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Taken by Lauren Garland, 16.04.07, Somewhere in London

It doesn't really need much explanation- I just found in amusing and very much a sign of the times. Every high street looks the same with branches of the same chains, here the workmen are reassuring the public without the need for the new business to use any elaborate advertising campaigns. The extreme contrast between the slick, corporate machine that is starbucks and a note written with a finger in dust is an important part of the message.

Film- Garden State

Another not-so-new film, but one of my all time favourites that I watched again recently and remembered how good it was! Zach Braff's dysfunctional character, Andrew, comes off medication for the first time after coming home for his Mother's funeral. A series of wacky situations (including this image above of the shirt made for Andrew by a relative out of offcuts from his mother's 'gorgeous' design) lead Andrew to discover what life is about now that he is no longer numbed by drugs. Visually, there are many strong images in the film, including the rich friend who has an enourmous house empty of furniture signifying his empty existance dispite the wealth (the old chestnut 'money can't buy you happinness'). I like the simplicity of the story- it allows the imagery and soundtrack to paint the picture of Andrew's personal journey, which I think is relevant to everyone and the way they live their lives.

Film- The Thomas Crown Affair

Not a new film, but I watched it recently on DVD and really enjoyed it. A relevant film for visual communicators because it features several famous paintings by Magritte, Monet, Van Gogh and Pisarro. It is also a good example of lateral thinking- the way in which Thomas Crown pulls off the theft and subsequent return of the painting is ingenious. My favourite scene deliberately references the above painting (Magritte's 'Son of Man') where the gallery becomes filled with the stereotypical businessman in black suit, white shirt, red tie, bowler hat, trench coat and carrying a briefcase. This is a powerful image with connotations of trustworthiness and monotony, the irony being that Thomas Crown is a thief who craves excitment.

Film- Bobby

One of those films with several storylines going on at once about characters who do need seem to be connected. Here, a hotel forms the backdrop to all the stories during the American vote of 1968, where Robert F. Kennedy is running for president. All the characters are dealing with difficult personal situations, until the assassination of Kennedy puts everything in perspective. The slow motion scene of the aftermath of the shooting is particularly effective, especially with Robert Kennedy's moving speech about inclusiveness and fighting opression in the background.
I found the film very poignant and the message about war (RFK was opposed to the war in Vietnam) is still relevant today. The soundtrack of emotive 1960's songs is also a big selling point- including Simon and Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson and Demi Moore as the alcoholic cabaret star singing 'Louie Louie'.

Ginkyo Print Advert

This is a clever piece of advertising that caught me out!

There I was doing the puzzles on the back page of the newspaper, when I was hijacked by an advert for Ginkyo supplements. The banner suggested that the answers would be found at www.ginkyo.co.uk, which I hadn't paid much attention to until I couldn't finish the puzzle and wanted the solution. I had been tricked! The site is just a product website advertising the brain-boosting properties of ginkyo supplements. I was annoyed that I had been taken in, but Im sure many other people were as well, so the advert is quite effective for raising awareness.

Perhaps it would be more effective if it really did give the answers, so that I didn't feel annoyed. It just goes to show that there are so many different places to advertise besides the obvious.

Dream Boy, Jim Grimsley

The story of two teenage boys who fall in love, set in the rural south of America.
The book is at first very sweet, attaching little importance to the unusual fact that it is a love story between two boys. Throughout the book, more and more signs point to a dark undercurrent- the reader becomes more and more uneasy as the story builds to the truly shocking climax. I think it's a good book, although it is quite unsettling and at times downright disturbing, although I did find it an interesting look into people's attitudes and reactions towards homosexuality in this notoriously conservative, Christian part of the world.

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, Jon McGregor

I absolutely loved this book! The chapters alternate between past and present, where most characters are not referred to by name, giving them some degree of anonymity despite their lives being described in great detail. All the situations seem so everyday and normal, but so many people have secrets- nobody speaks of their 'remarkable things'.

The characters are shown intimately while remaining anonymous. Not much happens in the book but at the same time, so much is going on in the background. The story is subtle yes intense and it is definately something I could read again and again.

The Old Man and the Sea, Earnest Hemingway

A short story set in a fishing community near Havana, Cuba about an elderly fisherman who has a run of bad luck until he becomes locked in a battle with a giant fish and nature itself.

Although I do not usually choose to read short stories, I found this enjoyable and inspirational and can see why Hemingway is such a celebrated writer. The old fisherman is brave in the face of his pain and remains hopeful and optimistic until the very last moment. He is a simple man who does not question his place in life, a refreshing thing considering our wealth and status obsessed society. The loyalty of the young boy trained by the elderly fisherman is both admirable and touching. Even though he has to obey his parents wishes in working for someone else, the boy is selfless in his actions towards his mentor.

The Seven Pillars of Britishness

From a newspaper article in the Daily Telegraph by Stephen Pile, 18.06.07 (full article can be seen through link above)

The author argues that the TV show 'Britain's got talent' goes against recent reality TV trends and re-affirms some old stereotypes that perhaps we should be proud of...

1. "after years of market-led streamlining, the British are still a nation of cheerful eccentrics who do not give a damn (along the lines of Charles Dickens)"

2. "[the contestants on the show] were all unfashionably modest in an age of spin and self-promotion"

3. "nobody was interested in money... the real reward was the chance to appear before the Queen at the Royal Variety Show"

4. "our love of failure still lingers beneath the recent obsession with pseudo American success"

5. "British democracy has reasserted itself in the sort of robust mob behaviour first depicted by Hogarth"

6. "alongside our fiercely outspoken side there is a gentle tolerance and a good humour about us... that enables us to take criticism and rub along together on a small island"

7. "it has reminded us that there is such a thing as society"

This article really struck a chord with me because the issue of 'Britishness' is always in the news, especially regarding multi-culturalism and immigration. The meaning of the term 'Britishness' was never really clear to me and I havn't felt particularly proud to be British in the way that other nationalities really value their country and culture, so Im glad this journalist at least has decided to celebrate the qualities found in the national stereotype and change my slightly apathetic view of my country.

Also, from a design perspective, you need to be familiar with stereotypes in order to subvert the norm. Like the HSBC adverts that stress the importance of local knowledge, an advertiser needs to be aware of how a target market thinks and feels in order to influence those thoughts and feelings- whether that campaign is launched on a regional, national or international stage.

Southern Comfort TV Advert

Although Im not too sure about encouraging people to order southern comfort by asking for "SoCo" (mainly because several people have said it sounds ridiculous), I love the visuals. The concept is obviously to popularise Southern Comfort amongst a younger target audience than currently buys it, and for this I think the outcome is successful.

This is a TV advert which combines film and animation using various effects. The black background allows the neon signage to stand out as well as the patterns created by the drinks and people. The story of the advert is very simple- some friends go to a bar and order Southern Comfort- hardly a ground breaking concept for an alcohol advert. However, the visuals are reminiscent of 1960's psychedelia which combine with the guitar based soundtrack giving the brand a strong and easily recognisable visual identity that will translate easily into other media.

(The still is from visit4info.com, the white rectangle is a link to the whole advert on YouTube.)

Nissan 4x4 TV advert

This is a still from a television advert for Nissan 4x4s. The car travels through different types of terrain and morphs into various animals when it comes to particularly difficult sections of the road. The advert is very impressive in terms of the combination of film and 3D animation- the animals look metallic so the viewer still has the impression that it is the car.

It is also a good concept, although the whole feel of the advert is very masculine- the animals (snake, crocodile, spider) are not friendly, household pets and the colours are all silvers, greys and browns against the blue sky. This makes the advert feel quite agressive and intimidating, but these are probably good qualities for a tough 4x4 car to have, so overall I think it works.

Russ Mills Illustrations

Russ Mills graduated from Leeds Met in 1995 and produces both illutrations and moving image works. I found his profile on www.illustrationweb.com and selected these examples from his profile, my favourite being the artist's version of the iconic Queen photo.

To create his distinctive style, Mills uses mixed media and combines the results with elements rendered on the computer. I like the modern but highly textured result. A lot of illustrators produce work that is modern in a slick way, but I like Mills' use of texture in his backgrounds with his realistic characters in black over the top. The limited colours used in each piece also gives draws attention to the use of unusual textures and shapes.

Virgin Coq

(click on the rectangle for a link to the youtube video)

A viral advert for Virgin trains in which a cockerel walks through a tiny model village, leaving destruction in it's wake. People can be heard screaming and buildings are set on fire. A board is held up at the end advertising cheap rail fares and the advert ends with the instantly recognisable red screen and white type reading 'welcome to a littler Britain'.

I like the humourous concept and the low budget film feel (it seems to me like a comedy Godzilla) and think this, with the tagline referencing the TV show 'little Britain', is fitting for a young adult target market.