Lotus Awards Breakfast

So this morning I attended the Lotus Awards' judges breakfast.

The Lotus Awards are B.C.'s advertising awards, and this year's theme is 'Is it Good?'. The judges this year (including the 3 that were replaced at a moment's notice) had some pretty interesting answers to this question. Not to mention those delicious croissants.

Of particular mention were:

Bill Bungay, of Beattie McGuiness Bungay in London, who has worked on some great campaigns like French Connection's FCUK, Playstation, and a cool Oliver-Twist inspired ad for McCain. He had a list of rules for advertising, most of which boiled town to 'experiment wildly and don't listen to anyone else'. He finished with a quote from the legendary Bill Bernbach - If your advertising goes unnoticed, everything else is academic. Check his Playstation ad (directed by David Lynch) below:


Lisa Shimotakahara, from McKinney in North Carolina, showed my favourite campaign there, done for Groundworks, an alternative dance theatre in Cleveland. The campaign (of which I can't find images online) included:

• A postcard of straight black and white lines that, when shaken, reveals the headline


• A poster printed with invisible, adhesive ink that, gradually over weeks, collects dirt and grime and reveals the slogan 'What are you being exposed to?'


• A poster only legible from certain angles


• Red-filter glasses left in various cafes, which reveal hidden messages on cards and online


• Plain sandpaper, printed on the reverse side only, with the slogan 'We don't file the edge off'

Whenever I see work this daring, I think to myself, 'how does one find a client comfortable with an idea like this?'. I'm not sure, but I think you marry them. The artistic director of the theatre, David Shimotakahara, shares a last name with this judge. Hey - I'm just saying!

Robot Dance Break!

Check check it out. This is from a project called What Moves You Miami, a cultural blitzkrieg where artists/innovators were asked to respond to the question in their respective media.

This video was made by Leo Bridle, a fantastic U.K. microcinema artist.

I found him through another of his pieces - a collaboration which won the First Post viral competition.

It rules pretty hard too. Check it out on his site.

Omigod - so awesome.

Are you f'ing kidding me? Please please please let this be true. From the Daily Mirror:

King of pop plans £300m Leprechaun Land theme park in Ireland

15 September 2006. Madcap Michael Jackson wants to build a Disneyland-style theme park in Ireland called Leprechaun Land.

The moonwalking singer would fill the huge complex with terrifying white-knuckle rides and dozens of dwarfs dressed as leprechauns.

He is planning a series of meetings with businessmen in Ireland and America to raise money for the idea. Jacko, 47, has fallen in love with Ireland since moving in to Luggala Castle in Co Wicklow three months ago and is now looking for the ideal location for his big-bucks project. A source revealed: "Michael is deadly serious about this idea. He loves the whole idea of leprechauns and the magic and myths of Ireland.

"It would cost around £300million to do. He's always wanted to open his own theme park and he thinks Ireland is the perfect place and it will have a leprechaun theme."

"Plans for the park include rides based on Irish myths and legends, traditional music and, of course, plenty of Guinness for thirsty adults."

Jacko is also plotting a music comeback and has been working on new songs in Ireland.

Music industry sources said he was in negotiations to stage a year-long run of shows in Las Vegas - his first gig since a Jackson Five reunion in New York in September 2001.

This actually happening would rule so hard - like a birthday gift from the universe to everyone. I love it when a person as extreme as MJ goes even further than his critics can anticipate. A Leprefuckingchaun theme park? If you made it up as a joke, you would get a 'forgive me, that's just too much'.

A unicorn might as well have just taken a crap on my desk - it's clearly a day of random and disturbing magical events.

On a barely related note, anyone who hasn't had the distinct pleasure of watching the classic b-movie The Adventures of a Gnome Named Gnorm had better step it up and get on it. Seriously one of the funniest films of all time. Basically the greatest bad 80's cop drama ever, with a suprise perverted gnome, and starring Anthony Michael Hall. Scenes with the police chief demanding the gnome's badge particularly rule. Don't front - you'll love it long time.

Nintendo Rules the Internets!

Or, more accurately, a guy named Sean Reiley rules the nintenternets. His site - Seanbaby is a fun read - full of pop culture of all shades and flavours. Well, mainly comics and video games, but bear with me - it rules.

But obviously, what got one Beckstar's motor running is his expansive Nintendo section, which is pretty much the funniest thing ever. It's basically a plethora of obscure items from old Nintendo Power magazines, sections like Dear Nintendo, my life is a goddamn mess, a time capsule of Nintendo's most memorable fan mail.

A personal favourite? His Worst things to make Nintendo games about list, which breaks down the top ten worst ideas for video games. A well-timed favourite, at number 10 is, oh yes, a California Raisins video game. As he puts it:

The raisin shit was such a bad idea for a game it never even made it to stores. Don't think it was because someone noticed how stupid it was halfway through making it, or even better -- halfway through the sentence from the guy suggesting they make it. They finished the entire game. It was only after they were completely done when some video game designer finally took some damn responsibility and hid it where no children of American could get to it. I don't know. Or maybe the retail chains refused to sell it. Wal-Mart may sell Who Farted? hats and have an entire section for cow-sized spandex pants, but they at least have enough standards to refuse to stock a Nintendo game about singing raisins. Maybe.

I've got a MAD digicrush on this kid. Edit: even more so after looking through his photo galleries and seeing all of the delightful perversions he gets up to with my favourite erotic party troupe The Suicide Girls. Delicious.

Clever Illusion Ads

Thinking about the physical reality of these pieces allowed these designers to produce some pretty amazing and surprising results. Consider how much less impact each would have had with a more traditional ad on the same medium - even one with top-notch design and layout. Plus, the photographic illusions/tricks are really cool.

Hey - sometimes gimmicks work.


A bag, advertising an anti-nail biting nail polish.


A cup design advertising a plastic surgery clinic in Toronto.


A bag, inviting people to reach out to children with autism.


Poster campaign advertising Superman Returns.


Ad for Periodent - a toothpaste that strengthens tooth enamel. I think this was only a concept, and not actually produced - I can't remember where I found it.

Who wants cake?

This is actually someone's wedding cake, made by a bakery in Minneapolis.

I swore it would never happen, but if someone makes this cake for me - I would actually get married. Fine print: only if their name was Luigi and they were a tall Italian plumber with a pet yoshi, living in a magical mushroom kingdom. Boo yah!

Hold that elevator, ye whoreson bilge rat!

Aarrrgh. I cannot believe me forgot that today be Talk Like a Pirate Day.



What a worthsome curr I be.

In ye spirit of thar day, I send ye scurvy mateys to find ye pirate name and shout a big aargh to these yonder skies.

Yers,
Dirty Bess Kidd,
swaggering lass of thundering treasure chest and amazin' booty.

Birthdays + Karaoke = Really Out of Control

So I mentioned the weekend we spent in Birch Bay, Washington, ripping shit up at various karaoke bars and in a cabin which should now be powerwashed, all to celebrate Erin & Ryan's birthdays. How could I resist posting photos?


Upon arrival, we find ourselves perplexed. Will this party truly rock?


Wearing antlers is fun.


Are you serious? I have to wear this hat? But Carley looks so nerdy.


Birthday kids Erin & Ryan AKA Esther and Rupert. Also, note Rupert's headwear - best visor ever. I kept my coveting under control... barely.


The cake on the plate.


The cake on the face.


Meghan and Carley at the karaoke bar, rocking hard. I think Sheryl Crow was playing.


Hey, it's Zoe and Natalie kickin' it old school. Daaaaaamn!


I imagine this dance was called 'the Sneak'.


Curiously, I woke up beside a California Raisin. Wait - huh?

Invisible Skating

Okay, so when I'm too busy - professionally or socially - to blog, I'll post some interesting videos and you salivating dogs can at least chew on something until your blog master returns and doles out the online Alpo. Deal?

So check this - it's pretty sweet eye candy from straight outta 2003. Clipped from the Girl skate video Yeah Right that Spike Jonze directed, it's just a nice, pretty greenscreen variation with a nice pretty song.

Remember when we all used to skate? And you'd show up at work with mad cut up knees because the bridge you rode over on the way had these evil gaps, and your boss would just roll her eyes and wish that a client wasn't coming in 15 minutes? And how hot skater guys were with their busted up skinny bodies and bad haircuts?

Yeah... those were the days. I guess myspace is the new skateboarding now.

Birthdays + Costumes = Out of Control

So the Cobrasnake action continues. On Friday, we had a ridiculous costume party for Katie and Drew's combined birthdays. A Virgo Party if you will.

Yeahhhhh.. I should just let the photos speak for themselves.


At parties, if you find me saluting, I am really saying 'Sir, please stop me from drinking more, Sir.'


Let's call this 'method acting'.


Hot pants are for lovers.


And in one fell swoop, Melissa becomes everyone's hero. Sushigirl will save any party from mere mediocrity, with her radioactive sashimi


Viking school choir leader, obviously. Oh yeah, what's your costume?


Drunk fun from all. The fact that these two didn't end up in a salacious threesome later with an unmentioned partygoer is a testament to their spirit of self-preservation.