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 25 February 2009

RANDOM DESIGN - To Keep You On Your Toes

In reference to the Planning Lab brief, a interesting, fun, little game...
which causes you to design the best you can with limited material. Something every designer
has been effected by at some point in their career. These are my quick efforts below, I think
I got lucky with the images a bit, but give it a try when you have 5 minutes. And don't cheat ;-)



How to enter...

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random... Read more” or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations" or
click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or
click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

T-MOBILE - Life's For Sharing... continued


With the success of the T-Mobile guerilla TV spot at the start of the year (see previous post here) T-Mobile have
continued with an onslaught of spots featuring celebrities doing that dance. Most being a bit cheesy for my taste but
I guess they appeal to certain different audiences within the commercial markets. This one above on the other hand
appeals to a totally different generation and scene ;-) Will it work to appeal to so many though? Yes probably!

Tuesday 24 February 2009

LOVE MAGAZINE - The New Pop?



The long awaited, much hyped style/fashion magazine LOVE was released the end of last week, published by Condé Nast.
With Katie Grand at the helm, formally editor-in-chief at Pop, she has promised a 'back to reality' approach with a ban
on size zero models amongst other things, hence the launch cover. I haven't seen a copy yet but really looking forward 
to seeing if Love can live up to the outstanding disruptive Art Direction set by Pop.

But on release the magazine has gained a lot of negative and controversial press from within the design industry and
the high street due to the vast amount of adverts and advertising and it's unoriginal front cover. The cover is almost a
direct copy of an NME cover from 2 years ago, same model but with different colours and typography. Check it here...

Personally I don't really care if it is a copy, this is much better, taking the concept and turning it into a more artistic
approach. And what better way to create hype and press on a launch of a magazine than with a little controversy ;-)


Above is the Colette shop window, created for the launch. Lovely!

SPIN - Update



One of my fav design agencies have updated with some new graphic design and identity work. Spin...

COPYRIGHT - Shepard Fairey




Regarded as a sellout within the street art scene for many years now, Shepard Fairey has been in legal hot water recently...
with trips to court. But then again who can blame the owners of the image not to want some cred, Shepard has created one 
of the most important iconic graphic images ever. Ironically the photographer is happy with what he created from his image.
There is plenty of news online regarding the case.

NIKE - Air Jordan 2009


I haven't posted any sites like this for a while. Really like the simple execution of this new site for the Air Jordan 2009.
But shouldn't there be some share tools for the videos, these sportsmen must have huge fan bases? The sharing can
then create awareness and draw traffic back to the site. Am I missing something?

Sunday 22 February 2009

RECESSION MARKETING - Approach


True words here from Alex Maclean of Airside. This clip is from April 2008 and although this approach has been
talked about in many ways, convincing clients may still be an uphill struggle. By focusing on innovation and new 
channels this may cost more budget but the exposure and effect within consumers minds should gain results if done
in the correct ways. I'm currently working with and researching relationship brands, where innovation is one key to this.


Tuesday 17 February 2009

AIRSIDE - Transparent


Transparency and Honesty are some key words for brands these days and something I've been trying to plug to
clients for a while now. Although nothing new conceptually it is in no way mainstream yet, or something to discard
because it is not the latest buzz thing. So many brands still need to adopt this practice as it is to become an
important model for the next 20 years. Once there a brand should take these practices in a new ways and channels,
but they need to adopt these ways of thinking first.

A blog with the right type of content is one way for a brand to do this, which most brands are opting for at the moment. 
Funny really how a year or so ago the same brands wouldn't have understood and laughed it up, why should we give
are secrets away to rival brands? Why does the consumer need to know these things, they just want the finished
product! Well these things feed back into the brand and shine a good light with honest insight. Some brands had
heard of a blog and wanted one because it was the new thing. Well done for adopting the new, but little thought had
gone into why, what or even if it was/is the right channel for their product/service/brand. More importantly who was
going to produce the posts and content? Little Jimmy can do it when he's not busy! Yeah right!


Today many brands with blogs have hired people to work directly with social/networking/viral etc.
It's a move in the right direction ;-) Good! I have been compiling a list of the best ones which I'll post soon.

Now onto the point of this post. Many creatives, strategists, planners, economists etc are all onboard with these
forms of communication and see the importance in these new ways to reach the audience for their clients.
But how many creative agencies are really practicing what they preach? Some are but not many! 


But AIRSIDE are! Rather than just posting things they like creatively, like many creative agencies, they are posting
the development process of their projects, how they got to the final solution. What directions did they take and
discard? Well you can can see it for yourself within their blog. It gives nice transparency and a form of honesty
In a way they are the brand and their clients (or more importantly, their future clients) are their audience or consumer.
This style of posting is seen more within student blogs and experimental / conceptual art blogs / websites. 

What I like about this AIRSIDE approach, is that it shows great insight into their process, to their future clients... 
they get to know how they work and what they will get for their money, thus bringing them closer to the agency :-)
Because as we all know, it's not just creativity and ideas that make brands want to work with an agency...
it's just as much about the people they will be working with, are they are nice, stupid, open, fake, true, real, fair, knowing,
understanding, blagues, cooperative etc etc... and do they practice what they preach :-) 

Airside have always created fun communication, which is what people need these days, brands should utilize them
for this style and dark times strategy, it comes so naturally to them ;-)

SUPREME - Dover Street Market


There has been talk of a Supreme shop in London for some time... but this is the next best alternative!
Due to open in March sometime. More info via... Freshness...

Monday 16 February 2009

YOKO ONO - Following On Twitter



I woke on Sunday morning to see that Yoko Ono is now following my Twitter and had left me a lovely message.
Yoko is an amazing conceptual artist whose work I got to see a couple of years ago at an exhibition in Stockholm,
she can even be credited as helping form the genre in the 60s, progressing from Dadaism and Fluxus.

It wouldn't surprise me either if the Obama team hadn't looked into her and John's WAR IS OVER campaign or
the IMAGINE PEACE work. The simplicity of message, hope, change and the continuation is a great case study.

ADIDAS - Lookbook Women



Having worked on adidas worldwide projects for over 3 years I got to know them as a brand quite well. Now and again
I'll look deeper into what they are up to and I think what Sid Lee has been creating for them over the last year has
been great and in the right direction, both online and off. Although this lookbook for women is nothing new online, it is
well made, well art directed, styled and most importantly has a fun feeling to it. Keep up the good work ;-)

DESIGNING MINDS - Stefan Sagmeister


We often hear about disruptive within the world of advertising but less when talking in the realms of graphic design.
This movie above gives good insight into the early years starting his career, where his approach is the appeal...
and not necessary just the work itself. Thinking differently and doing the opposite ;-)

I remember becoming aware of him through his famous works as a design student some 10+ years ago. I wasn't
too taken at first as I found the aesthetics sightly clumsy, opting for a more Swiss style in favor. I guess around
6+ years ago I was flicking through his book and it hit me that he was creating disruptive graphic design. I've been

Sunday 15 February 2009

KAWS - 00s Warhol?


I guess this was inevitable, KAWS goes mainstream in this report for CBS. I hope he doesn't just rest on his laurels,
but somehow I hope he now raises his game and changes direction, or surprises me artistically ;-) Big-up Kaws!

Friday 13 February 2009

AP - Raise The Heat


Remember it's Valentines Day tomorrow ;-) and Agent Provocateur raise the heat in this new spot. For maximum impact
this feels a little more targeted to the lad mag readers. I hope all their campaigns don't start to take this direction...
or do it? Also check out their new blog, full of insight and influence, lovely!

Thursday 5 February 2009

24:HRS - Double Whammy Weekend



FRIDAY...
This is modern Disco @ TRANAN, 6 - 1AM.
This week we're be joined by our good friends: Henrik & Stefan from SLOW BLOW.
This should be a proper knees up, or more of a chilled social event depending on your mood ;-)


SATURDAY...
24:hrs & 2.35:1 presents: RORY PHILLIPS (DURRR/UK) @ BERNS, 11 - 4AM.
As a resident of the legendary London club TRASH (together with Erol Alkan) Rory helped form a genre and
scene which is still being felt and spread today all over the world. Don't forget your dancing shoes if u like...
“awkward dance, forgotten post-punk classics and electronic oddities.”
GUESTLIST: lista@twentyfourhours.se (only if you're coming obviously)



Wednesday 4 February 2009

KIM JONES - Dunhill FW 09/10


I thought it was great when I first heard that Kim Jones would take over Dunhill. The great heritage brand needed a
a good kick to bring it back to life and out of yesteryears. OLD post here...
What I didn't guess or realize was that his own label and collaboration line for Umbro would then disappear, which
is what has happened (correct me if I'm wrong). What was great about these two labels was the fact that they fused
casual with street and casual with sport, which many brands try to do but fail to do with such a natural instinct.
Well I guess if I start rocking the Dunhill it will keep the parents happy, it being one of their fav brands ;-)


SNOW TAGGING - Quick Hit Branding Blitz




Innovation for me is not just about creating the latest technology, it's about creating something new, maybe an idea 
or utilizing a concept quickly, or with a lack of money or in unique situations etc. Like this idea by Curb for the sports
channel and lifestyle brand Extreme. Taking advantage of the current odd weather to hit the UK, they've been quick to 
blitz London, that is key here. Although not a new idea on the slopes, taking it and hitting an urban environment like
London, which doesn't get snow is a bit clever. Snow is directly connected to the brand, so the idea becomes tight.

Coming out of a tube station and walking your usual route to and from work, but seeing these logos in different
places will have an emotional effect, which should create a bond if you live the extreme way and deffiently create word
of mouth for those not in the know. And best of all, all the advertising space is for free ;-)

Tuesday 3 February 2009

NICE IDEA - Simplicity + Message = Winner



Nice, simple idea, which backs up their payoff perfectly. I hope this is just for now, they could really develop this 
into something great ;-) Check out the full experience here...

Blog Archive