Thomson Holidays are mean

Damn you, Thomson Holidays. Damn you for making me want to go on an exorbitantly expensive resort holiday - even more than usual. Damn you.

Delorean - Grow

Some stunning new music from Delorean. Perfect tune for lazy summer days. Blissful.

Campaign of the moment - Carling - You know who your mates are

My favourite campaign at the moment has to be the 'You know who your mates are' campaign for Carling beer. I'm not too familiar with the beer - mostly because it tastes like piss - but I'm pretty certain it has been building a relationship with blokes through football sponsorships and the like throughout the UK. This brand campaign is a broader approach, understandably, that cleverly re-creates common situations guys find themselves in, although within a different context.

For example, the latest TV spot sees a group of guys stranded on an island, hailing a passing ship. Subtle additions such as the fact that the passing ship has 'its light on' inform the viewer that they're watching a metaphor for modern life. Anyone who has struggled to find a cab late at night after the pub can relate to the feeling - it's barely an exaggeration.

While the situations perfectly relate to Carling's target audience - guys who drink beer - what makes the campaign so strong is the camaraderie of the guys in each spot. In the desert island spot, one of the guy's fascination with finding sticks causes the group to miss the passing ship. Rather than be outraged with him, the guys laugh it off, although not before delivering the great line 'Brilliant another stick. Just what we need on this island of sticks' (Unfortunately, this isn't said in the YouTube version I found.). They decide they'll ;get the next one; and start walking, further reinforcing the metaphor of trying to find a cab home at the end of a night out with the guys.

Each of the TV spots has a moment like this, where one of the guys or the group of guys go out of their way for each other. It's aspirational and nostalgic at the same time. It makes you want to get the guys together over a pint of Carling and tell old war tales, while making some new ones as well. It's everything a brand campaign for a blokes beer could hope to be. Good on ya, Carling. Too bad your beer still tastes like piss, though. (Campaign by Beattie McGuiness Bungay.)

!!!!Explode your odour!!!!

I think the subtle message of this new TV spot from Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, is that Old Spice Odor Blocker is kind of powerful. Maybe.

Tiger's resurrection begins

Considering the global hate-on Tiger Woods created when his countless extramarital affairs came to light, it was no surprise that most of his corporate sponsors turned tail and ran. What was surprising was who stayed: Nike.

After seeing Woods make his feeble apology at the worst press conference ever planned, I remember being unsettled by the sight of the Nike representative solemnly standing by his side. I couldn't imagine how they were going to pull off what would have to be the greatest PR comeback ever attempted. But after seeing this first step in Tiger's long road back, I believe.

For insightful critiques from some of Canada's top creatives, check out this article from Marketing Mag here.

What to buy the man who has everything, but could be having more sex

It's also handy when lighting bonfires, or so I hear. Pick it up here!

Pixels!

Pixels are pretty awesome.

They grow 'em big in Mexico

Love the playfulness of this overpass execution in Mexico, but can't help imagining if the Hot Wheels logo was replaced by the Wonderbra logo...

Anish Kapoor discusses the thinking behind the 2012 Olympic Orbit

Love the idea of turning the traditional tower in on itself. Truly 21st century.

Anish Kapoor's High Note

When I first came across this image of Anish Kapoor's Olympic Orbit through the coolhunter.net's twitter feed, I wasn't sure what to make of it. My first reaction was one of incomprehension. It just didn't make sense to me, as it looked more like a twisting rollercoaster rather than a monument. Kapoor's work has always had a playful bent, but this seemed to be taking it a bit far. The more I thought about it, though, the more sense it made.

While it doesn't fit the traditional style or structure of famous monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, this is precisely what makes it a truly contemporary expression of our times. Unlike the Eiffel Tower, which reaches for the heavens with grandiosity, this sculpture looks inwards, creating an endlessly twisting loop, much like the communication loop of our increasingly connected world.

As science and technology continue to play an ever more prominent role in our lives, I think we as a people are looking for answers to problems within our own communities, rather than upwards to the heavens or the higher ups. Our global communal lives are becoming more inter-connected nowadays, thanks to communication tools such as twitter, facebook and meetup. Also, the 24 hour news cycle constantly reminds us of the failings of government and corporate entities.

This has led to a more realistic perspective about what it takes to create change in the world, and at the same time we are more empowered by technology to create this change. Through the growing arsenal of new media tools and websites, our voices are becoming connected in an influential way, coming together in a chorus of opinions and expressions. So it's no surprise that this sculpture looks very much like the musical treble note.

It is fitting that this sculpture will be unveiled during the London 2012 Olympics, an event that represents the world coming together in unity, unlike any other time. Anish Kapoor's playful and powerful statement on modern society intertwines with the hopes of the Olympics: creating a harmonious world here on earth. It's kind of a beautiful, convoluted thing.