FILTERED > by Gregory James Brown

is a blog dedicated to showcasing inspiring creative from around the world. ART / DESIGN / TECH / ADVERTISING / PHOTOGRAPHY / FASHION / DIGITAL.
Greg is a British born Digital Creative and Strategist residing in Stockholm, Sweden. Working professionally since 1998 both online and off, he has created communication & creative solutions for global brands such as: Lee Jeans, Budweiser, Orange, Sony Music/Levi, Converse, Diet Coke, adidas, Volvo, BMW, Universal, H&M and the BBC - to name a selection. His focus today lies within people centric digital channels, creating more meaningful experiences and solutions, helping brands to realise their position by creating strategies, driving brand direction, raising awareness, assisting brand vision, and pushing core values.

Wednesday 29 October 2008

HAPPY MORNING...




If you're not much of a morning person, this could be for you. Or at least it might make you seem like one.

Tuesday 28 October 2008

SAMSUNG - Widget


Following on from last weeks post, Nick is making plenty of progress!
Really nice idea where users vote for the next topic, see the post from last week for the concept ;-)

Monday 27 October 2008

GEORGE LOIS - Slams Esquire Cover




Legendary Esquire designer/AD slams the October Esquire cover design!
This guy is a legend and knows what he's talking about, he saved MTV in the beginning!
Brave move by Esquire, bad headline though and I'm sure they could have done something more creative?

Thursday 23 October 2008

H&M - Comme des Garçons



Today H&M release (only to look at) their newest hyped collaboration, this time with Comme des Garçons.
Looks like some nice products here, I hope they feel the same to ;-) In selected stores on November 13th.
I also hope they add some content to the site on release, it has a nice viewing system but lacks an experience.

UPDATE - Bibliothèque





I've had an eye on Bibliothèque since their founding in 2004. I was interested in how the members from great 
graphic design stables - Farrow, and also North were gonna do it. I also wondered why they would want to leave
such high profile design offices? Well I guess they just wanted to see if they could do it for themselves! 
Check them out if you're not aware of them, they've just updated, very tight graphics from London.

Wednesday 22 October 2008

SAMSUNG - Where To Next Then?




To promote the new Pixon Camera Phone, Samsung has commissioned photographer Nick Turpin to take street
shots around Europe, every day for the next 28 days. The subject of each photograph will be determined by votes 
made by visitors to the website.
Every time Turpin posts up a new image, visitors will have two hours to click on any aspect of the image that they
feel should form the subject matter of his next shot. In the first pic, predictably, most people clicked on the delivery
man’s backside, so the next picture’s subject will be ‘bottom’.

This is a great way for the visitors to truly interact and create the route (story) making your vote count! 
The design I find a bit dodgy, but big up - Lean Mean Fighting Machine for the concept!

Tuesday 21 October 2008

WEB 2.0 - But Offline?

It's all about open public dialogues. The bubbles encourage anyone to customize them with any expression. More
Bubbles mean more dialogues in more places, more sharing of personal thoughts, more reactions to current events,
and most importantly - more imagination and fun! This is an old idea which just works so well for this day and age,
advertisers should take note! The Bubble Project...





PART OF THE WEEKEND NEVER DIES



I posted the trailer for this some time ago and although not really my bag these days, this documentary rocks! 
We follow 2 Many Dj's / Soulwax on their massive never ending world tour (most of which is BTS footage) with
plenty of other input from musical names. Amazingly cut and edited it gives great insight and just goes to show
what great content you can get with one man and a camera. Big budgets and shoots just not needed. 


IN-GAME ADVERTISING - Democratic Dollars



Last week GamePolitics broke the news of Barack Obama ads popping up in Burnout Paradise. The Associated
Press has confirmed the story, stating that the Obama campaign has bought ad space in nine EA titles including
Madden 09 and NASCAR 09. The ads will run through November 3 on Xbox Live.

I'm staying out of that politics stuff happening over there, but this fella has some smart guys behind him.

VOLVO - Ocean Race, Rush!



Experience Rush...
The challenge: Expand the reach of what is normally a fairly niche sponsorship - a sailing competition - and link a 
car brand, Volvo, to a water-based sport. The solution: A nine-month-long interactive, "choose your own adventure"
video tied to the carmaker's name sponsorship of the Volvo Ocean Race. The global sailing competition is held every
three years and lasts almost a year.
This is a nice piece of interactive, with good use of video and editing to pull-off the adventure,
look forward to experiencing the next phases. More Info...



Monday 20 October 2008

MVAs ICON AWARD - Jonathan Glazer



Acclaimed: music video / commercials / film director - Jonathan Glazer accepted the first Icon Award at the UK
Music Video Awards recently, from UNKLE’s James Lavelle – and also delighted the audience with a film he made
especially for the MVAs. Jonathan interviewed his parents, Stanley and Ella, about his music videos. Catch it here...

Thursday 16 October 2008

JULIAN RED - AW08 Film


Another season, another fashion film! Julian Red rise to the occasion with a rather nice promo clip for their 
AW08 collection. Opting for black & white (very Swedish ;-) this film has the right level of mystery and engagement.
It's great to see something I predicted a few years back now becoming a reality and the norm :-) 
Fashion+Film+Art = Better Brand Experience / Awareness. It's also now important for all brands to not just rely on
YouTube, but to also find different channels / media to promote themselves, this is how they will stand out from the rest ;-)

CICATRIZ - Ones To Watch



Although summer is over, check out Swedish fashion label Cicatriz SS08 collection! Most labels in Sweden are 
a little afraid of colour, tending to stick to those classics: black, grey and white... so it's nice to see colour being
embraced here. Photography by Rickard Sund and art direction by Clap Clap all help compliment each other in 
an effective yet underestimated way. Check out their AW08 collection as well. Tack for the sneakers & bullets ;-)

Tuesday 14 October 2008

SHYNOLA - Gideon Baws Dies Aged 33







It's sad to hear that music video director Gideon Baws passed away on Saturday while at a wedding. 
The circumstances surrounding Gideon’s death are still unclear, but they appear to be connected to him 
suffering an accidental blow to the head earlier in the day on Saturday.

As a member of Shynola, Gideon was part of an outstanding team that set new standards for modern 
animation and created some of the best music videos of the last decade.

Some great Shynola videos here...

Monday 13 October 2008

BANKSY - More NYC Takeover



CHANGE IS GOOD - But There Will Be Risk!



This is a slide I've been dropping in some presentations to clients recently, and who can argue with Charles Darwin?
There will be risk, but that is a good thing! Nothing great comes easy!
If you are a client who sits on the money, remember that you probably won't be rewarded or pat on the back for just
doing your job, but you will be for taking the risk and pulling it off! As this should result in more awareness, PR etc.
If you take the risk, fail and lose your job - don't worry as there are many companies out there who will reward you 
for forward thinking.

NOTE: Be careful about using this quote, there is a time and place for everything ;-)

ONLINE VIDEO - Today & Next?


I was meant to post this some time ago! Some very very creative (mostly) English people talk and reflect on everyones
favourite channel, YouTube and video etc. What I find interesting here is that it's great that these (mostly more traditional) 
creatives are now onboard with 2.0 and online etc, but it's been a real struggle to get them there! Now they get it and are 
starting to understand the power, freedom, and most importantly the people!

What they do know for sure is that it's not just about technology or the latest trend channel, but more importantly it's
about creativity/idea and finding that right channel. Now the clients just need to be more open-minded and take the risks ;-)

Sunday 12 October 2008

BANKSY - Does It Again!

Just opened in the West Village, New York Bansky's animatronics installation "The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill"
Moving away from his stencil and street art approach, this new work is receiving rave reviews for it's commentary on our
relationship with animals. This is amazing idea which has been well carried out!

From the artist: "I wanted to make art that questioned our relationship with animals and the ethics and sustainability of factory
farming, but it ended up as chicken nuggets singing."







Thursday 9 October 2008

ADIDAS FESTIVAL TIME - Nice Music Here...



If you like the sound of this line-up, vote for it ;-)

Wednesday 8 October 2008

INDEPENDENT GRIP - Intelligently Applied




Following on from yesterday's post! Maybe not as engaging or as impactful as the TVC...
but still far better than most car ads! See 2 posts down for more on the concept!

Tuesday 7 October 2008

GRACE JONES - By Chris Cunningham



The Dazed & Confused November art special is on sale October 9, 2008, headed up by 
a stunning 12-page visual collaboration between Grace Jones and Chris Cunningham, 
with the avant-garde film director digitally morphing the iconic performer to reveal the Devil Inside. 

HUMANISTIC APPROACH



I love it when brands who are associated with more technical or mechanical products suddenly
bring it back to the simple things and a humanistic approach. A nice visual pull and audio working
together here, creating an engaging emotional spot ;-)

ADAM KIMMEL - Presents: Claremont HD


How to promote a Adam Kimmel suit in an extreme way! Fun & nuts!

Thursday 2 October 2008

FABIEN BARON - In The NY Times



Nice little read here about one of my creative hero's, titled... Fabien Baron: The Art Director Star.
He even has a holiday house in Sweden, I wonder what it looks like? I can't imagine him living in
one of the standard red painted traditional setups.

Wednesday 1 October 2008

MIA NILSSON - Sthlm Street Art



As the rest of the capital cities in the world get bigger and better commissioned street-art, Sthlm gets it's first real piece!

To celebrate the re-launch of the Levis 501, Levis spent two years working to get the permission to give one creative
the chance to show their work on a wall in Stockholm. The artist was found with the help of a Vice Magazine search
which requested their readers to create an artwork based on the Levi's® 501® jeans campaign theme "Live Unbuttoned". 

The winner was Mia Nilsson. Her illustration can be seen at Grevturegatan 8 on a 5 X 11 meter wall for the next couple of months. 
Mia Nilsson's contribution as well as the ten other best contributions can be seen in a special art fanzine packaged with the latest 
issue of Vice and at www.viceland.com/liveunbuttoned

Catch up Sweden, these type of projects attract tourism and give a good impression to the youth-culture in other parts of the world!

BANKSY - Quote



This may or may not be true but I do think many students are put off by the lack of money or struggle that 
beckons in the Art world. Most creatives I know working in the Ad world are frustrated by the lack of creative 
freedom, or selling / buy this stance they have found themselves in, thus crave for no logos and to create art.
These days you find a lot of creatives within the Advertising/Design world creating self initiated projects without
the usual brand guidelines and weak concepts. The best Advertising comes from Art usually anyway ;-)

Blog Archive