Coca-Cola 2nd Lives | Bottles with Alternative Uses

Coca-Cola continues its crusade to think more responsibly about the lasting impact of their products with the next installment of their "Open Happiness" campaign. Entitled "2nd Lives", this campaign shares alternative ways to reuse their iconic bottle, giving it a whole new function, and whole new life after its primary goal.

We know plastic bottles aren't good, but we may as well make the most of them until we find the alternative. I'm up for a water gun fight this summer.

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Augmented Reality Bus Shelter | Pepsi Max "Unbelievable"

(image source)

I'm pretty sure this augmented reality bus shelter would have scared the bejebus out of most of us, escpecially this early in the morning! The "Unbelievable" interactive ad shell, by Pepsi Max was installed just in time for the busy morning commute on New Oxford Street, London. The technology uses its surroundings to create an alternative reality, in which the unbelievable can happen before your very eyes.

The public's reactions are something else! See a few more augmented reality examples here. For more on the Pepsi Max #LiveForNow project click here.

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Amazing Billboard Ad - Blowing In The Wind + Weekend Links

46 seconds of ingenious marketing. I'm predicting interactive ads like this billboard will start to pop up on our streets much more throughout 2014.

Guys, I haven't actually mentioned this yet on the blog but I'm off to Ireland all next week with ASOS, to film for a project which is set to be out around June time. I can't say loads right now but I'm heading there with Remi of Hands of Style + Olivia of What Olivia Did. The blog will be a bit quiet next week but you can still catch me on Twitter as usual. Have a lovely weekend + see you on the other side!

  

Weekend Bucket List

Brian Cox Science Socks anyone?
A short series of clever Branding Exercises
The history behind Nike's Free technology
Ticking the Typeography/Design/Americana boxes
This cinema could benefit from air conditioning
Discovering Hank via Uniform Journal

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Loveland Aleworks / Bank Holiday

It's Bank Holiday Weekend across the UK and that can only mean one thing, beer. Yes lovely lovely beer. It's the time where most people get an extra long weekend but everyone working in retail is still stuck behind the tills, I'm used to it now. I'll just be making the most of it when the clock hits 4:30, Sunday afternoon.

With beer in mind today feels like a good time to share Loveland Aleworks and some great branding by San Fran design agency Manual. Loveland are an independent microbrewery based in Colorado; Manual created the identity for the company through the vision its owner and the city's historical past as a railroad town. The taps above, which can be found in their "tasting room" are inspired by original 19th century railway signal levers. It's fair to say I'd like to drink some ale from a growler, all aboard!

What plans have you got for the weekend? Mine will mostly involve cycling and beer. Enjoy your long weekend guys, let's hope the weather holds out!

For more info and images from the project click here

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Sainsbury's Own Brand Packaging - 1962-1978

Sainbury's Own Brand graphics

I've been researching into packaging design and graphics this week for a personal project and I came across these Sainsbury's own brand designs from yesteryear. Coming straight acha from the 60s & 70s, it seems like Sainsbury's were up to some pretty interesting  and innocent designs at that point. Sticking with bold block colours and shapes, the team at the time came up with some eye catching and appealing styles. Most own brand stuff is quite bland at the moment but I have noticed some of the supermarket giants making their budget range products more appealing, using soft colours palettes and shapes not too dissimilar to these above.

Have any of you seen any interesting graphics or packaging lately?

The Urbanears giveaway has now closed, thanks for all your entries. I will be announcing the winners over the next few days.

Advertising - Oreo's 100th Birthday

After a few days away in Brigthon I'm finding it a bit tricky to get back into the swing of things, but my spirits were lifted when I came across Oreo's latest ad campaign. I haven't done an Advertising post in a while and seeing that it's something I really do enjoy (and would love to be involved in, I'm very employable!), I thought it would be a good time reintroduce it. Oreo's celebrated their 100th birthday on 6th March and to commemorate the event they took a trip down memory lane. The series of ads looks at key events from the past 100 years and uses the sandwich cookies to display them. 

I always think the simple and clever approach to marketing works really well, it's easy to connect to and humor really does go along way. "Damn, what a cool idea" was my first reaction, the next was trying to decide which was my favourite. I think it 1969's Moon landing, genius. Which one do you like best?

Image from here

Gift #1 - Euthymol

A whole post just about toothpaste? Well sure, here we go! My friends & family seemingly know me pretty well as I got some real corkers this Christmas. So I thought I'd show you some of them over the next couple of weeks. As you guys will know I'm really into design and all things well made. Look what was under the tree, some Euthymol toothpaste! Everytime I see this I want to buy it, just for the old time packaging alone. I've heard quite a bit about this stuff, it was pretty popular in Scotland in the 50s/60s and the majority hated it's medicated taste. It actually smells really similar to the rootbeer I buy in America but it does taste pretty ropey. Let's just say it's not an everyday one, it burns the mouth something rotten. 

Have you guys seen any nicely packaged stuff of late or received any for Christmas?

If you're interested you can currently buy Euthymol in Boots, even if it's just for the packaging.

Original Euthymol ad