Trend: Patterns in Advertising

When you consider the advertising industry at large, it’s simply a means to sell many messages. Regardless of the need versus want factor, it’s interesting to follow the creative thinking behind various campaigns. At least, from a trends perspective.

This Kobe Bryant portrait for Turkish Airlines highlights the brand’s unlimited amenities (flat beds, realtime entertainment, chef services) through the technical mechanism of an info graphic. Infusing similar texture into a more journalistic illustration, this New York Times pie chart assesses college debt through the lens of perception and worth.

Keeping in tune with the graphic nature of these layouts, Diane von Furstenberg’s recently launched home collection highlights the brand’s coveted archival duvet covers- a partnership recently launched with Bloomingdales. Sharing a similar color palette and graphic layout, Adobe’s Touch for the iPad app gets playful with tiger-striped typography.

Since we’re sharing the softer side of tech in today’s round up, it seems relevant to showcase GE’s Imagination at Work campaign, highlighting the microscopic organisms that lead to innovation. The palette mimics this vintage American Express Departures cover in a global-fabric kind of way.

April 10, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Media for your Children: The Idea Channel

PBS recently launched the Idea Channel, a biweekly web series featuring host, Mike Rugnetta that ties popular icons, products and trends to established art movements. The first episode is quirky and informative and just the type of tv content I’d want my child to watch (if I had child).

This episode explores the iconic Nintendo game Super Mario Bros, comparing it to surrealist art. Rugnetta – a composer, programmer and performer, as well as one third of MemeFactory offers a fun, kid-friendly perspective, with lively graphic accompaniment and interesting comparisons. What do you think?

March 28, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

The Business of Fashion Celebrates 5 Years

The incredibly informative, Business of Fashion recently celebrated their 5th anniversary. To celebrate, they invited their readership to share their thoughts (over drinks at Hotel Americano, co-hosted by Phillip Lim and Julie Gilhart) on the industry at large.

Everyone was asked, Why do you love working in the Business of Fashion? Here’s a fun collage of a few of the answers, the rest of their photobooth pics are on their site.

February 17, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Bright & Energetic for Spring

Spring’s around the corner- from a no sock and ice coffee perspective (New York’s been WARM) to an advertising and merchandising rollout. The color palettes are vibrant and have been populating the digital, print and TV airwaves since Super Bowl Sunday. Launching a new take on design, style and influencers, Gap’s tapped several bloggers and online personalities to showcase their latest collection. Have a look at Styld.by, the very sharable home for this execution.

Continuing with the overhead vibrant theme, JCPenney’s recently launched an entire facelift, revealing a paired-down, optimistic, curated approach to shopping. The catalog is easy on the eyes with playful photography and bold typography.

Tying the theme together, Target’s latest explosion of color spot reminds us all to get moving and douse our winter palettes with saturated hues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMi5fFtye6o&feature=relmfu

Exciting to absorb, let’s hope the weather continues to follow suit.

February 16, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Finding Color Inspiration on Pinterest

I’m a huge fan of Pinterest. In addition to making mood boards for cataloging, I get a nice dose of inspiration from the ongoing feed, much like I do from ffffound, SVPPLY and We Heart It. One of the few differences I particularly enjoy is the content spread. Case and point- this blue and gray color story. Algorithms have woven this layout together, not humans, and for that I love the unpredictability of it all.

I figured I’d enlarge the photos in question and create a color palette on the fly to demonstrate the bizarre, yet beautiful combination that emerged organically. While one assists in the removal of ants from your kitchen, the other is Olivia Palermo, the socialite, actress and fashion icon. Unlikely worlds merging over periwinkle and gray. Love that.

February 14, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Give & Get with Daniel Stedman

If you live in New York, you know Daniel Stedman‘s work. As President of Northside Media Group and owner of The L Magazine, you have surely seen Daniel’s orange boxes throughout the city, a distribution channel that has resulted in a bi-weekly circulation of over 100,000 copies of this beloved local. Stedman has also recently launched the beautiful, informative and collectible Brooklyn Magazine and operates the Northside Festival in Williamsburg. He’s as friendly as he is ambitious, with an arsenal of good taste and some fun valentines day picks today, have a look!

What Stedman Would Love to Give: Suspender tights are hot simple & sexy – perfect for Valentine’s Day! These ones are super foxy.

What Stedman Would Love to Get: A romantic getaway somewhere close and easy, like Puerto Rico for a quick weekend – To get away from city life, and to have a little romantic time. Here’s a link to a great resort.