faster, stronger hands!

My brother was watching this last night on youtube! I love it.
I'm just waiting to see it get ripped off in an ad . . . just like OK GO.



Talking about OK GO they cop a mention in this new film clip by Common ft. Lily Allen (my favorite).
Unfortunately Lily is only wearing her signature earings once in this film clip - which I find very disappointing.

XYZ studios with MADC

Last night was the last workshop of the MADC mentorship program that I’m doing at the moment. Over the past 13 weeks we’ve been going to a different business each Thursday night, that all have a part to play in Advertising. We’ve been to Sugar studios (photography), Gastoo (where we actually recorded a radio ad), to Bambra Press (printing), to Iloura (digital/animation post production) and to The Age (for a lecture on Advertising) just to name a few. Last night we went to to XYZ studios. AMAZING.

Not only am I obsessed with their offices and have begged to be invited to their next rooftop party (on the top of the Ritz on Fitzroy St) but if I ever managed to get a job I will be definitely calling on them for some TVC production. They have won some amazing awards for their animated Haviana ad that they did for Clemenger BBDO New York (see below).



Tim Kentley, the founder of XYZ studios, has decided that animation is just not enough and has branched out into directing film – or in this case a video clip. Which is coincidently filmed at the same place as Summer Heights High. And if you take a look at some of the characters that appear in the film clip - you have to wonder if Chris Lilley saw this before he invented the red haired seventh grader or even Jonah form Summer Heights. I wonder if Ja’mie will get pregnant??!!



Tim took us through the process for some of the ads . . . in particular the Honda ad below. I love the use of illustration and the way they think through their processes –it’s exactly how we think and work our way around problems in the lab at uni.



They work hard, do things a little bit differently and are starting to leave some serious footprints in the Ad world.

All and all I have learnt so much from the MADC mentorship program, every time that I come out of a Thursday night work shop my mind is buzzing with ideas and ways I could include them in the campaign I’m currently working on for the MADC competition (which I have to present next week at CHE).

The program has broadened my horizons and understanding of possibilities as well as further inspiring me to get into Advertising. The people who have given up their time to help us out have been especially awesome giving me yet again another reason to keep my head down and work hard to get a job in the industry.

So, thanks to Nicole and Brendan from the MADC for making it possible – and to all the places that let us come in and eat your lollies/chips on a Thursday evening.

Summer Heights High

I hope everyone has been tuning in to Chris Lilley’s new comedy series ‘Summer Heights High’!!! It’s a bit of a laugh . . . however I’m not sure that it measures up to ‘We can be heroes’! In this series my affections have been directed away from lovely Ja’mie and on to the ‘troubled Islander’ Jonah.

Check out some of the footage from the first episode . . . .



This is my favourite scene from we can be heroes! Thinking of using Ja’mie in a campaign at the moment. I can tell you this exactly what use to happen in our assembly!!



This is one of my favourite portrayals of private school girls . . . I can seriously imagine this happening. For those of you that don’t know Ja’mie has been nominated for Australian of the year for sponsoring 85 Sudanese children and they have all dyed in a freak storm . . .

We wish England was Australia

I'm loving this ad at the moment!
Could have done without the ending though . . . but I guess they needed to include the bear. Did Leo Burnett do this one? Anyone . . .

Car Advertising

Talking about urban spam, in New York tens of thousands of motorists have signed up to have their cars and trucks wrapped in advertisements in exchange for stipend up to $800 per month.

The New York Times financial section says that offers are becoming so popular that car owners have been willing to limit where they shop and abide by code of conduct while they are driving. ARD Ventures has studied phenomenen and estimates that motorists and pedestrians see single vehicle's advertising message as many as 70,000 times a day.

Logically it’s the next step after buses and trams . . . I like the buses and trams that are wrapped. . . but every second vehicle - what an eyesore. . . but $800 could go a long way.

Template issues

I am having template issues, the devine author of my previous template has decided to be not so devine and take down his site. So no more love. I am now on the search for a new one - until I find one this one will have to do.

Davenport fights back

I don’t know about anyone else but I absolutely love the new bonds ad – like I do all bonds ads. Simple, well art directed ideas with really hot music.

However I’ve also noticed Davenport have launched a rather ‘Bonds’ TVC. Not only are the nickers sporting brightly coloured geometric patterns (which bonds did about 5 years ago) but they have adopted a similar ‘tude. It definitely beats their classic ‘men in boxers with six pack’ advertising and who knew that they did women too?

Still, I like the bonds ad better.

Thirsty Camel

My Mentor Fysh – twenty20 - has been working on the re-branding of the Innkeeper bottle shops. That little blue man has been replaced with a camel.

They’ve got some classic TVC’s and Radio ads that have been hitting town over the weekend - nice and random. I liiiike.

I’m actually surprised the camel doesn’t drink excessive amounts of coffee and say fuck a lot.

Check out the website.

FLAME & OLD FLAME

While the people in the third world are ignorant of the Simpsons existance - I am preparing for the release of the movie.

Having spent most of my teenage years trying to emulate Bart Simpson (with a skateboard and a slingshot) I now take pleasure in the American irony and blatant 'payout factor' that the Simpsons serves up. I can't wait to see what the movie has in store for US - so I jumped on the website.

And whaddya know - you can create your own Simpsons avatar.

I created two. A young me and an older me (or what i wish would be me is I was a cartoon).

Flame and Old Flame. Te he he.

Please can everyone do one and post it on their blogs!! That would be tremendous.

Teenage Affluenza is spreading fast

Talking about reality, I just found this on you tube.

It's good to see that world vision is finally cut out (most) of the starving children from their ads - and are attempting to embaress us about our consumer driven lives.

Finally.

Makes my holiday and I look guilty. I guess I'm in their market.

Boot camp

It was meant to be my holiday; reading books, eating, lying in the sun doing nothing . . . . but no HE TURNED IT INTO BOOT CAMP. That's right my boyfriend turned my holiday into a weightloss program - he wouldn't let me eat timtams from the minibar and bullied me into walking 900 m up a vertical face with roots and rocks as stepping stones.

Ok so it wasn't that bad, it was fun and we went scuba diving on the great barrier reef and had breakfast with the koala's - just call me a tourist.

Anyhoo - now uni's back and reality has hit. Only 12 more weeks of my 6 year uni career left!

Scary

Sam Kings Jacket

Two naughty boys I know stole a Sam Kings jacket and continued around Europe without him – and with the jacket. The jacket goes on many adventures! Apart from anything I think North Face should get a hold of this and use it as a viral Ad campaign!
Here are a few of the good ones.
Golden.

Hamish and Andy

For those of you that didn't catch Rove's mothers day special - check this out.

Real life skinny man

On my way into the city today I saw a real life version of the skinny men sculptures. He was even wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase – uncanny.

6 months to go!

I haven’t been blogging for a while as uni has been a bit hectic – but now everything is handed in I can relax. . . . or maybe not. I have come to the realisation that I have less than 6 months left of my 6 year uni career before my folio has to be in tip top shape to get a job and enter the real world. Eeeeeeeek. Reality is slowly closing in.

Charlies Angels

Zip Zip

How cute are these!!

One of my mates has started an online business manufacturing small and unique USB memory sticks – the first range is encased in a small Lego block. So Head to ZipZip’s website and check them out.

Just think of it, when Google buy out Zip Zip in 18 months time for US $1.2b you will be able to tell your friends you were one of the very first customers!

For more info email Edmund at info@zipzip.net.au

Bring back the Common Man

Some buddies of mine have come to the conclusion that 'women (and a select group of men) would take far more pleasure in gazing at someone who is indisputably more attainable, yet just as attractive & desirable, as some muscle bound hero or greased up stripper' and are launching a 'common man calendar'.

I'm not sure how I feel about looking at hairy pimply not so muscly bodies but it should be a laugh anyhoo.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea to post the invitation but the copy on it (i thought) is fab!

MADC Mentorship

I GOT ONE!!!! WOOOOOHOOOOO

With my entry of 'guns and posers' I managed to snag the help of Fysh Rutherford for the next couple of months!!
Congrats to all the other crew who made it - especially Shan!

Yey

Now all I need to do is employ the methods of 'the secret' to help me win in the 22 million lottery on Saturday!

bring it

Rain makes me happy

I'm sitting at my desk working and it's pouring rain on my tin roof.
I have the biggest grin on my face.
Who new that rain could make you so happy.

My Moon My Man

Saw this on Video Hits this morn!
Love it . . . very reminiscent of ok go's film clip
But totally different vibe

Born runners up

Well after my extreme weekend of ‘luck’ , the lady of did not follow me into the week.

Firstly we found out the results for IAA - we came third in the Asia Pacific, which I guess is ok but we had our hopes set high (obviously too high).

Secondly we handed in our art direction assignment.

It was semi-live brief for the Motorola Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (blogged previously). The client and the cats from George Patts came along to check out our handiwork. The winner was awarded a weeks work experience at George Patts.

Whaddya know . . . I came SECOND AGAIN.

My Partner (Shannon) and I were both runners up for the RMIT internship . . . these are some of the comments that we got
• ‘Oh Fran it must be killing you – always coming second’
• ‘Born Runners up’
• ‘Always the bridesmaid never the bride’

AAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Congrats to Lanna, Crystal and Aron though!

I am V. jealous.

LUCK

It’s been a great weekend.

I played in a charity golf day on Saturday for Make a Wish Foundation – that some of my mates organised.

Apart from the fact that my team came of the course having just birdied the 18th hole - making our score the best off the stick with 3 under, I also won best dressed and scored the third prize in the raffle.

I now have a manicure, facial and skin consultancy as well has a $200 tab to spend at Fog (resteraunt and bar on Greville st).

I hope this luck translates through the week cos I have a MASSIVE presentation to do, my MADC entry to hand into today and I have a feeling we find out about IAA comp this week some time!

Fingers crossed.

La marche de l'empereur

Been doing some research for uni on the glue society. They directed this one.

J'adore c'est super chuette!!

(except for the stupid explanation at the front, it was either this or one without subtitles)

TAC - Make a difference

Went to see 300 on Sunday afternoon and saw this TAC make a difference ad.


Bloody good – better than ‘the wanker’ one from last year!

I liked it but not as effective - however it has some good lead out copy.

Motorolla Melbourne Spring Fashion Week

For our Art Direction assignment at uni we were fed a semi-live brief. By Semi I mean that the client had already kinda decided on their direction and who they were going to use.

However us RMIT kids are working on it anyways. So we have to come up with a logo, events calendar, event invitation and a 30 second TVC for the Motorolla Melbourne Spring Fashion Week.

I’m working with Shannon – as Ed is busy being ‘Ed the Intern’ at CHE!!

Two keen-as fashion children we have drawn upon a few Melbourne/Australian Creatives for inspiration: Gotye and Kat Mcleod.

Gotye makes music in his bedroom and is JJJ’s pin up boy, Kat does incredible illustrations using collage and watercolour. Her work is often in Frankie and she has illustrated ‘The cocktail book’ by Jane Rocca.





We were predominantly inspired by the Heart’s a mess video clip directed/animated by Brendan Cook, founder of the Australian creative studio PictureDRIFT .



Such a dark and quircky video with awesome 3D animation and loads of ‘Tim Burtoness’. We're turning this 3D animation 2D with cut out reality collaged with illustration creating a visually tasty soupson of Melbourne fashion.


The idea behind our campaign is that a chic/creature from the moon comes back from the future to Melbourne, because it’s the hot spot for fashion – even in the future! She steps off the moon and into a buzzing Melbourne City.

This reference to space also ties in with the current fashion trends – clean lines of the sixties combined with gold mesh jumpsuits and other metallic materials.

If it was a real gig we’d pay Kat, Gotye and Brendan loaaads of mulla to make this a reality.

Creative in Melbourne

Taking a leaf out of Kristin and Waldemar's book I have started a ‘Creative in Melbourne’ Facebook group. So if your on it join it!

PLUGGER

Sitting on my mates 10 seater couch on ANZAC day watching the footy and managed to catch this ad . . . along with the outtakes and interview with Stephen Curry and Dave Lawson.

All I can say is that Plugger is a machine. INSANE.

Random men in cars

A tall dark handsome man stopped his disco, rolled down his window, beckoned me over and told me I was sensational.

Way to make a girl feel good. I don’t usually enjoy being approached by randoms but he didn’t even attempt to ask me out, he just drove on. Brilliant. Hot.

Must have been my hot new purple knee high boots.

While I'm at it, a guy tried to pick me up in my street the other day. He wasn't tall dark and handsome - but he drove a nice car.

Ed my idol

Ed is my Idol as he has one of these.

K-POW EGAD PFFFT

I don’t know about anyone else but when I was in year 5 I was addicted to Archie Comics. Actually, I think the addiction lasted longer than this but I eventually read every comic available in Australia (to my knowledge) and forthwith decided to move on to more exciting things. However I find myself, in this age of msn and texting, continuously writing sound words such as ‘egad’, ‘ech’, ‘pfffffft’ and ‘sshme’. These words could be jumbled under the heading comic language but I think visual sound is a more worthy term.

‘Ech’ is used commonly among my friends but I have never come across anyone but myself that writes ‘egad’. Derived from ‘By God’ and morphed into it’s current form - Wikipedia describes it as ‘a mild exclamation’. Jughead tends to use it a lot when he breaks things.

But how is ‘egad’ a sound? I reckon visual sound not only illustrates a sound but also, in some cases, an emotion.

Words like, Wow, Yikes, Owch, Crikey, Shazam often carry with them not only a bang or a slap but an emotional comment. With less time on our hands, these words are an easy way of getting across the vibe, emotion, sound or whatever of a situation.

Words like zoom have been picked up by marketers and used to demonstrate tone of voice, feeling and so forth of products . . . zoom zoom zoom.

I notice that even in my writing I am more inclined to use visual sound to describe things. These words do not only fall under the heading of visual sound but also enter into the category of Gen Y language. Although most people understand these sounds when used the only people that are using them on a regular bases are these crazy Gen Y kids (and a few older hangers on . . . mutton!!). They (we) also shorten every single word possible . . . whatevs peeps!

Visual words that I thought of

Ssshme Pfffffffft Egad Ech
Mmmmmmmm Swoosh K-Pow K-Boom
Shazam Ulp (like gulp) pssst D-uh uh hah
Zoom Beeeeeep (or simply beep) ring ring
Kssssss (kind of like a hissing noise)
Meeeow Wow Owwwwwch
Yikes Krakadoom (I just found this one and I feel that it will work it’s way into my vernacular quite smoothly)

Shortened Words (of the top of my head)
Peeps = People
Whatevs = Whatever
Trevor = Whatever Trevor
Jaden = Esky (Jaden Leski)
Def = definitely
Spec = especially or special
Class = classic
Mebs = Maybe

This shortening trend can basically be applied to almost any word . . . just don’t expect anyone to actually understand you! hehe

I wonder what we'll do next??

Tait the great

Tait (AKA Taitem, Taititron, Tait Modern or simply Modern to some) has scored himself a gig with threethousand. These cool cats are an online magazine/ newslettery thing that keeps the innovators innovator up to date with the hottest, latest and greatest things a’happening in Melbourne town.

The latest issue, that popped into my inbox at 5.20pm today features the young budding writer slash designers first published work.

WOOOHOOOOOOOO GO TAITEM.

Although the green monster can be seen fiery in my eyes I am very happy for you, and count myself lucky to be your friend as I now can be cool by association.

RIP pump pack

Devastating news!

My pump pack body wash committed suicide this morning . . .
I know, I can barely hold back my tears. She jumped off the ledge in my shower and broke her little pump neck.
I thought it was just the nozzle . . . but NO her vertebrae has snapped completely in two.

I have a feeling that my hairy bodied water, wasting boyfriend made her want to kill herself after using her all over his body during his 15 minute shower this morning.

These pump packs are the best, they're big and non-fiddley, they last forever and you don't have to worry about dropping the soap (oooooo i feal an idea for gaol showers coming on).

RIP pump pack: now you are just a squeeze bottle.

Too many pins in the bins

Inspired byDavid & Pheobe yet again.

I just love they way they draw everything up!

Thank god for Working Dog

Australia has sold Thank God You’re Here to America! C’mon Aussie!
Check out a clip from the first episode aired in the states on their 8th of April.

Red table goes live

It's been over a month since my last post and here's why . . . .

In November last year a team of 9 RMIT
students embarked on a four month journey to enter and complete this years IAA InterAd brief – sponsored by RMIT and set by the Dentsu. Two resignations, $1000 worth of takeaway food and a combined effort of about 10 kilo’s later we finally handed it in!!

The UN set us a brief Based around the Millennium Development Goals (set by the UN and developed countries around the world in 2000).

These 8 goals, each with facilitated with sub-targets provide a time bound blueprint to help the world eradicate poverty by 2015 (massive I know). And whatever you may think the world DOES have the resources to achieve this goal.


We chose to focus on Goal 8 - which is 'Global partnership towards development'. The reason we chose this goal is because without the money and the co-operation of all the Governments around the world we will not see the previous 7 goals achieved.

What this goal is (in simple terms) is getting all the developed countries to honor their promise of donating .7% of their GNI to official development aid.

So we created a campaign to rally the Australian Government to increase the aid from .36% (which it is at the moment) to .7%.

We had a budget of $10 000 000 US and a year over which to run the campaign. We had to hand in a 32 page plans document (stipulating everything from region selection to media planning and budget) and a 20 page slide show.

If we win we fly to the next UN conference and present in front of them.

Last year the RMIT team – led by Stan
– came 3rd in the world and took out the Asia Pacific prize – beating the team from Charles Sturt Uni – Kajulu who have taken the title out numerous times in the past.

Click here to take a look.



Those long hot days over summer slaving away proved useless - as like any uni assignment it was completed in the final two weeks before the due date. We tried to stagger it but it just didn’t happen.

p.s slurpies for breakfast are not good

Singing in the rain!

It’s almost 3am and I’ve just got back from saying a few happy birthdays and a few goodbyes . . . but in this light I’m not feeling happy as I can see the veins in my hand

Ech

As this harsh computer light dooms down on my beloved instruments I think about the fact that someone predicted that the drought would break today! Although I’m not stupid – and understand that it takes waaaaay longer than one evening of (if not a year) rain to water the parched land that is Aus – it does occur to me that it is still raining.

Which – I hope is a good sign. Bless.

HIPPO

A mate of a mate, James Mansini (23) has struck gold. This RMIT entrepreneur graduate has come up with HIPPO - a job site that specifically targeted uni students who want a job that pays well and fits in with their lecture timetable.

The up side for employees is that HIPPO has a filter system that allows them to find the right person for a job rather than sifting through endless resumes hoping that those they shortlist are the best possible applicants.

Australia’s youth or Gen Y as they are often called, have very individual traits, and Hippo has been developed with both the potential employee and the employers needs in mind.

According to business consultant Peter Sheahan, Gen Ys are street smart, aware, lifestyle centred, independent, informal, tech savvy, sceptical and impatient. But importantly from HIPPO’s perspective, they want “real” work, that is, responsible work that makes a contribution so they can prove themselves (see . . . we aren’t just lazy logs).


Anyway, one of their original marketing gags was to send giant Hippo’s to their prospective client offices. I don’t know if they went ahead with that one – but I suggested that it should be a singing hippo – more impact!

They officially launch in April but have already got retailers; Trampoline ( SOOO HOT RIGHT NOW), Brazin Ltd ( Bras n' Things, Sanity etc), Cotton on, Hungry Jacks, Intercontinental Group and Boost, signed to advertise their jobs.

Pretty good for a little 23 yr old if you ask me.

WE HAVE THE POWER

p.s just a little obsessed with my new talent of linking

IS NOT

I’ve been meaning to post this article up for a while but my mind has been elsewhere (as per).

Last year Ed & I wrote an article about Is Not Magazine for a magazine that we developed for a uni assignment.

Stuart Geddes, one of the founders of Is Not, and art director of Monument, was SUPER kind and helped us out by answering a whole lot of questions . . . those pesky uni students!

The magazine we developed was called ‘Hunt’ – and it was basically meant to reflect the ‘brand lifestyle of apple’. The focus was on the ongoing search for inspiration that sideways thinkers are on, where the best places are to find it and what to do to help you find it.

We were inspired by Is Not and its poster format – so we took from that and made ours an A1 fold out Mag. The contents included things like water reviews, breakfast reviews (cos we all know that breakfast is the new Saturday night – it’s all about the eggs) and snapshots on creative minds and where they go to find their inspiration.

I also can’t wait to head to their You Tube Tuesdays – held at Miss Libertine.

Anyway – thanks heaps to the Is Not crew – Mel Campbell, Natasha Ludowyk, Stuart Geddes, Penny Modra & Jeremy Wortsman – for creating an awesome concept that inspired us to get an HD!!

YOU’RE HOT

LINKING LESSON

Tait has taught me to link!!!

WOOOOHOOOOOO
My tech savvyless days are coming to an end . . .

Let the linking begin!!!!

Lesson # 2: re-doing layout so blog name is up the TOP of the page.

SCARY MAN

When I was walking (power – no I don’t use weights) on the weekend I noticed the tradish ‘people crossing’ sign . . . and wondered why the Australian government – in it’s rampage to be PC - hadn’t changed it so it didn’t look like a paedophile was kidnapping a young girl. Forgive me – a little weird I know but I was walking alone –mentally practicing my karate moves.

(The above pic isn’t the one that I saw (mine was yellow and the peeps were walking/being dragged) but this one is even scarier. Eeeeeek.)

A Little David & Pheobe in Fran

I was a little inspired by What if when I was having a tangle tantrum the other day.
p.s Hope you guys haven’t thought of this already (how embarrassing)



I just realised that you can't read my writing! hehe
It says 'All i-pods should have a little see through section on the back where the ear phones can plug in and get sucked in like a vacuum cleaner cord when not in use.'

T-BAR

I’ve been meaning to post about these guys for a while.

T-bar is an awesome concept developed a by two RMIT students.
This glass ‘bar’ is a freestanding shop in Melbourne Central purely dedicated to T’s.
They employ a heap pf graphic designers and only print 50 of each design. Every time I cruise past on my way to uni – I notice a funky new print. They have all the prices on the window and you can see most of the designs from the outside (handy since the shop is tres petit).

This one particularly caught my eye (especially after Stan was talking about the re-branding of ‘I love NY’).

I saw a guy wearing it the other week. I like.

BACK TO UNI

Ah yes
Tis the time of year when I have to force my brain out of hibernation and drag it back into the sunshine of UNI!
Yey
Uni has been fab
However I did have a 'black Monday' at the beginning of this week.
3 bad things happened
1. I spilt tea on my keyboard
2. I dropped my phone 3 times in a row and broke the speaker (I can hear you, you just can't hear me)
3. I didn't get the internship (I was short listed for an internship at RMIT - congrats to Chris, may you have a happy future at OBM and sell many disposable sunglasses)
Actually maybe it was four things
4. I weighed myself (this is what happens when dresses are fashionable - you don't know that your jeans don't fit!)

But it's all ok because my mum bought me a giant pot of honey (1.5kg to be precise)!
It’s the best pot of honey in the world.

FAKE GUCCI FOR FREE

This man created a fake Gucci ad with his own photo,
got a Swiss newspaper to run it and had the $50,000 bill sent
to Gucci. ROCK IT.

Singstar

On Friday night I babysat. I don’t normally do much babysitting but these guys are my favourite family and they’ve just come back from the US. The girls are like me (loud, attention seeking . . .) so we get along fine.

Apart from teaching the 7 yr old the art of sarcasm we engaged in a game of Singstar. For those of you who don’t know this is a form of Karaoke (as a playstation game) – except they score you on how well you hit the notes. Being tone deaf didn’t help but I found myself really getting into it. In the end we were doing dance routines accompanied by the 7 yr old on the French horn - which we then listened to on the playback.

This was my first encounter with such an interactive game – having always avoided they trashy tragedies – I am now a fan. However I find myself wondering how much something like this must be worth for the artists that have their tracks on the game. GOLDMINE I suggest. Whatever the agreement is the peeps that are gracing the game are onto a good thing.

Serious commercial infiltration going on here.

Given I had so much fun I can’t figure out if it’s a good thing or a bad thing for young girls to be imitating pop stars. All I can say is that no wonder there are so many ten yr olds walking around wiggling their booty in mini skirts!!

Peter Sheahan . . .

Is a genius and is quickly making the life of GEN Y's, employers of GEN Y's and marketers much easier.
Peter Sheahan is Australia's leading Generation Y expert. He has worked with more than 100,000 members of Generation Y in seminars, panel discussions and focus groups across Australia.
Places like Ernst and Young, Coca Cola and other large brand are going to Peter for advice on how to deal with Gen Y.
I'm glad that someone has decided to charge money for telling people exactly what I've been telling my dad for the past five years, 'I'm not lazy . . .rah rah rah . . I just need . . .'!
Check out his blog for some cool facts http://generationy.typepad.com/petersheahan/

Flavours of Lakhoum

This one is for Ed the Barista boy.
Check out this coffee from Flavours of Lakhoum (Swan St Richmond, VIC).
The Barista there is a genius. He does a different pic on everyones coffee. You can see his handywork on the walls of the cafe. And if you are really adventurous you can try some Greek or Lebanese coffee.

RESPECT to the Barista

Dynamite Surfing

When Bob Isherwood came to play at RMIT the other week he mentioned this ad done by Saatchi & Saatchi in Copenhagen. It’s set in the early hours of a morning on the lake in Copenhagen. Such a goodie . . . because how else do you advertise a surf brand to a place with no waves!! I liiiiike.

Businessman of the year 2006

This made me giggle

Bob the Pornstar

I found the picture!!!! And it wasn't in The Age it was in The Australian. Anyway check it out Bob Isherwood looks like a total pornstar cross naughty sex kitten. I’m really sorry Bob . . . but it’s true.

Lily Allen

So don’t know how many of you in Oz have got on to Lily Allen, probably heaps as she’s all over youtube, has her own myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lilymusic) and website (lilyallenmusic.com) AND made JJJ’s hottest 100 (twice). Her first single ‘Smile’ made me laugh and showed some seriously profound insight to every girls first breakup.

But her latest single ‘Not Big’ is awesome. And yes she’s right it’s exactly what goes through a girls head after a dumpage.

Have a listen. I couldn’t find the film clip anywhere (the jjj’s said it was awesome) so I’ve just posted some chicks random slide show from youtube with the song in the background.


I love the way she’s not singing some icky love story, or whinging into a microphone about breaking up with her boyfriend and saying how much she’ll miss him. It's The Streets meets Estelle cross skapop.

I love her stuff because her lyrics just smash it, tells it like it is and even manages to rhyme.

I've also posted an interveiw with her about 'not big'.

HOT

P.s I am not a bitter xgirlfriend

"Welcome to Holland"

The following peace of writing is given to parents by the Australian Hearing Association (and most probably many other organizations) to help them cope with having a deaf or disabled child. I thought it was a fantastic piece of writing and really touching. I could never imagine having a disabled child . . . especially in this day and age when disabilities are so easily detected while the child is still in the womb.

Not only is just good advice for these parents but also in general. If it doesn't go to plan it's not the end of the world.
You're just in Holland.

JAR DRAW

Does any one have a jar draw?

It doesn't necessarily have to be called a jar draw, it could be called a plastic container draw. . . or whatever.

Anyway, we have one in our house and it’s where all the old penis butter, jam jars, take away containers and drink bottles are kept. The only problem is that NONE of these containers or bottles HAVE LIDS.
It’s like puzzling over why you have so many odd socks. ANNOYING.

Send in the Cavalry

Word has it that former Campaign Palace Creative director Ron Mather and ‘Not Happy Jan Man’ Tony Greenwood are launching their own creative company in Port Melbourne - The Cavalry. Apparently they are working for Clemenger at the same time (on separate projects); Masterfoods and Fonterra. They say that they are going to wok with heaps of different people that they have worked with in the past . . . resulting in fewer overheads.

Bob Isherwood

Ed is a suck . . a genuine brown noser . . . and it's bloody brilliant. Ed (AKA Jill Powells pet) was asked to design an invitation for a Q&A session that Jill had organized for us
RMIT students to have with Bob Isherwood (WW Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi) last Tuesday. Jill also asked Ed to MC it. So Ed rang me and I got in on the gig too.
Due to our concern that the students in the audience would have no questions we took it upon ourselves to devise some of our own. In our research we discovered that Bob has a penchant for an occasional bottle of Penfolds Grange Hermitage vintage 1976 (lets not be picky Bob!). So Ed and I decided that’s exactly what we would give him in thanks for coming back to RMIT to speak (kinda).

Now this is a $1000 bottle of wine and we are poor uni students. So we did the next best thing and mocked up a Grange hermitage label for the front and a little speil about how he’s been ‘HAD’ on the back, stained it with wine and tea . . . and away we went.

He open the bottle said ‘wow’ and looked a little taken back and then later realized that he’d been duped. According to Jill he was giggling about it through lunch and said that he would love to pull the gag on some of his mates.

Give us a call Bob and we’d be happy to mock up the labels gratis.

JAPAN

I've recently come back from Japan where I turned into a powderhound for 10 days in Hirafu - Niseko. Hirafu is a ski village on the North Island (Hokkaido) and is considered ‘the country’. I can seriously recommend going. Great snow (thanks to some crazy winds from Siberia), amazing food, and heaps of tiny little bars run by x-farmers.

Hanks bar was one of our favourites – a little wood cabin with writing all over the walls. Hank cooks you food on the grill of his open fire, which you can sit round while patting one of his four cats.

It’s still an enthusiast resort . . . I suggest heading over before it get seriously overdeveloped.

Oldie but a Goodie

For those of you that did not read the media section of The Age this morning - an article on Australia's favorite and hated ads graced the front page. According to a survey done by SO&M, animal ads or ads that feature ‘humble Australian truths’ are more popular. Those ads showing distorted human body parts (Mentos & Tooheys), or yelled at the audience are least liked. However what struck me as odd was that the ‘keep the rabbits out’ ad by bigpond (which I laugh at without fail every time) made both the top 10 hated and top 10 loved. Voted as Australia’s favourite TV advertisement the Bigpond ad has doubled the company’s rate of growth during the 18 months that it’s been on the air.

The ad must have struck some serious home truths for those people that despise it!!! Can't please everyone I guess.

Top Ten Ads
1. Bigpond - Great wall of China
2. Carlton - Big Ad
3. Carlton - Flashbeer
4. Optus - Animals in suburbs talking

5. Optus - Animals in jungle singing
6. PAL - dog in back seat of car
7. HAHN - bomb in the swimming pool
8. RACQ - charter boat
9. Commonwealth bank - Pregnant Women on bus
9. Hahn - spa bath bomb
9. Citroen - transformer dance
10. Drawing in sand of boobs/loveheart