SAVE TANGO - Brave Approach

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s Tango changed advertising forever with their quirky TV ads. In the current

climate where less and less people are drinking carbonated soft drinks, opting for smoothies, water and more healthier

beverages... how should a brand answer the problem? Well most brands have either brought out a health drink with fresh fruit,

or changed their positioning with new logos and approach. Tango on the other hand know of their huge fan base in the

UK, how they touched people with the ads that became cult classics, so they have gone for an obvious but brave response, 

all in Tango stylee. If you have heritage, use it! Check out the campaign... 

See more classics on YouTube, here is a couple of of the more later gems...

DECO - Friday 19th / Premier... TIM SWEENEY + 24:hours

Locomotives Group return to form with their premier new night, DECO. On the night 24:hours Sound-System will

be joined by Tim Sweeney (DFA / Beats In Space) NYC. + there is Michael Mayer, head honcho @ Kompakt Records (DE)...

so all types of beats and electronic is catered for ;-) Holidays start Friday. Miss it miss out...

SOLO ALBUM - Karin Dreijer Andersson

Karin Dreijer Andersson of cult Swedish electronic group The Knife is set to release a solo album in March 09.

Recording under the name Fever Ray, the first track was released digitally on Monday, titled 'If I Had A Heart'

Looking forward to hearing this, will it be as good as The Knife? Probably not, but that's not the point is it.

There is also bound to be plenty of good remixes on the single releases as well, Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid

have co-produced half the record, but I'm looking forward to see who else will add their skills to the project.

Full story...

MAKE SPENDING FUN

In these dark times brands need to focus on concepts like fun and happiness, or relate spending to fun times in

someway. It will remind people of the good times :-) building a stronger connection with the consumer...

You know an ad is impactful and has touched people somehow when it has a spoof...

BARNEY BUBBLES - The Life And Work Of...

Just in time for xmas comes this book about the very underground, or under-hyped graphic artist Barney Bubbles,

who sadly committed suicide back in 1983. A much admired designer by most of the UKs current industry legends

and design heros. I became aware of his name 3 or 4 years back and was intrigued I hadn't heard of him... which

fuelled me to find out more. He mainly worked within the music industry, and in the late 70s started to work entirely

anonymously, or under many layers of pseudonyms. Which probably explains why little is known about him. 

I must put this on the xmas list for Santa, or pick it up from Magma...

VBS - Scandinavia

Since launching the magazine, all those years ago now, Vice have always been ahead of the game in one form

or another. Creating visual styles or tone of voice and introducing trends to a generation. When VBS was first

launched some years back, there wasn't much around like it, maybe Heavy.com... which has really gone in some

other direction now. A couple of weeks back I was invited to a cosy little breakfast seminar focusing on their plans

for a Scandinavian version, which seems a good idea with fresh concepts to focus on.

What is great about VBS is the content, raw documentaries about unknown scenes or news and current affair topics

which delve deeper or give a more honest reporting style, appealing more to the youth of today. The only thing that

is missing is an RSS feed but there is a newsletter, looking forward to the new content. Check it...

WHOPPER VIRGINS - Leave Them Alone I Say

Skateboard legend, turned documentary maker - Stacy Peralta makes this piece for Burger King. Oh dear :-(

After making such amazing documentaries such as Dogtown and Z-Boys, Riding Giants and his latest... 

Made in America, I find it hard to understand him using his skills like this, cha-ching I guess. But then again it

is a bit interesting watching people eat a burger for the first time. It reminds me of an odd situation I had in China,

where a youth in his early 20s asked if he could watch me eat with a knife and fork, as he said he had never seen

it done before. Really weird to have someone watching you eat that closely I can tell you.

INNOVATIVE BRANDS - Will Save The Day

The economic circumstances of the Great Depression in the 1930s were bleak, but they produced a number of 

surprising innovations, among them Disney’s now-ubiquitous rodent - Mickey Mouse. Now is the time for clients 

to absorb and act on the new fun ideas being created by agencies, bringing people together in happy experiences 

is the answer as consumers are desperate to be uplifted, diverted and released from their anxiety for the future.

Jonathan Sands identifies three ‘home truths’ that will see consultancies through the recession:
1 - cash management is vital, and can make up for lack of profits while minimising redundancies.
2 - loyalty and empathy for existing clients will be more appreciated now than ever, as companies struggle across the board.

3 - innovation will be more important in gaining market share than throwing large amounts of money at problems.

Full story here...

(I met Mickey Mouse in 1984, didn't like him much, bit square and boring. You just wanna kick him and run off ;-)

24:HRS - 3rd Anniversary - Kim Ann Foxman

This weekend 24:hours celebrate their 3rd anniversary in Stockholm.

On Saturday with special guest via Hawaii/NYC - Kim Ann Foxman of Hercules & Love Affair.

And on Friday we have the kick-off with our special guest from the UK - Mo Morris (A Mountain Of One)

Lovely ;-)

PETER SAVILLE - Arkitip

Arkitip go from strength to strength with their guest collaborations, this time with design legend Peter Saville...

HONDA - Pushing Fun Ideas

Honda have been leading the brands about ideas way of communication for sometime now. I like the fact that

they're continuing to push the ideas in honest ways, their last few ads have been more like a behind the scenes, or

created in a making of execution and style. It's this honesty and emphasis on experimenting with fun ideas, attaching

themselves to concepts which make them stand out. In this one they are also creating something fun for the public 

to enjoy and experience. More content on the YouTube page, Honda Musical Road...

HEINZ - Talk To The Plant

More brands about ideas, this time for Heinz ketchup...

A really nice simple idea and execution here. But the voices could be better, these feel a bit OS9.