Missed Connections

I was looking through apartments for rent on craigstlist and my curious mind brought me to missed connections which I now love. Some are rather bizarre and some are really cute. It seems as though some people use it to communicate back and forth with each other too.

This was one I really liked...
Ode to McGriddles and a Silver Truck - m4w - 28 (EightySixed)
So there I was, rushing to get ready for work on an empty stomach. I have been craving McDonalds breakfast for weeks and I knew a sausage egg and cheese McGriddle would hit the spot perfectly. Problem was, I had to be at work in 15 minutes and that is exactly how long the drive was. I was bummed out. That is, until you came along. You were a middle aged woman driving a big lifted silver Dodge truck and like myself, You had somewhere to be. You proved to me that I should chase my McGriddle dreams and that anything is possible as you parted traffic with your war machine as Moses did the Red Sea. Traffic lights were a mere suggestion to you as you ran every light that was turning red. Those lights wanted to keep me from my heavenly breakfast. You would not let them. I putted my dirty buick past the watchful traffic cameras behind the shield of disguise provided by your oversized 4X4. We made remarkable time as you cleared a path, throwing blocks for me as a veteran offensive lineman would have done for a running back in the final comeback drive of our most memorable super bowl bouts. You were determined not too be late and that type of contagious thinking was catching onto me as well. It is as if knew where I needed to be as you suddenly slowed just as I reached the McDonalds closest to my work. I had made it. All thanks to you Silver Dodge. Knowing it is only right to bask in this moment of glory, I order not one but two (yes, two) sausage, egg and cheese mcgriddles. One for me. and one to us and our moment of victory. They tasted like true love's first kiss and I owe it all you. You put the fuel in my tank to allow me to have a great day and all I could think about was spreading word of my adventure to all my fellow misfits and outcasts at EightySixed.com. They should be eager to salute you for your act of kindness onto one of thier own. Thank you!

forever in your debt,
Dirty Buick

Marketers: Be ARTists

A few blog-posts back I shared an image of the Deleon tequila bottle and the Evian Paul Smith water bottle. These resonated with me because of their sheer beauty, and this got me wondering what’s going on with design these days. Are everyday disposable items turning into works of art, and where is this change and inspiration coming from?

A couple things are going on here.

First off, we’re finding everyday household items are becoming simple and beautiful. The tried and true example of course is Method and their well-designed soap bottles. For the first time people actually want to keep their hand soap on display, and now we have designer water bottles. Would you think twice before throwing out your water bottle if it also served as a flower vase? For consumers this is new. Before this change I would have chucked these items in the trash without hesitating but now I think “Wait a minute, this is cute. Can I reuse it or use it for something else?” In some recent client work I found that some women don’t want their paper towels on display simply because they don’t match their kitchens, but what if they did match?

Secondly, brands are borrowing from other industries. I see this prevailing in the alcohol industry where alcohol bottles are mimicking perfume bottles such as Delone tequila or the recently popular St. Germain. What does this mean for brands and marketers? It’s simple really. In order to stay ahead of your competition you must move beyond your industry and look across the horizon to see where you can find inspiration. If you’re looking where your competitors are (your industry) then you will only be a follower and will find yourself limited and a step behind. If however you’re looking where you competitors are not (other industries of course) then you will find yourself a leader paving the way for others… and who doesn’t want that.

So marketers should be artists. When I say “be artists” what I mean is to design like an artist and think like an artist without any limitations.

Also, don't forget to steal.

Ewh

I love chips and like broccoli. I love pizza and like ice cream but would I ever ask for pizza flavored ice cream? No. And I won't ask for broccoli flavored chips either.

Update on Hipsters

Feathers (thumbs up) and fox tails ( thumbs down) have been added to their closets.

Paul Smith for evian

I couldn't resist purchasing this water for $3.75 and I plan to use it as a flower vase...

Bras with nipples!

I am speechless, I can't believe somebody thought this was a good idea; from Victoria's Secret.

Tequila Billboard

I saw this billboard in West Hollywood and prior to reading that it's for Tequila I though it was cologne; looks beautiful. A clear bottle... clearly positioned against Patron.



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Huggies Jeans

I can't imagine these limited edition Huggies Jean diapers would be very comfortable but at least your baby would be fashionable.

Method Does It Again

A nicely packaged laundry detergent in a small bottle and easy to use. I've never seen detergent with a pump but it makes so much sense. 4 pumps equals 1 load and there is no measuring necessary and no mess. Yup, I bought it.

1 of 1 Million Reasons I Love Trader Joe's

I ran into a neighbor in my elevator today who said "I like your purse, it's really cool" and he was not actually talking about my purse, he was referring to my $1.99 TJs reusable grocery bag. Pretty cool that Trader Joe's can create such a nicely designed bag and be socially relevant too. It seems that grocery store brands often participate in rather traditional advertising, tv and print, so I feel this is a good means to displaying their brand outside their store.

However, it also made me think I need a cooler purse.