Adidas Lab by Kate Dawkins
Video via partizanstudio
The Adidas Lab is an interactive showcase of the brand's future products and the latest technology for football-related products. The showcase had two interactive pieces at the event which were 'The Track' and 'The Smart Ball Wall.' The Track collected the participant's data based on their performance when they took a few physical tests and displayed the collected data on a leader-board. Whereas The Smart Ball Wall allowed participants to try the new Adidas Smart Ball where it'll relay information based on the power, spin and accuracy by the way participants kick the ball through a designated app on their smartphone.
These innovative pieces certainly offer new possibilities for athletes to see data of their performance in a more detailed and accurate way, which allows them to learn more about themselves and create a more practical training plan to improve their weaknesses while also fortifying their strengths. Overall, the rapid development of technology is very interesting to watch as it allows new and innovative products that can help in further enhancing our performances to be created such as the ones above.
Images via Kate Dawkins Studio
Before I Die by Candy Chang
Before I Die is a public art project that first started on an abandoned house wall located near Candy Chang's house. It wasn't her first public art project, but it was the one that really sparked a conversation by how raw and honest people can be when given a space to express themselves. This piece invites people to write down their dreams and aspirations, regardless of how small and insignificant it can be. It allows people to remind themselves about things that mattered to them while also allowing people to understand those around them.
Due to the success of this artwork, it has now been expanded in over 400 cities and 60 countries around the world which offers communities around the world a chance to express themselves. Overall, public artwork such as this one is a chance where we can feel how others feel and in a way, it also reminds us what its like to be human again if we just take some time to appreciate the things around us and remember that those small things do matter.
Images via Candy Chang
Decoded Jay Z byDroga5
Decode Jay-Z is an interactive advertisement that advertised Jay Z upcoming's biography Decoded with the help of Microsoft's search engine, Bing. The concept was simple, find a way to trial bing's new searching map technology while increasing user's engagement and simultaneously advertise Jay-Z's biography. With this, excerpt and pages from Jay-Z's biography are hidden across 15 cities across the world that held prominence and are referenced in the biography.
The fans and public are then encouraged to go on a scavenger hunt to collect all 320 pages and the main method to do so is by using Bing's maps. Further initiative for joining the hunt was the possibility of winning a page signed by Jay-Z or tickets to a Jay-Z/Coldplay New Year’s Eve concert in Las Vegas when players texted a code when they unlock a page. This is considered as a highly successful advertisement as not only does it create hype and public interest towards the rapper's upcoming biography which made it spend 19 weeks on the best-seller list, it also increased the users engagement for Bing by 11.7%.
With this, one of the momentous pop-culture moment is born. The prominence of social media for advertising is noticeable as hype was built thanks to the public's interest and big celebrities talking about it on their respective social media pages. Bottom line, using the readily available technologies on hand effectively can help in boosting one's product popularity and increase user's engagement towards it.
Image via droga5
In Loving Memory of Work by Craig Oldham
There are plenty of important historical moments that aren't talked about or are slowly losing its prominence. The Miner's Strike that happened in the UK during 1984-1985 was no exception. In Loving Memory of Work is a book that thoroughly documented the said event that unfolded. By utilizing eye-catching visuals along with bold in-your-face typography, this book tells the story of the strike from the miner's point of view and the feelings of fighting to demand an explanation for the sudden closure which will result in workers losing their jobs and their means of survival.
This book invites you to learn the truth from the stories written and learn the methods of protests and how the miners sent their message with the usage of visuals. I personally find the design to be really intriguing as it is able to communicate the message behind the book effectively even from seeing a few excerpts of it. Overall, this visual documentation showcases how graphic design can be utilised in a number of ways and being a tool to showcase the truth is one of it.
Images via inlovingmemoryofwork
It's Not Happening Here, But It's Happening Now by Amnesty International
This social commentary work showcases over 200 photographs taken with the theme of humanity in mind. It covers issues ranging from child-soldiers, political instability, refugee migration, torture and many more. The pictures are displayed over numerous advertisement spaces that's placed in seemingly normal public spaces. It raises the issue as to how these issues are subconsciously normalized due to our desensitization towards it.
But when these raw photographs are placed in public spaces where the background mirrors the current space, it is very much out of place and makes us- the public- realise how dire it is and how there are people that are suffering from these issues while we go on about our daily lives. These ads make us feel uncomfortable, and it is meant to do so as a way to show how much daily turmoil these people go through. Through this advertisement, Amnesty International managed to increase awareness for those issues and sparked a conversation within the media on ways to help those in need.
Images via goodvertising
Pig 05049 by Christien Meindertsma
Pig 05049 is a visual book that follows the life-cycle of a pig to see how each and every part of a pig is being utilised once it meets its end. The incorporation of a replica of the pig's ear-tag in the book spine helps cement the notion of the pigs merely being seen as a product from the moment they're born till they expire. The book presents each product by the pig's part from its skin, meat, up to its blood and bones. Some interesting products that contain pig part include soap, heart valve, concrete and electric socket.
In total, there are about 185 products that use pig parts. This came quite as a surprise to the author as the numbers are higher than she initially expected. So this begs the question, why aren't these resourceful animals being treated as well as it should be. And why do we, as the consumer, don't have that much knowledge as to what goes inside most of our products?
Images via designboom
This Girl Can by FCB Inferno
This Girl Can is an advertisement that tackles the issue of the fear of judgement that plagues a high number of women when it comes to exercising. Exercise anxiety is something that very much exists as women tend to feel more self-conscious about how they look when they are doing something physically intensive. This is because women are always told that their looks are what matters the most and there's always the unspoken rule of how women are expected to always look their best, no matter how physically tiring the activity is. In this ad, it tackles that issue by showcasing women in their raw and uncurated self.
It shows that women shouldn't be afraid to look dishevelled or be ashamed of having their body parts "jiggle" when exercising. Instead, we should celebrate our differences and most importantly, enjoy the activity that we're doing rather than constantly loom over judgements about our looks. Personally, I can say that exercise anxiety is very much real as I am embarrassed by how tired and dishevelled I look like when I exercise. The relatability of this ad genuinely resonates with a huge number of women and I think that by spreading a positive message that tackles the issue of personal looks is very much needed, especially in a world today.
Images via FCB Inferno
Umeda Hospital by Kenya Hara
Image via Daici Ano @archdaily.com
Other than medicines, hospitals are always associated with cleanliness. The white sterile atmosphere that covers a majority of hospitals and the stinging smell of disinfectants that hit your nose contributes to this feeling of cleanliness. But sometimes, these helpful senses doesn't quite show that a hospital is fully clean. So to showcase the commitment that hospitals are clean and cleanliness is the utmost priority, Umeda Hospital decided to go above and beyond by implementing cloth signs.
These white coloured cloth signs cover the original signage as a way to protect it from being soiled and dirty while simultaneously showcase the cleanliness of the hospital. The sign being white coloured helps show any possible stains on so the staff has to ensure its clean by always changing it when it is soiled. With this, patients are able to have peace of mind knowing that the hospital cleanliness is actually being taken care of and the ability to have something that physically measures the overall cleanliness of the hospital proves the dedication and reflects the value of the hospital as a whole.
In addition, the design also works with the whole concept of the hospital being a mother and children centred hospital. This offers a feeling of warmth and care for the patients which are an aspect that's important for such hospital.
Image via Hara Design Institute
Whitney Graphic Identity by Experimental Jetset
A brands identity is important as it reflects the overall value and service provided by said brand. So for a museum that constantly updates its showcases, a sense of modernity and up with the times is needed to reflect the ever-changing nature of it. The Whitney Museum Graphic Identity is a project to give the museum an updated identity that reflects their nature. With the usage of the W logo, it allows multiple possibilities and ways to showcase an artist's name, work, and exhibition all the while making sure the museum's identity is always reflected while accompanying that information.
This design is quite unconventional but the flow of the W stroke is quite linear in a way that the flow of the information is seen as a one-way street and the readability won't easily confuse the readers. Overall, the interchangeability of the logo reflects the nature of this modern ever-changing museum and being able to incorporate the logo in promoting future showcases gives the museum a personal and unique branding.
Images via Experimental Jetset
Weare by Moving Brands
Weare is a fashion label where the user's have a hand in creating their product designs. In their first-ever launch, they showcased a black and white scarf with mini pixelated designs covering it. The pixelated designs are customisable and created by the users. This gives a sense of personality and actually encourage brand and consumer connection by having them have a hand in producing future products. While the concept of including your customers in the production line to encourage active customer feedback and interaction, I can't find any other products by Weare as their website is unavailable for access.
Images via dezeen
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