QR codes get pretty

The normal QR code that 'the entire world' know about...right?

Peringon

Don Perignon's sexy QR codes that point to the campaign below

QR codes. Every one in advertising has heard about them. Everyone else hasn't.

They are a coded image that when photographed by a smart phone, sends it a link to an image, URL or video.

It's a very smart barcode if you want to explain it to someone out of advertising.

It seems they are finally making their way onto posters in this country.

We saw this nice example of how they can be incorporated into a brands logo. It means they don't stick out like a black and white sore thumb on the page.

They can now work with the look of a poster and give the people who know what it is more information.

Nifty stuff hey?

The company that do them are called Set Japan.

Interactive skate ramp

A nice take on a skate ramp for the Tron premiere. I'll shut up about Tron now as we're seeing it before our next post.

MINI GETAWAY

Great digital idea time boys and girls.

This is a location based game for Mini. Digital Example's blog calls it a 'high tech version of tag.' Simply download the app and try and find the virtual Mini that is on another persons phone. If you get within 50 meters of them you'll take the virtual mini off them and be the target for everyone else.

More info here.

From Jung von Matt in Stockholm. Well done guys.

French Connection Youtique

This is really nice use of the interactive Youtube video feature. A stylist shows you outfits and you can click on the video and buy them. It's a great for a clothes brand and i can see Levi and Diesel adding this function in as standard. It just makes sense to be able to click the video and buy the clothes. In fact any product could use this, and probably should.

Also, I'm a sucker for a portmanteau. Youtique.... you clever people you.

Have a look at the channel here.

Webcam face tracking goodness for Toyota.

Head up display takeover

We recently completed a campaign for the launch of the new Toyota Prius.

The image above is the Yahoo full page takeover for the Head-up-display ad. The 'HUD', which we got used to calling it, projects on the drivers windscreen.

The ad gives you an 'in car' experience of the ‘head-up display'. We used webcam face tracking technology so you can move the graphic scene with just your head movements. You can use a mouse though if you computer isn't hooked up to a webcam.

Take a look and have a play here.

The Puma index

This is a novel idea for Puma. The male and female models take their clothes off as the stock markets go down. So when the stock markets crash the models get down to their underwear. Very clever. Very engaging. Take a look here.

It's good that it's an idea that links into a subject that is very current news. Admittedly, it does have a hint of what Uniqlo are doing but it's still a decent enough way to showcase Puma's entire range of clothing.

The Nike Chalk Bot

A nice idea from Nike for the Tour de France. You can get a message written on the road during the race. Inspire and support the competitors. 

Good stuff. 

The website is here.   

Great bit of product design

The Apple hyperwall

20,000 of Apples' most popular apps are showcased on lots of digital screens. The app icons all pulse in realtime every time one of them is bought. It creates this cool visual ripple effect. 

Apple should think about packaging this up as a screen saver. That would be cool download! 

The tech is and how it was done is all here. 

D&AD awards

Black pencils for the Millions and The Great Schlep Campaigns, both by Droga 5. Click here for their website and go to their case study section.

Black pencil for UK coin design by Matt Dent for Royal Mail.

Some deserved winners at the D&AD's last night. The standouts would have to be the agency Droga 5 who picked up two black pencils for two truly inspiring campaigns.

Millions - Giving NY kids a cellphone that gives them free credit and music downloads if they performed well in the classroom. Brilliant. This pretty much hits the nail on the head on getting kids to do better in school. More here.

The Great Schelp - Getting the elderly Jewish people in Florida to vote for President Obama by getting their grandchildren to talk to them. It a great way to educate older people about Obama's policy. Did it win the election? I'm sure it helped. More here.

Both are genuinely helpful and inspiring. The idea is only enhanced by the mediums that they decided to use.

We're inspired and a little bit jealous at the same time!

Don't re-use, re-interpret.

One of the problems we find ourselves in now and again is that we re-use the same technology for different ideas. Or we don’t look at using the technology again once we’ve found a good idea for it. Either way it’s a waste of that technology. 

We are now more conscience of trying to re-interpret how we could use tech. Twist it, mould it to create something digitally unique. Everyone is using Augmented Reality, webcams and interactive and seeded video now. So everyone, including us will have to start thinking a little bit more about how we implement our chosen format. 

This example here called B flat is the evidence to my point. 

Youtube. Everyone knows it, everyone’s used it. 

But this idea is a great way of using what is now a standard digital format in a completely fresh way.

Using music instrument instruction youtube videos this site creates a layered music track. Brilliant! 

It’s a whole new way to kick start some new thinking about how to use videos on youtube. 

No more just linear playout. 

It gives digital technology a fresh spin. 

Invention needed

Wi-Fi sneakers.

Solar power from your shades. 

We're trying to think of a good invention for the future at the moment. A simple idea that will better our lives or the world. We thought it would be easy but it's proving to be more of a mind puzzle than we first thought. 

One reason we're mentally blocked is this idea will be exhibited to clients and the press in a few weeks...that put's the pressure on. Whatever we think of will have our names and the agencies all over it. So we want it to be good.

There's a couple of good inventions above which are quite futuristic and not too unrealistic.

It's a shame that this idea has kind of been done.  

I Love Sketch Technology

Watch it! Insanely good! More info can be found here.

The Yellow Drum Machine

This whizz bang robot wanders round the place and tries to find a surface worth playing a beat on. See it in action here.

Ballpoint pen cutlery.

This just makes perfect sense, well in Big G's mind anyway! Ever tried to find clean cutlery at a busy agency? Nuff said!