Best Commercial Ever. Period.

This commercial is everything. I love the idea that periods (and more specifically, period commercials) are becoming a popular source of parody.

Anyone whose ever had a period (guilty) knows that it's like the WORST, you can't do ANYTHING! You basically just have to lie in bed and pray for death to take you to bring you out of your seemingly endless pain, misery and general oozing. 

Period commercials tried to cover this up for years, making it seem like you could do stupid things like play tennis and wear white shorts if you bought the right maxi pads with wings or whatever. 
Also, what's up with that blue water?

Bodyform received a comment on their Facebook wall from one brave soul that decided to break down this wall of lies and expose the harsh reality of Aunt Flo's visit, it read:

Richard's brave statement got over 40,000 Likes in less than 24 hours [via], which prompted the CEO of Bodyform to make the awesome commercial featured above, which now counts over 3.5 million YouTube views. 

This commercial, and the ones you've no doubt seen for U by Kotex make me happy, because what they're trying to do that's so GROUNDBREAKING is to normalize something that happens to every woman on this planet (when she gets to a certain age). 

What's next? Normalizing farts?
I really hope it's normalizing farts
.
Here's looking at you, Fart Council.

In a Bored Mood? Make a Moodboard!

The world we’ve made for ourselves prominently features a virtually endless black hole called The Internet.  You know that, you’re on it right now. Basically everything that has ever or will ever be created is probably somewhere in the World Wide Web. 

Want to know what the top trending Gods are? Sure! Feel like running an Olympic race as a guy with no muscle control? Well now you can! 

Anyways, you get it.

Did I lose you there? I’m going off track here to make a point (and to LOL at QWOP); thanks to the omnipresent Internet, sometimes it can be hard to get focused. Millennials are often criticized about our inability to focus. Apparently we can’t put down our phones when we’re intoxicated, driving or even riding a motorcycle.  We tend to want to do everything at once all the time, and instead end up doing a medium-ly okay job at everything.

So, to focus back in here; we need more focus. Yes, we all know this.

My new favorite thing to do with my spare time is to make boards on Pinterest.  It’s basically Tumblr on crack where you can find everything you like times a thousand, but you’re pretty much S.O.L there if you’re a dude as 80% of Pinners are ladies. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve spent entire days on that site, meticulously scanning the endless resource of beautiful images until I find a few that are worthy and inspiring enough to be pinned onto my own personal boards.

Pinterest is the perfect site for curating your own moodboards. A moodboard is something that used to be made with pictures from magazines, but in this era of The Internet JPEGs have replaced glossies and computer mice (mouses?) are the new scissors.

Okay, you get the point. LOL

Before embarking on a creative project, it’s good to have an idea of what inspires you. Think of your project, plan it out thoroughly, then get to Pinning, Tumbling, copy pasting, or straight up snipping to try and focus all of your ideas into one contained space. That way, if you feel yourself going off track you can always refer back to the moodboard. 
Hopefully it’ll get you... in the mood.

Recently I was tasked to making an Integrated Marketing Campaign for a local boutique from scratch, and before we started conceptualizing we visited the store and then made a moodboard the old-fashioned way, the good ol' hands-on copy & paste.

Me and my girl Emily with our sweet board. Note the usage of foamcore.

I found myself referring back to it, and took elements that I liked from this mishmash of swans and Ricky Gervais to make most of my creative decisions about the campaign. At Think Shift, account people and creatives work together to come up with Moodboards before every new project to visually map out a rough idea of what the final result will look like

.

Sites like Polyvore and tavi gevanson’s blog can help you get in the mood for boarding, and FFFFOUND!  and Baubauhaus. are great sources for the more graphically designed-inclined, among about a billion other available websites.

So the next time you feel like embarking on a big project, consult Pinterest, then watch the hours of the day fly by. 

Oh and if you’re clipping your moodboard out from magazines, always remember that everything looks better on foamcore.

Everything.

Hustle Hard Have Hope

Every day I'm hustlin'.
Hard.

Here at the Milk Bar, I rarely think about fibre. No, not the kind you put in your belly.
I'm talking about MORAL FIBRE. It's that pang of bad feeling you get when you put a flaming bag of poop on someone's doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run away. 

There are a lot of people that think that the advertising industry is full of slimy, attractive guys in suits that try and get teens to smoke cigarettes, but it's (probably) not. I don't really know. All I know is that there is a huge chunk of ad space that goes to the Cancer Centre, for example, or to non-profits that I would only know about through having them blasted in my face.

Today at work we took some videos for Specialized Services for Children and Youth, a  children's centre that will have all the services needed for children with disabilities under one roof, plus fun games for the kids to play while they're waiting for treatment. One of the kids involved with the centre made me stop and re-evaluate my perspective on life and the wonderful things that have happened to me.

All of this being said, I want to talk about the Threads of Hope campaign by my wonderful, beautiful friend Jackie Doming. 

This stunning beauty has been working on an integrated campaign that's so big and ambitious that I don't even really know what it all entails. She's selling super unisex leather bracelets, and some awesome branded tees on the ToH Etsy site. She designed everything herself too. 

She's also throwing a benefit concert with a guest appearance by Winnipeg celebrity Ace Burpee on February 3rd at the West End Cultural Centre.

Did I mention that she's doing this all by herself?

And why she's doing it?
It's all for a little girl in the Children's Wish Foundation, Briana. 

Check out the Threads on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Etsy, their Website.. uhh.. And I think that's all but there's probably other social media places I'm forgetting.. Skype?

Oh yeah, and YouTube too.

The Church of University

I was going through some old University stuff of mine, trying to get it all nice and organized for some reason, and I stumbled across this gem that I wrote for a class called "Religion and Pop Culture". I know it has nothing to do with advertsising.. but it might? Nah, it probably never will.

I just wanna preface this by saying that it in no way is meant to undercut the validity of religious institutions. I've been a supporter of the Catholic church since my baptism and regularly attend masses. It's basically just supposed to make fun of Universities. Thank you.

From the moment the institution’s followers walk through its big wooden doors, they are expected to follow specifically outlined creeds, rituals, and codes. The doctrines imposed by higher powers inherently form a community of believers, who adhere to the teachings of the preachers. They either succeed or waver in their faith, and are excommunicated. This doctrine demands a total expenditure of the whole self, but promises great rewards to those who adhere until the very end. The organization may closely resemble a traditional place of worship; but I am in fact referring to the “alternative religion” of The Church of University. 

The major beliefs of The Church of University (which shall henceforth be known as The Church) are supported by the holistic absorption of unquestioned knowledge. Believers are taught to value specific rules and regulations regarding their contribution to this faith, and if these dogmas are not met, the individual is excommunicated and is sentenced to a lifetime of hell (thisworldly equivalent being fast food restaurants). There are many myths that surround the doctrine. The University of Manitoba, a sect of The Church, has outlined some examples for wary unbelievers including falseoods like “at [the Church of] University, you are just a number” and “[the Church of] University is a whole lot harder than high school”. It adamantly denies these claims, perhaps in an effort to increase attendance, as many similar churches are experiencing dwindling numbers, but staunchly resist a modernizing overhaul based on the fundamental value of tradition.

 The Church is offered to believers on a global scale, but is divided into sects based on particular classifications, regions and specializations; but the overall goal remains the same: the attainment of eternal happiness upon completion of the journey. Eternal happiness is usually derived from a professional career and solid pension plan. 

 In the beginning, students of this faith encounter a “calling” throughout their individual existences that motivate them to enrol, or else are indoctrinated by their parents at a young age and are morally forced to attend in order to uphold family honour. Once the student is accepted into the institution, a more formalized baptism takes place. The waters are equated with a series of forms, which constitute a binding oath that publicly declare the student’s admittance of membership in The Church of University, who from then on is expected to pursue the institution’s firm religare.  Regular attendance and participation is expected, and followers must listen carefully and absorb every passage that they are taught during regular lectures. The appointed preachers have devoted years of their lives studying in The Church in order to achieve the status of messenger of the great knowledge. These prophets organize a set time and a place and deliver sermons from Holy (text)Books to a congregation of believers, who unquestionably trust the teachings of the sermons. The students are expected to read the Holy Textbooks every day to further expand upon their lessons. The institution is divided within itself in an authoritarian hierarchy. The Dean (aka The Church of University’s Infallible Leader) holds the highest power over the Deans of Faculties (Bishops and Archbishops), who dictate over Teachers (Preachers), who oversee Teaching Assistants (Altar Boys), and so on. 

In order to fully comprehend The Church’s intrinsic messages, sacred relics are entrusted upon the followers. Notes are taken and reviewed, and the students are meticulously tested on their faith in the material (as Jesus was tested by the Devil, only to a much more diffused extent). The large majority of students use a modest pen and paper to record their notes, but the Holiest of all notes are displayed on revered, glowing MacBooks. The two respective instruments function on the same fundamental level, but the latter offers a physical and monetary expression of the full dedication of the adherent to his or her quest for knowledge. The light that the pure, white screen emanates offers the implication that the enthusiast is studying his or her relics at all hours of the day. All followers rehearse their sacred texts repeatedly, like a prayer, until the information is memorized and implanted. Students should be able to recall these prayers on command, and are judged on their accuracy by the teachers. The marks that they are allotted are generally directly reflect the students’ intelligence and self-worth. Often, when this judgement of character is deemed unfavourable by the institutions standards, the being will discontinue their studies by choice or by excommunication. For those who do leave, the possibility of returning is always available but is based on forgiveness by His Holiness, the Dean of Admissions. This figure acts a St Peter character; the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, who accepts and denies applicants into the University’s esteemed pearly gates. His judgement can be based on academic devotion, but can also be swayed by a “monetary expression of dedication” in some special cases.

 For those who are accepted into programme, The Church of University expects certain bodily sacrifices from its followers; most prominently, the sacrifice of a regular sleeping schedule. The student must be willing to schedule this seemingly necessary duty around prior commitments to The Church. Just as Buddhist Monks are to wake at “3.45 am when [they] are supposed to start praying and meditating” (BBC), an early morning or a late night is to be expected of the devout student. These monks occasionally adopt a vow of silence, in The Church of University, this is paralleled in the way in which the students must forgo many of their personal relationships in order to fully focus and “silence” their beings in order to be finally vested with the most sacred of ancient documents, The Degree. Often, prior relationships will be put on hold in favour of repeated “prayer” sessions, sometimes to the point in which they eventually erode. The only way in which the desperately mute students can communicate with each other is in secret non-verbal code,  by sending a text message. 

The Church adopts certain sacred food and drink to recharge its weary attendant’s minds. The diet of the University Student is humble, and consists of small and sporadic meals, usually eaten at a rushed pace. In some sects, the stress or time occupancy of the doctrine necessitates a fast; other cases report a rite of passage known as “the freshman fifteen”, in which the ascribed diet is reversed and is replaced with high-calorie, preservative-laced nourishment. This method of sustenance in particular marks devout followers, as it is a physical manifestation of their lack of free time and their absolute commitment to prayer memorization. Though the diets of the followers vary, certain commonalities are distinguishable amongst the masses. The sacred drink, made from ground coffee beans, seems to be an omnipresent relic in the hands of the followers. Coffee is attributed by the drinkers as containing otherworldly powers, and is described by many devotees as “my saviour”. Holy Coffee is typically dispensed at the entrances and exits of the institutions so that participants can bless themselves with the sacred drink before when entering and exiting The Church. 

When one considers the momentous donations that followers must contribute to The Church on a regular basis, is it logical to deduce that they are often left with chaste possessions and modest savings. This chastity leaves supporters with little to spend on non-religious items, but humans must eat in order to survive. They have adapted themselves with the ability to digest seemingly inedible foods, the most prominent of which being Ramen Noodles and/or Kraft Dinner. These items are made up mostly of starch but they, in correspondence with Holy Coffee, offer enthusiasts enough energy to propel them through an early morning sermon or a day-long retreat.

 Despite the frugality that devotees adopt, it is imperative to note that they always seem to be able to meet the expense of another type of sacred drink: beer. Disciples are often seen in establishments near their respective Churches around the globe, regularly consuming the beverage. This, the world’s oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, comes in many forms but is mostly composed of starches, paralleling the aforementioned Holy Foods of Church-goers. In rare jovial displays, students play games revolving around the beer. In certain cases, followers overindulge in the liquid and are speedily punished with the wrath of a hangover. Those who are not morally sharpened enough to resist its temptations are judged as unworthy followers in The Church, as their rates of sermon attendance are generally negatively correlated with the attendance of said beverage establishments. The Church of University expects supporters to resist their bodily desires in consideration of any matter that is unrelated to its teachings. 

The institution has been a prominent fixture in the news due to its seemingly endless string of leaked controversies. Many students are offering the so-called “ultimate sacrifice” to The Church, a total expenditure of self for the institution by taking their own lives. In David Chidester’s novel entitled Authentic Fakes, he reveals that Ronald Regan and Jim Jones preached the sacrifice of youth represented the greatest offering. Though arguably no one is benefitting from this sacrifice, reports from (The Church of) Cornell University’s conditions have recently “gotten so dire that, as a temporary measure, they have even placed fencing on campus bridges.” (Huffington Post) While it is extremely difficult to pinpoint the reasoning behind this ultimate surrender, it appears to equal a sacrificial totalization, a passage from incompleteness to completeness as a means of ritual closure for the participant. The sacrifice of the believer’s total self, according to Chidester, “promises ritualized perfection” (103). Perfection often being mistaken as the ultimate goal of The Church, and failure to attain it leads disciples into the realm of a total bodily punishment, as a macabre martyr for their cause.

 Those who argue that this University society does not qualify as a designated religion need only examine Chidester’s depiction of baseball as a religion. “First, through the forces of tradition, heritage, and collective memory, baseball ensures a sense of continuity in the face of a constantly changing America” (36) and/or world. The basic format of the educational system has changed very little over the course of its lengthy existence. The reliability of the system of The Church of University “institutionalizes a sacred memory of the past that informs the present” quite literally because the information that is transferred to the indoctrinated is based almost entirely comprised  of past academia.

 Second, it “supports a sense of uniformity” (36) so much so it lies right in the name Uni-versity. The emphasis of consistency is expected and valued from the disciples, who are rewarded for following the set guidelines of the program; not only considering their prayer recitation or relic production, but all social, political and mental features that the code of belief provides. It is a place where students and preachers alike can “[share] a fabric of beliefs, symbols, and mutual agreements with those around [them]” (37) based on their uniformity and unquestioned digestion of materials.

 Third, The Church of University offers a unique and distinctly human quest for “the absence of mysteries” (37). It celebrates the explanation behind these mysteries in an attempt to understand almost any mental and scientific concept from a variety of perspectives. It concerns itself with solving the illusive “unanswerable questions”, just as many other religions do. Some have critiqued the discipline’s explanations for its stance on the creation of the universe or the origin of thought. They believe its claims are too simplistic or dogmatic, but traditional academics argue that to question its infallibility is a moral sin.

 Lastly, The Church presents the believer with “a ritualization of time ... [which] affords those extraordinary moments of ecstasy and enthusiasm, revelation and inspiration, that seem to stand outside the ordinary temporal flow” (37). Examples of University-related revelation are evoked when a new and valued concept is fully absorbed. Ecstasy could be encapsulated upon the graduation of said institution onto a higher plane, towards the ideal existence.

 The community of believers that this doctrine assembles is undeniable. It attracts members from all over the world, and from all walks of life. The Church of University is so popular that it receives billions upon billions of dollars in charitable donations every year, and is constantly in the market for expansion so that it may accommodate more followers. In many poor countries, the attendance of the institution is considered to be the ultimate dream, as its promised benefits for successful devotees equate truly endless rewards. Just as there are many divisions of Christianity, the departments provided by The Church allow the individual to customize their religious experience in a way that retains the message but divides the means. It presents the adherent with a tailor-made lesson to respond to their own interests and therefore is able to attract an enormous demographic. The institution boats that it does not judge based on classifications of age, race, gender, sexuality or socio-economic position (although the latter may be debatable) as some traditional fundamentalist religions do, and often volunteers spaces within the organization to specifically accommodate said groups. The Church is one of the only non-domestic institutions in the world that advertises more female attendance than male. This is an enormous accomplishment for the doctrine, as it has been active for thousands of years, but has only opened its doors to “the fairer sex” for the last few centuries. It draws large numbers of those who are dissatisfied with their current state, and offers the disciple a sense of purpose.
 
Attendants are presented with the conception of an open mind. This claim may appear to be abstract, but it successfully encompass the “mission” of the faith. The Church is distinctive in comparison to many other religions because, although its religare is strict, it presents a young person with the seemingly foreign concept of choice. The disciple is able to dictate their path in life and must then deal with the personal consequences on a thisworldly level. It deals with the ordinary, but addresses the basic need of a daily purpose. Most sects promise eternal happiness once this life has terminated, but too rarely emphasize a focus on the happiness of the ephemeral journey. It offers socializing tools that help train individuals to function in this globally connected world, whether the emphasis is morally good or not. Finally, it conditions the adherent to tolerate the repetition and boredom that a legitimate career offers once teachings have been institutionally and publically declared to be fully absorbed. After years of sacrifice, the student attains the ultimate relic, metaphorically encompassed in a single piece of paper, The Degree. He or she is finally bodily, socially and morally conditioned to pass on to a higher, more esteemed realm and get a job.

Oh yeah, it's also super long, so kudos if you read through it all. 

More Cannes Lions Winners 2012

Here are a few more Cannes Lions best commercials of 2012 for your viewing pleasure.
So awesome.

Cannes Lions Best Commercials

So this commercial is what the judges awarded Grand Prize at the 2012 Cannes Lions best film ads of the year. It's for Chipotle and it features Coldplay's haunting hit "The Scientist", which I personally think adds a lot lot lot to its weight, maybe even more than the visuals do.

The idea is basically a call back for less of an industrialized farming model, that we should go back to the farmer with a wife and a son and one or two pigs. A nice idea, overall. The tag line at the end reads "Cultivate a better world". 

For those that are unfamiliar with Chipotle, it is a Mexican fast food restaurant in the United States that offers delicious burritos, taco salads and even beer and margaritas for the hungover masses. On their website they do have a lot of information about their "food with integrity" practices.

Adweek has compiled the top 15 Gold winners in film, check them out if you have some spare time and want to actively seek out commercials.

Here are some of my faves:

This one for Proctor & Gamble made me cry like a baby. Moms + Olympic Athletes = Tears. Always.

The colours are phenom in this commercial for Lurpak butter, which I assume we don't have in Canada.

The band OK GO have made a career off of viral videos, and this one is no exception, having already received over 22 million views on YouTube.

Conversely, this chilling ad for the Mumbai Mirror has barely any views on YouTube.

This one is just over the top and silly, and I think Mariah Carey directed it.

IKID You Not, IKEA is the Best

Perhaps IKEA is a bit overhyped, and to go there is like visiting the nine circles of hell, but you can't deny that their advertising is the best that Sweden can afford. (Which I'm assuming is a relative crap-load.)

Their store is opening up in Winnipeg on November 28th, and as a young person who works along Route 90, I'm both anticipating and dreading it. 

Check out this AMAZING ad for IKEA that's inspired by the imagination of a child, made (fittingly) by Mother ad agency in the UK. The person who came up with this Big Idea is either a genius or did a bunch of acid in the 60's.

Unlock the 007 in You

You know how they used to have "The Pepsi Challenge" where they would get real people to taste test Coke against Pepsi?
I think they should have that same contest but with Pepsi and Coke's commercials.
At this point I'm pretty confident that Coke's are better, but I think there's a bit of an ebb and flow to their genius. 

The lastest campaign that Coke Zero is running (literally, HA!) is with a partnership with the new James Bond movie Skyfall. 

This commercial that was uploaded just a few weeks ago already has over 8 million hits on YouTube. 

But really, who wouldn't want a chance to feel like James Bond, even if it only lasts for 70 seconds. 

P.S. Love the use of the big piece of glass in real life!

So what is 'Integrated Advertising'?

This ad for Saatchi& Saatchi advertising agency shows us what we can do with a little bit of cardboard. I so believe that the simpler the message, the better. 

What's simpler than a box, yet has so much possibility?

Another Bad PETA Ad

Presented without comment, another bad PETA ad.

Comment: I guess they think that a big giant waving squash is appealing to people.
I find bananas ap-PEALING but for different reasons.

Chapel Bar and Bistro Down on its Knees

Here is a print at for New Zealand's Chapel Bar and Bistro which is celebrating it's 7th birthday this year. They decided to celebrate but making this semi-viral blasphemous ad, and as expected, Christians are none too pleased about it.

They clearly knew this was going to offend the generally vocal religious crowd but they went ahead with it anyway, I guess because the bar's name is "Chapel" and the tag line is "7 years of almighty nights".

I guess it's ha ha funny, but there's a time and a place, and this ad just seems cheap to me. Plus the Jesus looks like a greasy hipster.

Get your Comic-On

The loosely-tied advertisement-judgement theme that goes on here at the Milk Bar is getting even looser. (...like your mom!)

Today I want to talk about this upcoming weekend that I'm haphazardly getting all nice and loose for. 

Despite my previous blog post about how much I love to dress up for Halloween, this year was kind of a write-off. I didn't realize that Halloweekend was last weekend and so I threw together a costume in about a half hour total and winded up as the fall-back staple, Carrie.

Twinsies? 

BUT this weekend is going to blow last weekend out of the pig's blood, because this weekend is both the Central Canada Comic Convention (I blogged about the 2011 one last year), as well as the first time ever that I'll be doing stand-up comedy at Rumor's Comedy Club.

T'is the weekend of comics in both senses of the word. 

I've been paper machéing like a 5 year old all day, trying to get my Loki helmet all ready to go for Saturday, and I'll guarantee blog about the kooky characters that I run into at Central Canada's biggest comic convention. C4's special guest this year is Golden Globe nominee Patrick Stewart, who you may recognize from Star Trek, the X-men movies, or his lesser known role as Bill Stuart in Gnomeo & Juliet 3D.

Then on Sunday night at 8 p.m. I'll be hitting up WInnipeg's biggest (and only) comedy club to test my chops as another kind of comic. Just think, I'll be peeing my pants where Brent Butt and Louie Anderson once delivered their sub-par material! I once jumped out of a plane but this is going to be much much scarier. Scarier than The Ring, and that movie was hella creepy. 

If you live in Winnipeg I suggest you go to one or both of these things. Comic Con is about $15 for the day, which is really cheap for a chance to look at a conglomeration of nerds, and Rumor's is only $10, which is the price of a sandwich nowadays!

The Milk Bar Logo

Here's a logo that I made for a fictional bar inspired by this blog. I'm lucky to have found such a perfect font to go along with the image that I wanted to use of the iconic Clockwork Orange eyeball. 

My version of the Milk Bar unfortunately won't have any LSD-laced milk for sale, but it will serve the best White Russian money can buy, and fresh home-made cookies. Yum yum!

Goo goo! (Translation: Cadbury Screme Eggs)

The other day I was watching T.V with a bunch of friends (new season of Ru Paul's Drag Race: All Stars edition, woo wooo!!!) and a commercial came on for the new Cadbury Screme Eggs and one of the guys said "These commercials are really great."

Everybody dropped their mouths, aghast that those words were uttered in a world that's so packed full of crappy ones that we as a society are almost immune to them, we feel nothing any more. 

But looking into a campaign for these diabetes-inducing little treats, I found out he was right, they are really great. Here's a few examples: 

It's just so cute when they say "goo"!

I'm sure the candies are disgusting, anyone who I know that's ever eaten a Cadbury Creme Egg says it's like getting beat up by a bucket of sugar, and eating them is about as attractive as eating your own snot, but they're really pushing to expand out from being an Easter-only candy and forging their way into Halloween territory. (Side note: Halloween Territory sounds like a Tim Burton movie starring Johnny Depp.) Also, apparently the only difference between these and the regular ones is that there is a weak mint flavour to them, which again, sounds pretty disgusting.

I love how at the end of the commercials they don't give you a website or, God forbid, a phone number. Instead they just have a picture of the Facebook logo and the name of the product.

I checked out the Facebook for Cadbury Screme Eggs, and since the page was created in July they have about 62,000 Likes. 

They regularly post cute little pictures about the "Goo-pocalypse" that's taking over Canada. 

The caption for this one was "Goo goo goo. 

**Translation: Which tool do you think would make the best de-gooer?"

The only thing that I've noticed about the Facebook is that they need more people monitoring it. There's a ton of fans interacting with these great commercials and images, but a lot of them are asking questions about where to get these little minty monsters in their specific regions. They could have a staff member on there full time replying with an "Anywhere. You get them anywhere." or even a "Goo goo gooo!"

What do you think of the new Cadbury Screme Eggs?

Runway Walk

Check this hella sweet promo for Mexico's Next Top Model. The song is enough to make it killa but the chick puts the badassery over the top.

(FYI - the song is called Runway Walk by Xzibit. What a great track for walking down the street in a pair of heels to make you feel like the boss applesauce.)

The caption at the end says "A model is nothing without attitude. Mexico's Next Top Model, Being pretty is not enough." 

There's a couple other sick spots for this show that I found on YouTube like this one:

If the show was half as good as these ads are I would still be watching it. But I have to admit, I watched like the first 17 seasons of America's Next Top Model religiously. 
Tyra 4 ever, smize for your life.

Logo-a-Gogo

So I've been thinking a lot about logos lately. Big logos, small logos, even medium-sized logos. 

Whatever size they come in, I find that the best logos add to the company name. They don't just sit beside it or distract, they're seamlessly blended together whereby the whole is equal to the sum of its parts. 

If you plan on designing a logo for yourself, Logofaves.com has a wonderful gallery of some of the best logos around. They even categorize it into Highest Rated and Most Favorited, and give you the option to Pin It onto your pinterest board.

Here are some of my favorite examples:

These are all fantastic, amazing and hilarious. They worked with what they were given to make something clever and awesome, and they make me want to buy their products, whatever these products may be. (Elephant combs?)

Recently I designed a logo for local Winnipeg LGBT* bar. I had a long conversation with the President of the Board of Directors to figure out what direction the company wanted to rebrand themselves with.

In the end I gave them some samples of my final design, which included a version for their signage and for their communications.

This is what I came up with:

Their tag line is "The Heart of the Community", so we decided together to incorporate the heart into the logo design. It'll be displayed on the signage in 2013, so look out for my baby if you're ever in hankering for a gay old time in Winnipeg!

Helloooo Handsome

Love love love this cute little retro YouTube commercial for a Los Angeles coffee shop Handsome Coffee Roasters. 
Is there a word for YouTube commercials yet? Ones that are three minutes long and get away with saying stuff like "I love flicking beans!"

YouTubettes? YouToots? YouMercials?

Anyways... Watch it if only to see an old school commercial in 1080p.

It's Arrested Development (omgomgomg!)

The moment we've all been praying for has finally come! The Bluths of Arrested Development have snapped some promo shots together for Entertainment Weekly, so this means that a reunion season/movie is coming our way faster than a runaway stair car!

The cast is so amazingly funny that even a few still frames of them are hilarious, and they don't look like they've aged at all since the show ended, though Tobias is looking a little chunkier. But the prospect of chunky Tobias in cutoffs makes me want to blue myself. 

For those of you that aren't familiar with the show, I ask you... "WHY NOT!?!?!" Anyone who has watched it loves it, and the episodes just keep getting funnier. It was cancelled in 2006 despite winning dumptrucks of awards and being named by IGN as the funniest show of all time. It also has a huge cult following, so fans have been waiting for a reunion for the last 6 years, and it looks like the wait will soon be over. 

I personally can't wait to see what they do with the Bluths, but there are 6 years worth of pressure on the writers to knock it out of the park (like the baseball episode). Looks like ten to thirteen episodes will be released on Netflix on the same day sometime in 2013. Leave it to A.D. to do something totally weird like that. Now, I'm off to buy all the Netflix.

In case the promos are not enough, here's a YouTube clip of George Michael (no, not the singer) in front of the stair car, keeping an eye out for hop-ons.

Plus an extra-special top-secret bonus of what appears to be Buster Bluth running around in a lovely blue peacoat. Taste the happy!

Via Link