Week 5 — 16 July 2021
And so is some of the finest advertising we've seen. Take a bow Channel 4 creatives for the latest in the trilogy of their brilliant Super Humans. Promoting the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics and this time focusing more on the 'human', less on the 'super'. It's an effing triumph! Whatever the focus, 'super' already feels like an understatement.
We like Idris Elba. We like Squarespace ➜
Sticking with ads for a mo, we're big fans of Squarespace. As web builders go, it's a great platform for spinning up function-light websites ridiculously quickly and it's still the best CMS we've come across. But, we weren't too sure about their current Dracula and Snow White slots, on prime-time TV currently. They did however lead us to recall this funny nugget with Idris Elba, directed by Spike Jonze (no less).
Chew on this! ➜
Design is good. Design for good is even better. This interesting article shows some distinctly different brand and visual approaches taken to marketing a new-age product: plant-based chewing gum. Traditional gum contains plastic, you see, like polyethylene – and worse than it getting mashed into the treads of your fave kicks – it takes a ridiculously long time to degrade. So, we're wholly embracing our designer brethren in eschewing, not chewing, the plastic.
D&AD New Blood revives reading for youth ➜
We are loving/silently seething over some of the work from the newest owners of D&AD yellow pencils. How do they get to be so good so young!? Our fave was this response to a Penguin Publishing brief which tackles the issue of school curriculum books being entirely unrelatable to those expected to read them. Why, when reading can spark such wild fires of belief, curiosity, and inspiration, do we make something so potently positive, so utterly uncompelling for so many children? Protest we should!
Copycats, how do they get away it? Ask Aldi ➜
Some awkwardness at Drumbeat this week when we were alerted to another agency having used a stone-cold copy of one of our webpage designs for one of their clients. Hmm! Notices have been duly served, but it got us wondering, how brazen do copycats need to be before they're actually breaking any laws. Where does taking inspiration stop and taking the p!ss begin? This little video about Aldi, everyones favourite copycat retailer, explains where the line is and how precisely and purposefully they toe it.
Forensics: The Real CSI ➜
BBC iPlayer
Putting aside the often grisly subject matter, the patience, persistence and ingenuity of the forensic investigators is mind-boggling. Science, technology and tenacity in pursuit of justice.
This Way Up ➜
Channel 4
Like most things Sharon Horgan has a hand in, this is sharply written so the characters immediately feel warmly familiar. As you'd expect with anything that has Aisling Bea in it, it's also really very funny.
Together In Static ➜
Daniel Avery
If ambient, deconstructed electronica floats your musical boat, plug in your cans and cast yourself adrift with this down-tempo delight!
Mix for Hör Berlin ➜
Mieke
Mieke checking it in and mixing things up at Berlin's favourite DIY radio station. Keeping things interesting in the afternoon and just about on the right side of rave.
Rosler UK social media management ➜
Creative assets and copy to keep their socials looking highly polished.
Series of video stings showing off Maxim's best bits.
New ebook and landing page for global packing manufacturer.
Smart new website and brand for this smart sustainability consultancy.
If you only click one thing...
➜ CLICK THIS ➜
Mildly conflicted here, as we're fearful of anything that puts more power into the hands of the bots, but fully endorse anything that keeps politicians honest.