Got MLK?

Dr. Martin Luther King.

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HMK

Thanks Jane!

Shop HEMA

HEMA is a Dutch department store that opened in Amsterdam back in November of 1926. With over 150 stores all over the Netherlands, HEMA also has stores in Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany. In June of this year, HEMA was sold to British investmen t company Lion Capital.

Check out this awesome HEMA product page. It's in Dutch and you can't order anything but just wait a couple of seconds as the page loads, it's worth it...

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HMK

Thanks Jane!

Vintage Typewriter Ribbon Tins +

Janine Vangool, from the smart group of folks over at Uppercase Journal out of Calgary is sharing a super nice flickr from her collection of vintage typewriter ribbon tins.

You can check them out over here. And oh yeah, while we're on the subject of sharing and nice, informative sites, dig this y'all: Graphic Exchange


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HMK

Yellow Submarine

As we live a life of ease
Every one of us, has all we need,
Sky of blue and sea of green,
in our yellow submarine.

Dig the strangest, yet super sweet car as far as I'm concerned, on display at this year's Detroit Auto Show. The Chinese-Made Detroit Fish amphibious electric car.

The car is a concept from China's Li Shi Guang Ming Automobile Company.

More cool stuff over at Auto Spies.

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HMK

Thanks to Jim West/Sipa Press.

Think Big. Think Small.

If you're serious about working on corporate identities and discovering the core and soul visual representation of an organization, including its logo, design, typefaces and colours, as well as its philosophy, you'll appreciate the English version of this smart and informative springboard of knowledge from this Dutch site: NRCV.

It's broken into three sections. The first, a booklet about the general concept of corporate identity, unfortunately is not translated. Suggested reading in English is the book Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler.

The Resources section contains additional information about corporate identity, including a bibliography and links to related sites on the internet.

The coolest part is the catalogue containing descriptions of a large number of corporate identities. Bookmark this one!


And while we're on the subject of getting to the core and soul of organizations - check out this awesome marketing gimmick in the form of a book that was given away by VW dealers in 1961 titled either THINK SMALL or COMPLIMENTS OF YOUR VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. Both of these titles are used. It's full of the great cartoonist and humorists of the time.

Thanks to Mike Lynch and his cool cartoon site.

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HMK

'Mac People' More Open, Liberal Than PC Users?

People who prefer Apple's Macintosh computers over PCs have long been considered to be on the artsy, hip end of the personality spectrum - and now a study proves that "Mac people" indeed are more liberal and open-minded than average folks.

According to Mindset Media, people who purchase Macs fall into what the branding company calls the "Openness 5" personality category-- which means they are more liberal, less modest and more assured of their own superiority than the population at large. Mindset Media helps companies with strong brands develop ads targeted to people based on personality traits or people's "mindsets," and does research to that effect.

Read the rest of this cool article by Elizabeth Montalbano over at PC World.

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HMK

Thanks to my bud Brett Calvert for the heads up.

Call The Design Police!

Ahhhhh! Help! Call the Design Police!

It happens all the time. You're minding your own business, enjoying the day and then it happens. You see a poster for an event or product that's so amazingly uninspired, half-assed, lazy and just flat out bad, that it makes you mad. More eye polution crap produced by either a clueless overruling committee or one of the numerous uneducated and talentless wanna be self proclaimed designers that believe more is always better.

(Dude, just because you know how to use a mouse and you have a collection of FREE and nasty bastardized fonts does not mean that you're automatically qualified to be a communication designer.)

So you stand there, asking questions out loud and to know one in particular...

WTF?

What were they thinking?

Somebody paid good money to some JV, Helen Keller School of Design graduate to produce this piece of crap?

Who chose those colors and fonts?

Is that suppose to be a logo?

Ever heard of kerning, hierarchy, or legibility?

Enter the Design Police and their 5 different templates of stickers that'll apply to just about any design mistake people can make.

I got mine - now please, go get yours and help stop the madness of the NTAC!

Join the cause for smarter, better design and get your stickers over at Design Police.

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HMK

Thanks again Freddy!

Separated At Birth?

This is interesting. Take a look at Dieter Rams designs for Braun back in the 1960's.

Braun's Atelier TV vs. Apple's iMac 24, Braun's T1000 radio vs. Apple's PowerMac G5/Mac Pro, Braun's T3 pocket radio vs. Apple's iPod, Braun's L60 sound system vs. Apple's iPod Hi-Fi, Braun's LE1 speaker vs. Apple's iMac.


From Wikipedia:

Dieter Rams (born May 20, 1932 in Wiesbaden) is a German industrial designer closely associated with the consumer products company Braun. He is regarded as one of the most influential industrial designers in the 20th century.

After World War II, Rams studied Architecture at the Ulmer Werkkunstschule Wiesbaden as well as learning carpenter. After working for the Architect Otto Apel between 1953 and 1955 he joined the electronic devices manufacturer Braun where he became chief of design in 1961, a position he kept until 1995.

Rams once explained his design approach in the phrase "Weniger, aber besser" which freely translates as "Less, but better." Rams and his staff designed many memorable products for Braun including the famous SK-4 record player and the high-quality 'D'-series (D45, D46) of 35mm film slide projectors. He is also known for designing the 606 Universal Shelving System by Vitsœ in 1960.

Check out Dieter's first commandment!


Many of his designs — wonderfully sleek coffee makers, calculators, radios, audio/visual equipment, consumer appliances and office products — have found a permanent home at many museums over the world, including MoMA in New York. For nearly 30 years Dieter Rams served as head of design for Braun A.G. until his retirement in 1998. He continues to be a legend in design circles + most recently designed a cover for Wallpaper magazine.

Rams' designs have been very influential on Jonathan Ive of Apple, Inc., designer of such products as the iMac and the iPod.

Ya Think? Go Dieter! Thanks for the design tips.

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HMK

2008 Macworld Stevenote

Flying Macbook Pros with dilithium crystal-powered nano warp drives, leaked speeches, intentionally cryptic banners, it can all mean only one thing: the 2008 Macworld Stevenote is less than 24-hours away.

Check out Wired's online Gadget Lab, iLounge or Engadget now and tune in for second-by-second coverage.

Start time is 9 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday. Don't be late!

07:00AM - Hawaii
09:00AM - Pacific
10:00AM - Mountain
11:00AM - Texas
12:00PM - Eastern
05:00PM - GMT / London
06:00PM - Paris
08:00PM - Moscow
02:00AM - Tokyo (January 16th)

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HMK

Something In The Air

Man, I can't wait until Tuesday...

I'm really digging this quote from analyst Gene Munster over at Fortune:

“We expect Apple’s Macworld announcements on Tuesday, January 15th to set the bar for CES ‘09 — in other words, we see Apple as effectively one year ahead of its competition.”

With that said, it's a sure bet that Steve's gonna give us something to talk about. I'm guessing we're going to see a sexy new thin laptop complete with a solid state flash drive - the future of all hard drives. Online movie rentals and probably some crazy new wireless thang for movies and tv.


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HMK

And Then There Were 3

Well, I think I've narrowed down my new ride choices to 3. Either the Smart Car, a Vespa or a new bike. We're getting an official Smart Car dealership here in San Antonio with a scheduled opening sometime in February. I've been drooling over these for ten years after spotting my first one in France back in 1998.

Smart USA has officially announced pricing and sale date for the new ForTwo. It'll be available in three trim levels with the entry level Pure Coupe starting at $11,590.

All models get a five speed gearbox with an automatic clutch that can be shifted manually or left to switch gears automatically. The middle offering (above), the Passion Coupe, is the one I've got my eyes on. It's $13,590 and comes complete with a glass panorama roof, alloy wheels, and air conditioning.

For $16,590 drivers will be able to get open air motoring with the Passion Cabrio.

All three models get a 1.0L three-cylinder 71hp engine and should get mileage in the low to mid forties.


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HMK

Rebranding: Xerox

At a town hall meeting and live webcast on January 7th, CEO Anne Mulcahy and president Ursula Burns of Xerox unveiled it's radical changes to it's logo and branding to Xerox’s 57,000 global employees.

I like the lowercase logo but the ball is not working for me.

Developed with Interbrand, it looks like it's from the same bag of marbles as the .Mac, Sony Ericsson and new AT&T mark...

Get the full press release and more over at Xerox

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HMK


Thanks again Freddy!

Gallery of Book Trade Labels

Ahhh. Fresh coffee and two of my favorite things: Books and design with typography. Enjoy this great little collection of Book Trade Labels from publishers, printers, binders, importers, distributors and sellers of books new, second-hand and antiquarian.

Above: O. Henry Book Store, San Antonio, Texas, Bean's Stationery and News Depot, Bangor, Maine and E. Broekhuis & Zonen Boek & Kunsthandel, Boekbinderij
Hengelo [Overijssel], Netherlands.

All courtesy of Greg Kindall's Seven Roads

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HMK

Perpetualy Fresh

Start the new year of fresh with a hip new Perpetual Calendar!
Go Retro with HMK or...



Go Classic with Massimo Vignelli.

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HMK

Modular Dwellings

I've been doing a little research for the new studio add on and I really appreciate the modernist approach and clean lines of some of the stuff that's surfacing from the Prefab architectural movement. Check out the latest prefab offerings from Edgar Blazona, a former Pottery Barn designer who offers some pretty sweet backyard structures over at his Modular Dwellings site.

And while we're on the subject of researching cool casa ideas, this is an exceptionally nice resource.

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HMK

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

I'm really digging the smart use of the ephemeral tickets to reinforce the subtext of the archive photos in this print campaign for The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

Agency: The Martin Agency, Richmond, USA
Creative Director & Copywriter: Joe Alexander
Art Director: Lee Dayvault
Photographer: JFK Library Archive
Producers: Jenny Schoenherr, Cindy Hicks

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HMK

Cruz Rosa Argentina Postcard

Click To Enlarge.

Very nice, straight to the heart postcard campaign for the Red Cross Argentina from Leo Burnett, Buenos Aires. Creative Director: Fernando Bellotti

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HMK

Thanks again Freddy!

Eye Candy

How's this for an exciting first post of the new year? Check out these groovy little collections I found over at flickr: Signs!

Vintage Illustrated Supermarket Signage


Vintage Transistor Radios

Happy New Year Y'all!

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HMK

Free Air Guitar

Here's a cool promo idea to launch 96.3, a new rock radio station. Guitar Stands were placed around Glasgow City Centre inviting people to help themselves to an air guitar.

Agency: The Bridge, Glasgow
Creative Director: Jonathan d’Aguilar
Copywriter: Gregor Stevenson
Art Director: Simon Parker

Air This!

Merry New Year!

Peace,

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HMK

Ugly Beauty

“I ALWAYS wanted to own a dream car,” said Andy Saunders, 44, who has a flair for customizing cars. “But others had already bought all the dream cars.”

So Mr. Saunders settled, instead, for a nightmare.

“I remember one day going through a book about dream cars, and I saw a tiny drawing, a sketch really, or artist’s impression of a car called the Aurora,” Mr. Saunders said in a telephone interview. “My dad commented, ‘Have you ever seen anything so ugly?’ He was right; it was so ugly it was unreal. I said straightaway, ‘I’ve got to own that.’”

Mr. Saunders, who operates an auto importing and customizing business near his home in England, said he enjoyed a challenge. He has worked on cars that include a Lancia and a Cord.

He saw the image of the Aurora in 1993, and it took him several years of detective work to find what happened to the car.

The Aurora may have had the most unusual pedigree in the history of the auto industry. It was created in the mid-1950s by a Catholic priest, Alfred A. Juliano, and partly bankrolled by parishioners of his church in Branford, Connecticut.

Juliano wanted to create the world’s safest automobile, and his Aurora featured innovations that were years ahead of their time. The Aurora also had many wacky ideas to go along with its bizarre styling. Some auto historians have called it the ugliest car ever made.

Although Mr. Saunders originally agreed, he has come to see beauty in the Aurora.



Designer Priest Alfred A. Juliano.

Juliano, who studied art, said he always wanted to design cars, even as he studied to join the priesthood. Published reports said he entered competitions for aspiring auto stylists, including one sponsored by General Motors. Juliano’s family said G.M. offered him a scholarship to study with the legendary designer Harley Earl, but he said the offer came just after he had been ordained a priest.

Juliano continued to be fascinated with cars and their design. He also believed that most cars were unsafe, and began a quest to design a car that addressed his laundry list of safety issues. His solutions were novel, to say the least.

Read the rest of Jerry Garrett's article over at: Ugly Car.

Personally I think Father Juliano's concept car is one of the sickest rides I've ever laid eyes on - it's perfectly awesome! I'd love nothing more than to be driving my little family around listening to A Holly Jolly Mystery Stream and checking out this year's perfect Christmas moon!

Happy Holidays and God Bless!

Peace,

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HMK

Queen e-Lizabeth

Ok, now it's finally really starting to feel like the new millennium: The Royal Channel

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HMK

A Book Store Made in Heaven

Whoever said that reading was a religious experience was right, especially when taking a visit to Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht, Netherlands.

Having just won the Lensvelt de Architect Interior Prize 2007, this newest addition to the Selexyz book chain is well worth the visit to this Medievil city if you are ever in the area.

Erected inside a former 800 year old Dominican church, this bookstore is said to hold the largest stock of books in English in Maastricht, one of the oldest cities in the country.

It was always going to be a challenging task for Amsterdam based architects Merkx + Girod who designed the space, to stay true to the original character and charm of the church, whilst also achieving a desirable amount of commercial space (there was only an available floor area of 750 m2, with a proposed retail space of 1200 m2). Taking advantage of the massive ceiling, both have been achieved through the construction of a multi-storey steel structure which houses the majority of the books. This is one giant bookshelf, with stairs and elevators taking shoppers and visitors alike, up to the heavens (mind the pun), to roof of the church.

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HMK

Thanks to The Cool Hunter

Visual Polution

We have never been here before, but we have been here before.

To the left, the Wendy’s, like a gingerbread house from a child’s nightmare.

To the right, the Burger King, like a highway restroom that sells hamburgers. And everywhere, the billboards and neon, the strip malls and parking lots, urging us to look here, here, no here, drive up, drive thru and, remember, drive safely.

The gift of this column has taken the Times photographer Ángel Franco and Dan Barry to dots on the map wondrously distinct in look and feel. The snow-blown journey over the moonscape of the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota does not blur in mind with the snow-blown journey beside the rushing Rio Grande in New Mexico. The relatively short drive across the Golden Gate Bridge in California does not blend into the 24-mile drive across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana.

Quite often, though, the two find themselves forging through familiar and hideous commercial stretches that all but dare them to guess the state they are in. True, it can be comforting to know that up ahead there must be, there has to be, a Subway sandwich shop.

But why are these stretches almost uniformly ugly, so much so that most of us have conditioned ourselves not to notice?

Read the rest of Dan Barry's New York Times column: A Place Just Like Every Other Place. Only Not.

Watch the slideshow: This Land: Visual Pollution

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HMK

Steampunks

According to Wikipedia, Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date

Lots more info regarding Richard R. Nagy and his steampunk projects over here: Datamancer.

Merry Christmas!

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HMK

Santa's Back!

Forget the dancing Elf - show them you mean it and send a custom Santa Tattoo!

Cool stuff from Creativity's Interative Agency Of The Year: R/GA.

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HMK