Yakety Yak

I really don't think I need to go into any great detail as to the where and why regarding the content of this post...

And speaking of travel - the above airsickness bag is from a wonderfully tasteful collection known as: Johnny's Barf Bags. Very nice and well worth the visit.

And if you're digging Johnny's stash, I've got a gut feeling you're gonna love THIS!

Special thanks to Wallace and Grommit.

That's Right,

HMK

So, What Makes a Product Cool?

You might want to read this before you head out for your next round of Christmas shopping. Especially if you're buying anything for yourself.

We may try to hide our lust for goods but our brain can't. Steven Quartz, a neuroscientist at the California Institute of Technology, is part of a new generation of researchers exploring neuromarketing -- a new field that uses brain science to understand consumer behavior. Quartz and his colleagues roll subjects into MRI machines (which measure oxygenated blood flow) to see what parts of the brain light up while viewing images of iPods, Aeron chairs, Capresso coffee machines, and Oakley sunglasses. Their findings are challenging some basic assumptions about marketing and economics.

What exactly is neuromarketing?

A lot of people think neuromarketing is just using brain imaging technology to understand the decisions that underlie consumer behavior. Although technology is a really important part, brain science over the last decade has advanced at a tremendous pace. Neuromarketing is the application of this huge amount of information that's available in the literature in terms of how people make decisions.

Check out this The Fast Interview by Kermit Pattison: Steve Quartz on Neuromarketing – and why iPods are like heroin.

That's Right,

HMK

The above social commentary is an illustration I did back in 1996.

Very Well Done!

Croatian creative agency Bruketa & Zinić have designed an annual report for food company Podravka that has to be baked in an oven before it can be read.

Entitled Well Done, the report features blank pages printed with thermo-reactive ink that, after being wrapped in foil and cooked for 25 minutes, reveal text and images.

Now that's just genius!

That's Right,

HMK

Having A Lovely Day

Having a nice quiet Sunday afternoon after a long walk with the dogs and enjoying a few of the beers leftover from Friday night's little Tiki bash.. Just finished listening to a cool segment on NPR about paring wine with music.

Here's a little excerpt:

The Doors may seem like an unusual musical choice for a wine bar. If Cabernet dominates the tasting list, however, the sommelier would do well to play some of the group's angriest songs — at least according to a theory espoused by vintner Clark Smith.

Smith, co-founder of the R.H. Phillips Vineyard and senior enologist at Vinovation, a wine consultation firm, proposes that a wine's taste is dramatically impacted by the music that accompanies it.

Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, is best when paired with "music of darkness" — thanks to the ability of rage-filled songs to smooth out similarly aggressive tannins, Smith's theory holds. An idyllic Mozart composition, on the other hand, works in reverse, potentially ruining a good Cab.

Check out the rest and listen to the piece over here: National Public Radio.

Sounds interesting and I can't wait to test the theory. As for right now, I know for sure that this song goes great with just about any ice cold beer...

That's Right,

HMK

Cheesiest Classic Creatures

This is pretty sweet. Wired Magazine is featuring 10 of the Cheesiest Classic Creatures to celebrate Tuesday's release of the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series in an HD DVD/DVD combo pack. The list comes complete with some nice screen grabs along with each creatures powers and weaknesses.

My favorite is this white gorilla with a horn and spines from the episode: "A Private Little War".

Powers: Poison, brute strength, surprising stealth.

Weaknesses: Women in bright-orange fun fur, blatant flouting of the Prime Directive.

Thanks to the magic of high def, and a painstaking digital remastering effort, we can now see these monsters in more detail than ever before - not that that's really always a good thing...

Take me to the Cheesy Monsters.

That's Right,

HMK

Movable Type

The New York Times Company Debuts "Moveable Type"

Movable Type is the awesome new permanent art installation in the lobby of the newspaper's new Renzo Piano-designed headquarters building on Eighth Avenue and 41st Street.

Artist Ben Rubin and UCLA professor/statistician Mark Hansen have created a multi-media installation of 560 small screens, mounted on two walls, which display information culled from the newspaper's archives and live feeds. Information is parsed and displayed by algorithms created by the artists.

That's Right,

HMK

Who's Blogging And Why?

Good question. Find some answers, lots of facts, theories and mucho mas over at Alex Iskold's wicked smaaht Technology Blog.

As for why I started blogging, I covered that in one of my very first That's Right posts back on my soon to be wife's birthday, July 23, 2004.

Have a great week and Happy Thanksgiving!

That's Right,

HMK

(thanks to swiss miss)

Nowhereland

There is no shortage of logos in the world, no dearth of brands striving for consumer allegiance and no chance that the creation of new brands and logos will cease.

In fact there’s an interesting subset of brands and logos that don’t bother with what seems like a crucial component: an actual product, service or company.

Consider the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. It’s part of the fictional universe depicted in the 1979 film “Alien” and its sequels; Nostromo, the spaceship freighter in the first movie, is a Weyland-Yutani vessel.

The company doesn’t do much in the way of branding in, you know, reality. But as it turns out, it’s possible to buy yourself a Weyland-Yutani T-shirt, or even a Nostromo T. It also turns out many people have.

Read the whole thing over at: The New York Times or go straight to the shirts: Last Exit To Nowhere.



Reminds of the custom Belushi COLLEGE sweatshirts I used to make for myself during my art school days at MassArt.

That's Right,

HMK

Cool Illustration by Peter Arkle

Left Brain or Right Brain?

Wow, this is kind of trippy and interesting.
Do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?

If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

According to Australian Herald Sun, if the woman is spinning clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

Once again, more proof that I am in fact a right brainer. I can see it both ways (when I focus on her waist or her foot) but she's always spinning clockwise upon first glance.

Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

That's Right,

HMK

Include a Joker in Every Brainstorming Session

The link between humor and innovation, why authoritarian bosses fear humor, and the funniest CEO in America. The Fast Company Interview: John Morreall.

Humor makes us think more flexibly. People who think funny do better on creativity studies. To put it really simply, humor loosens up your brain to think of more possibilities and be more open to the wild and wacky ones.

There is a guy at the State University of New York at Buffalo named Roger Firestien who has a center for the study of creativity. When he teaches brainstorming, he says you should put a joker in the group -- somebody who will come up with preposterous ideas. Very often that will stimulate people to come up with ideas that will work.

Let me give you an example. A bunch of paint engineers were moaning and bitching about how hard it is to get paint off a house. One guy says, "Why don't we just put gunpowder in the paint and blow it off the house?" That led people to think, "What could we do that would be the equivalent of gunpowder?" They came up with a chemical they added to the paint and when you wanted to remove the paint you did a light wash with a second chemical over the first one. That didn't blow it off the house, but it allowed it to drop off.

It's funny how the use of humor as a mechanism for problem solving is alot like life. Some people just "get it' and other people just don't.

Remember these words to live by: He who laughs, lasts.

Read the rest: John Morreall FC Interview.

That's Right,

HMK

Holy Bat Lights!

Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland, Australia.

This is a nice gorilla campaign for the launch of Batman Begins on TV2 in Australia.

Stickers were placed on footpath lights around central Auckland. At night when the lights were on, beams of light shone.

That's Right,

HMK

Thanks to the smart folks at: Ad Goodness.

Become a Better Designer: 50 Tips

Check out the: 50 Ways to Become a Better Designer.

That's Right,

HMK

Thanks to Tim Riley 澳大利亚 for the cool shot of Gate 50 at Adelaide Airport.

The Presence of Absinthe

1896 Absinthe J. Edouard Pernot by Cappiello.

Dear reader! Should this column impress you as being more than usually lyrical, recalling perhaps the imagery and elegance of poetry by Baudelaire or Verlaine; should it seem a bit decadent, redolent of Oscar Wilde’s withering hauteur; should it have a touch of madness or perversity, combining, say, the tastes of Toulouse-Lautrec with the passions of van Gogh; should it simply sound direct and forceful and knowing like one of Ernest Hemingway’s characters; should it do any or all of that, let me credit something that each of these figures fervently paid tribute to: the green fairy, the green goddess, the green muse, the glaucous witch, the queen of poisons.

Absinthe.

Continue reading this awesome article from Edward Rothstein over at the New York Times: Absinthe.

That's Right,

HMK

Tiki Must Be Stopped!

Tiki Must Be Stopped!

WHY?

That's Right,

HMK

Retro Futurism

Artist: Meere und Schiffahrt, 1964

Dig it: Retro Futurism.

That's Right,

HMK

The Charlybox

Sweet! Our good pups Ringo and Dazy (and of course Charlie up the street) are gonna love the Charlybox.

This cool and simple compact carrier is perfect for food and water when you're on the go with your favorite pooches.

Made of two halves, the Charlybox includes a two-liter canteen for fresh water, and two bowls for water and kibble. Snap the two halves together and you and your pups are good to go.

As usual with stuff from Design Within Reach, it's more times than not out of our reach, but we might just have to break down and snag one of these.

You can get your very own over at: Design Within Reach

That's Right,

HMK

Bring This to the Next Meeting

We all know that most meetings end up being a complete waste of time and money. Well, now we've got a nice little gage to help prove it.

Over at BNET, a CNET Networks offshoot with information for senior managers and executives, they’ve created the Meeting Miser.

The calculator pulls in salary data from PayScale. You enter the jobs of the people in the meeting. Then it calculates how much money is flying out the window second by second.

The best part: You can place the calculator on the screen right next to the PowerPoint demo for all to watch.

All Hail the Meeting Miser!

That's Right,

HMK

Thanks to BNET, CNEt and Damon Darlin at The New York Times.

Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra

Super nice execution of a nice concept.

Advertising Agency: Piramit, Istanbul, Turkey, Creative Director: Metin Aroyo, Art Director: Emrah Meshur, Copywriter: Mustafa Oral, Photographer: Sitki Kösemen.

That's Right,

HMK

5 Important Steps

A bit of advice and reflection (with the slight tinge of gripe) this morning. 

If you're lucky, you'll have some lead time before you make that big entreprenurial leap. And if you're not so lucky, consider yourself blessed.

Either way, keep in mind that this is the "Next Time" you've been waiting for.

Do yourself a favor and consider these five pieces of advice, especially the second part of step one.

Step 1: Do Something You Love and Do It With Someone You Trust.

Step 2: Do Something You Understand.

Step 3: Start With The End In Mind.

Step 4: Protect Your Ideas, Invest In An Expert.

Step 5: Be Ready For The Unexpected.

It's been 9 months since February 14th, the day I was let go by the advertising agency that bought out our small 5 person design studio to serve as their creative department. Since then I've been officially and happily on my own working as an independent designer and branding consultant.

Initially, getting canned was as scary as it was exhilarating. The creative director I lobbied to bring on board had been threatening to fire me since October when he hired his former partner. (who's first day just happened to be my birthday). Anything but the perfect environment for creativity.

Nice. Thanks man.

As Oscar Wilde once said: Beware of people who know the price of everything and the value nothing.

Thankfully, the above learning experience brought to mind all of my good fortune I've had over the past 17+ years as a creative professional. I've been both blessed and lucky to be surrounded by people I like, trust and respect. And now, back in the world of truth, honesty and true friends I really couldn't be happier!

Sadly, yet predictably, on the downer side - over the course of the past few months everyone from our former studio, TG&O, was also let go.

Thus, fulfilling the vision and master plan of the charming and friendly creative director. That's right - Mr. Personality, the brilliant, award winning, always accessible creative genius, the man who never ceases to remind us all that he is, as it says on his 80's era business card, (the one with the inverted "i" in the logo that makes an exclamation point - genius!), he's not only your boss, he's the creative director, Your Creative Director!

Anyway...

The great news is that everyone that was fired is now in a better place - both physically and mentally. Thanks to our temporarily undervalued talents and skills, we've all landed on our feet and are busy working other gigs and continue to work with each other thanks to one thing - the one big thing that the egocentric NTAC wannabes that deem all their hired help as disposable and expendable will never understand, and that's the true value and importance of: Relationships.

That's Right - Relationships.

HMK

Nice Card Idea

Yeah, I know, I'm breaking my own rule about no Christmas posts until after Thanksgiving...so sue me, these are sweet.

You can get your very own over at The Breeding Ground.

That's Right,

HMK

The Love Life of the Octopus

Dig the trippy The Love Life of the Octopus off of Yo La Tengo's The Sounds of the Sounds of Science. And hey, while you're listening, you might as well check out this awesome collection of Octopus Covers!

Enjoy!

That's Right,

HMK

Dr. Rathenow Orthodontist

Agency: Leo Burnett, Frankfurt
Executive Creative Director: Andreas Pauli
Creative Directors: Andreas Heinzel/Peter Steger
Copywriter: Florian Kroeber
Art Director: Claudia Boeckler

Orthodontist Dr. Rathenow specializes in early diagnosis and correction of children’s defective jaws and teeth.

To promote this service, specially designed pacifiers were handed out to parents of small children. The pacifiers gave the parents a funny, but very remarkable impression of how their kids could look with uncorrected teeth.

The doctor’s business card was attached to the pacifiers. Headline business card (front): Take your kids for a check-up of their jaws and teeth before it’s too late.

I like!

That's Right,

HMK

That's Right.

That's Right,

HMK

Thanks to Swiss Miss and Eyebeam.

Meow! Set Your Clock Back!

Have a great Saturday Night, and remember: There's only 8 more Saturday Nights until 2008 so do something memorable!

If you're into going back in time, music and good clean fun you're gonna love this!.

That's Right,

HMK

The R.Bird Is The Word

Poppa U Mow Wow! I love this stuff!

PROCEDE® is the R.BIRD method for exploring creative strategies and greater possibilities.

Its principles are drawn from more than a quarter century of experience and, not, merely invented for the sake of marketing.

Work at R.BIRD respects their Procede principles on every project.

Live it. Learn it. Know it.

Dig it: Principles of PROCEDE® #4

There are no wrong answers. It’s better to consider an option than to presume an objection.

That's Right,

HMK

Speeding. No One Thinks Big Of You.

Wow. Genius concept, casting, music and execution!

Dig this awesome spot from the New South Wales Roads & Traffic Authority in Australia.

I give this one a big thumb up!

The guy that drives the silver Mustang with the Glass-Packs down E Lullwood every morning and night needs to see this...

That's Right,

HMK