I picked up a set of Pulsation giveaway cards the other night at the Mark Dean Veca exhibition hosted by Creative Time at the Nike 255 energy center in NYC. You can check ‘em out in this little flash player along with a few pictures that I snapped myself. Judging from the underwhelming amount of bids listed on the bid sheets, I’m expecting that the overall auction was a bust. I was tempted to under bid on a few items and then flip them on Ebay, but I decided against it. Anyway, the event was attended by your usual industry p.r. heads with a sprinkling of Nike marketing cats. The space was laid out nicely and the products were actually worth a glance. The overall craftsmanship on the products was stellar.
Archive for December, 2004
[from mediapost]
by Shankar Gupta
The latest virus going around the office isn’t the flu–it’s Chrismahanukwanzakah.
The Internet spot, a cartoon jingle from Virgin Mobile USA that dismisses the theological concerns of the holiday season, proclaims: “Whose faith is the right one/that’s anybody’s guess/what matters most is camera phones for $20 dollars less.” Virgin Mobile’s product is no-contract cell phones, and the ad tries to draw a connection between not having to commit to a single faith during the holiday season and not having to commit to a single cell phone plan.
The ad is the latest hit in viral ad campaigns, and has been receiving extensive press in major news outlets like the Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Sun-Times, and the Boston Herald. The Web-based part of the campaign is accompanied by TV spots that aired on MTV and affiliated networks, like Comedy Central and SpikeTV, and in-store displays featuring the omni-denominational cast of the ad: A many-armed, sitar-playing Hindu Santa Claus, a dreidel-toting, afro-sporting, gold- toothed, black angel, and a reindeer whose antlers support a Hanukah menorah.
The intent of the Web-based part of the campaign was to harness the buzz that advertisers so covet. Fallon, the company that created the ad for Virgin Mobile, had the intent all along to utilize viral advertising to spread the word about the ad and help brand the Virgin Mobile no-contract phones, in the newly founded tradition of Burger King’s SubservientChicken.com.
Japan Nike Dunk
Dec 22
I found this image on 5th dimension with an accompanying link to a Japanese site that features an assortment of crazy color combinations for the Nike Dunk and AF1s.
The New SwiMP3 underwater waterproof MP3 player is an incredible audio experience. Imagine listening to hours of your own music during your swim workout. The SwiMP3’s innovative sound transfer technology offers exceptional underwater sound quality. Standard players reply on the transmission of sound through air or water causing the swimmer to perceive only muffled noise. the SwiMP3 uses bone conduction – the direct transfer of sound vibrations from the cheek bone to the inner ear – to provided the swimmer with exceptional sound clarity. The SwiMP3 is fully waterproof and can be used with all competitive swim strokes.
Just Letters
Dec 22
Just Letters is a free browser based Flash game. Here is what BBC’s Clickonline said about it:
We’ve all seen those fridge magnets that allow you to spell out words from a group of individual letters right? Well FlashcomGuru have made this work for the web. Just open the page and start moving the letters about to create whatever words you want. There is a catch though – you will be doing this with up to 74 other players all working from the same board – hence the title ‘Someone keeps stealing my letters’.
It gets hectic with everyone going for the same key letters as they build a word from scratch. I found a better strategy was to hijack someone else’s nearly completed word and change a few letters around to create a different one. I hope you have as much fun with that as I did, but do please bear in mind that the content is uncensored, so viewing alongside your little ones is probably advisable.
Come Clean
Dec 22
Check out the Come Clean site.
[read the NYTimes.com article]
Entertaining Web Sites Promote Products Subtly
MARKETERS usually try to slip their names into every conceivable venue – like cellphone screens, bathroom posters and TV shows via product placement. But there are times when an ad that almost disguises its sponsor can be more effective. Many of these ads have taken the form of specialty Web sites, like www.subservientchicken.com, which is intended to entrance visitors with humor, video or games.
Subservient Chicken, perhaps the year’s most prominent example, allows visitors to type orders to someone dressed in a chicken costume, who is seen obeying, as if on a live Webcam. The site, a promotion for the TenderCrisp chicken sandwich sold at Burger King, says little about Burger King or the sandwich, although there is a discreet link to the Burger King site.
Other marketers have moved into specialty Web sites, including Alaska Airlines, which operates a parody site at www.skyhighairlines.com, and Best Buy, the retail chain, which is creating specialty sites tied to particular campaigns, products and audiences. At one site, Best Buy depicts a fictional Slothmore Institute (www.slothmore.com), which brags of “enabling greatness through sedentary living.”
A note from the institute’s fictional founder, Dr. Harvey Funkel, explains. “Here at Slothmore we believe that everyone deserves to achieve one’s dreams and aspirations,” he says, “especially if one’s dream is to never achieve a thing.” The idea is that stay-at-home sloths may as well surround themselves with a stereo system, which, incidentally, visitors can check out by clicking on a Best Buy banner ad at the bottom.
Marvel Comics goes mobile
Dec 22
[from joystiq]
Wow. Two mobile gaming stories in 24 hours. Marvel Comics and mobile game developer Mforma have signed a deal that allows the company to create all kinds of superhero content for cell phones. This means games, ringtones, wallpapers, the works. The deal includes Activision as acting publisher, as well. They seem to have their finger in every pie, don’t they? The partnership will allow Mforma to develop games to be released in tandem with other media releases, such as films and video releases.
Nokia Lifeblog 1.5 released
Dec 21
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Nokia Lifeblog is a PC and mobile phone software combination that effortlessly keeps a multimedia diary of the items you collect with your mobile phone. Lifeblog automatically organizes your photos, videos, text messages, and multimedia messages into a clear chronology you can easily browse, search, edit, and save. Nokia Lifeblog does the work of organizing the items you create and receive, and you can also add notes throughout the day, or tag and update your favorites so they’re always on your phone.Check out the site. |
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Verizon Wireless has finally added the UTSarcom XV6600 (formerly Audiovox) Windows Mobile Pocket PC to their EVDO 3G network offerings. The XV6600 is based on the Intel XScale processor and comes packed with 64MB ROM, 128MB RAM and an SDIO expansion slot for extra memory and peripherals.
Mobile.Seed. The first one?
Dec 16
[from we-make-money-not-art]
Last week or so, the story that researchers at the University of Warwick, in association with PVAXX and Motorola, had devised a new way to recycle discarded mobile telephones – bury them and watch them transform into the flower of your choice – was all over the blogosphere.
It reminded me of something. Couldn’t place it though. Then it came back to me (with a little help), I had heard of a similar project nearly one year ago!
Belmer Negrillo had investigated the consumption of electronic objects (ex.: a bread-lamp – Paneluce and DolceRadio, a radio with an edible shell and buttons made of chocolate) and, in particular, a project-scenario where a mobile phone could be planted as an alternative discard method and become a flower (Mobile.Seed).
KOOP – Videos
Dec 16
This site has been up for ages, but I still love listening to this Swedish jazz crew and watching thier beautiful videos. This crew has been breaking boundaries for a few years now with their deep respect for jazz traditions while also infusing an adventurous dance music spirit.
Flickr and Cool Sites
Dec 16
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My friend, Carlos Gomez de Llarena, came across this Flickr gallery of images taken from some cool, well designed sites. Check out the Flickr gallery.
For those who don’t know about Flickr, you should definitely check it out. Flickr’s an online photo management and sharing application. Users can show off their favorite photos and Blog the photos directly from their cameraphones.
[from gamasutra]
Further tightening its stronghold on all things related to video game football, Electronic Arts made the surprise announcement today that it has acquired the exclusive rights to the NFL teams, stadiums, and players for use in its video games. Through deals with both the NFL and Players Inc., EA will control the license for the next five years.
In addition to these cosmetic aspects, EA also has exclusive rights for online console features in its football games, as well as access to NFL Films and the NFL Network for the company’s titles, which includes the Madden, NFL Street, and Fantasy Football franchises. However, EA is not limited to the above franchises in the use of the NFL licenses; the deal also allows EA to develop new football titles using the assets if it chooses. The one facet the deal seems not to cover is web-based or mobile games, such as titles for cell phones.
With Take-Two’s recent announcement that the company was considering raising the price of its ESPN Football line again, after some successful cut-price competition with the Madden series earlier this year, it looks like EA’s sales slip of 2004 is something the company is determined to never let happen again.
In fact, now this presumably massive financial deal now in place, further Visual Concepts-developed, Take-Two/Sega published football titles will not be allowed to use any ‘name’ players or teams, likely rendering them a much less potent competing force, despite a competitive graphics and gameplay engine. Should Sony or Microsoft decide to resume their own sports line after this year’s hiatus, they may also have an uphill fight on their hands.
[from sonarkollektiv]
After the critical acclaim of the series of leftfield compilations ‘Formation 60′, ‘Polish Jazz’ and ‘Forum West’, the boys at Sonar Kollektiv felt it was time to explore the delicious and diverse mix of sounds found under the folk umbrella.
Jazzanova and Resoul (otherwise known as Rene from Jazzanova’s favourite record shop Soultrade -> www.soultrade.de), have put their heads together and spent many an hour dancing around Rene’s shop and digging deep into their record collections to come up with this lovely album. They’ve taken a view on Folk at its present forms and somehow managed to pare their selection of favourites down to a list of just 15 heavenly tracks. Each one is a perfect illustration of a different nuance within the genre. Highlights include Nicola Kramer’s sexy, southern states sounding “Help Me”, 4 Hero’s re-working of sublime all-time classic “Les Fleurs” and Jolly Music’s prefuse 73 unplugged in Catalonia remix of “Talko Uno”.
Sonar Kollektiv’s new discovery called Thief gives us glimpse on his forthcoming longplayer with the track “If There Was A Love”. Thief is produced by Stefan Leisering and Axel Reinemer, 2/6 of Jazzanova. Husky Rescue contribute an ultra modern-day folk sound with their track “New Light of Tomorrow” lifted from their just released ‘County Falls ‘ album (on Catskills), in contrast to the classic Crosby Stills and Nash influenced “Gone” by The Beta Band which contrasts in turn with the epic, cinematic tone of Marden Hill’s domineering tune, named, aptly enough “Bardot”. Household names nestle comfortably beside more obscure treasures as if that’s the way it’s always been.
Secret Love is yet another example of Sonar Kollektiv’s diverse output, Jazzanova strive to keep us all guessing what will be next. Highlights of 2004 include Âme’s release of their debut album Âme (SK044CD), Jazzanova’s release of their first mix CD Mixing… (SK033CD) and Umod’s critically acclaimed album Enter the Umod (SK030CD/LP) along with an impressive cannon of other debut albums and a stunning collection of dance floor 12″s. If you feel you may have missed out, check www.sonarkollektiv.de for the complete catalogue.
This article takes a close look at the world leading Japanese mobile data market which is all about migrating users to 3G (thrid generation of mobile communication technology) and offering new cutting-edge services driven by more powerful 3G networks and devices. A special focus is on the mobile music market which generates 50% of mobile content premium revenues. Learning from Japan makes sense as there are basically no differences between end user cultures in Japan and other countries, but there still are many differences between management cultures.
Mobile Kaizen management is good for Japanese consumers
Next to South Korea which enjoys the highest fixed and mobile broadband penetration – counting relative DSL connections and 3G-enabled mobile phones – Japan continues to be the leading mobile data market in the world. Having analysed the Japanese mobile market since 2000 I do believe that Japan is still far ahead when it comes to managing the mobile economy and maximizing value for consumers. I like to call the Japanese management approach “Mobile Kaizen†– the art of continuously improving the mobile economy which the Japanese mobile companies master so well.
In Japan, there are 3 mobile network operators that all launched their first mobile Internet services back in 1999 and, since then, have heavily competed among each other for the mobile communications budget of Japanese consumers and businesses. The Japanese market is driven by consumer demand and managed in a carrier-centric way. The carriers control the market and specify all the functionality of the mobile handsets that are built to their orders mainly by Japanese handset makers (only now Vodafone tries to sell devices made by Nokia and Motorola in Japan).
[from lmcc.net site]
From 1997 to 2001, over 140 artists set up studios in temporarily vacant space provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the upper reaches of the World Trade Center’s Tower 1. In an atmosphere of conceptual risk-taking, they produced a broad range of work, from panoramic cityscapes and discrete sculptural objects to physically integrated site-specific projects and new media performance. The residency was initiated to serve emerging and mid-career artists and encouraged conceptual and aesthetic experimentation. In this program retrospective, Site Matters documents an exceptional and atypical breadth of projects by some of today’s significant young artists, including Stephen Vitiello, Paul Pfeiffer, Naomi Ben-Shahar, Monika Bravo, Gelatin, Patty Chang, John Pilson, Nadine Robinson, Sanford Biggers, Lucky DeBellevue, Emily Jacir, Jennie C. Jones, Kristin Lucas, Jennifer & Kevin McCoy, and Olu Oguibe. Punctuating art documentation are residents’ snapshots of daily life at the World Trade Center, offering a more intimate portrait of the Twin Towers post-9/11. The residency program is currently located in the historic Equitable Building at 120 Broadway on the 8th floor, in space generously donated by Silverstein Properties. Edited by Moukhtar Kocache and Erin Shirreff.
Product Details:
Flexi-bound, 8.5 x 10.5 in. / 320 pgs / 300 color.
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: LMCC (November 15, 2004)
ISBN: 0972697314
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255 Elizabeth Street (between Houston & Prince Street), NYC
Benefit Reception
Monday, December 20, 2004
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm cocktails & hors d’oeuvres
9:30 pm silent auction closes
by invitation only, to RSVP please contact: laurie@markdeanveca.com
In this exhibition Brooklyn based artist Mark Dean Veca combines an all-encompassing painted environment with limited edition Nike products and an edition of screenprints published by the Lower East Side Printshop. The prints and the Nike products (pictured left) were created by Veca exclusively for this show and will be available for sale and auction. All proceeds will be generously donated to Creative Time, a non-profit public arts organization. For more information on Creative Time, please visit: www.creativetime.org
ITP Winter Show 2004
Dec 13
Exhibition dates: December 19 & 20
The Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), a pioneering graduate center for the design and study of new media forms and applications in the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, has announced its winter exhibition will take place on December 19 and 20, 2004. Featured will be approximately 100 projects by student artists and innovators including multimedia installations, physical computing and interactive design, and experimental video design works.
Entitled ITP Winter Show 2004, the exhibition will be on view Sunday, December 19 from 2 to 6 p.m. and Monday, December 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Tisch School of the Arts, located at 721 Broadway (at Waverly Place), 4th floor (south elevators). The exhibition is free and open to the public. Visitors may be asked to show a photo identification to enter the building. For additional information, call 212.998.1800; or visit http://itp.nyu.edu/show.
An oversized Greenwich Village loft houses the computer labs, rotating exhibitions, and production workshops that comprise ITP. Founded in 1979 as the first graduate education program in alternative media, ITP has grown into a living community of technologists, theorists, engineers, designers, and artists uniquely dedicated to pushing the boundaries of interactivity in the real and digital worlds. A hands-on approach to experimentation, production, and risk-taking make this hi-tech fun house a creative home not only to its 230 students, but also to an extended network of the technology industry’s most daring and prolific practitioners.
China bans controversial Nike advertisement
China has banned a Nike television commercial showing U.S. basketball star LeBron James in a battle with animated cartoon kung fu masters and two dragons, saying the advertisement insults Chinese national dignity. The State Advertisement Administration for Radio, Film and Television posted a statement on its website Monday, saying the advertisement violates regulations that mandate that all advertisements in China should uphold national dignity and interest and respect national culture.
It also goes against rules that require advertisements not to contain content that insults national practices and cultures. The advertisement has received an indignant response from Chinese viewers. Nike spokesman Maurice Zhou says the company has no response except to say that it will respect the government’s decision.
The commercial, titled “Chamber of Fear,” was broadcast on local Chinese stations and on state television’s national sports channel before being pulled last month. The commercial shows James in a video game-style setting defeating the kung fu master, two women in traditional Chinese attire and a pair of dragons, considered a sacred symbol in traditional Chinese culture.
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