Brand Width

February 2012 desktop wallpaper calendar

George Pytlik — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:00:22 +0000

Maybe it’s the need to have something — anything — on our minds besides the icy cold, but as a rule we don’t seem to mind the focus on romance during the month of February. Here’s something to help keep the heat on. Large 1920x1280 size suitable for even the largest screens, with a 1024x768 option for the iPad.

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iPad version

Ad of the Week for January 30, 2012

George Pytlik — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:37:39 +0000

Before you get too excited, let me clarify that the bottom part of this ad truly sucks. But the top 2/3 is awesome and well worth studying. I really don’t know why there’s no art direction below the creative, but it is what it is. The idea of showing all those sleep positions with the creative names is brilliant. Who can resist looking at them to see which ones they can relate to? And the names are great fun! If you’re wondering why the times seem to go backwards, this ad hails from Israel where people are used to reading from right to left. I imagine the original ad was in Hebrew.

About the Ad of the Week

Millions of new ads are crafted around the world every day. A handful are worthy of attention. Of those, a small selection are the source of inspiration and insight for others. George looks for ads with special qualities. These might stand out because of a great concept, art direction, photography, or some other element setting them apart from the others. A new one is posted every week.

Ad of the Week for January 23, 2012

George Pytlik — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:41:51 +0000

I’m generally not a fan of ads for North American cars because they are invariably dull. But this one, from France for the Chevrolet Volt electric car, is fresh and effective.

About the Ad of the Week

Wikipedia blackout an exercise in clear communications

George Pytlik — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:26:46 +0000

Gotta love the clear, elegant way that Wikipedia handled its 24-hour blackout designed to bring attention to the ominous Internet legislation being considered in the US and soon to be adopted by other countries including Canada.

Under this Draconian and unprecedented law, any web site can be shut down by the simple mechanism of someone making an unverified complaint of copyright infringement. If a company decides to shut down its competitors, it can merely complain that they are using copyrighted material and their websites will be taken down. No due process. No proof necessary. We all agree that copyright infringement is a problem, but this so-called solution is so outrageous you wonder how thinking people ever allowed it to get this far. Maybe I’ve answered my own question. Politicians aren’t known for thinking.

In protest, Wikipedia enacted a worldwide blackout to help people see how much we rely on free exchange of information. And you have to hand it to them for the elegant way they have handled their protest. Just a visually appealing home page with a short and clear explanation. Nothing overly dramatic or shouting. “Imagine a world without free knowledge.” So simple. Kudos to the Wikipedia communications team for how they handled this. At the time of this post, the blackout is still making its way around the world’s time zones, but has ended in Europe.

Here’s hoping the people who make decisions on laws like this are paying attention.

Ad of the Week for January 16, 2012

George Pytlik — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:09:36 +0000

Powerful approach from Diadermine, a German anti-aging skin cream line. Great way to promote the brand without making any outrageous claims. It may take a moment to notice what’s really going on in this ad, but I think that’s fine and it makes the brand that much more memorable.

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Ad of the Week for January 9, 2012

George Pytlik — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:39:35 +0000

Australia might be the only place advertisers can still get away with ads like this. This series from Carlton Beer down under sends the message that they think you should spend more time at the pub with the boys. Does so in a way that doesn’t seem contrived, making it fresh, memorable and nicely tied to the brand.

About the Ad of the Week

Ad of the Week for January 4, 2012

George Pytlik — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:17:30 +0000

Corre Cutia is a bookstore in Brazil with a history of great advertising. This excellent example captures the magic of a compelling book. I love how the company is bold enough to keep the branding placed quietly in the corner where you must go looking for it. Who wouldn’t want to know which brand put together an ad like this? A powerful little touch that makes the message even more memorable.

About the Ad of the Week

January 2012 desktop wallpaper calendar

George Pytlik — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:16:44 +0000

Whether you do the “New Years Resolutions” thing or not, you have to agree that January is a great time to look at your life and make a few changes. We all need course corrections. Those changes, even the smallest ones, are felt in ways we may not notice. But they are felt. Your life is the result of your actions, not your circumstances. January’s wallpaper is a reminder that everything we do affects not only our lives, but also those around us. Large 1920x1280 size suitable for even the largest screens, with a 1024x768 option for the iPad.

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iPad version

Ad of the Week for December 28, 2011

George Pytlik — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:40:08 +0000

Nice, clear presentation from McDonald’s in Finland to promote their large coffee. I’ve featured an earlier “large coffee” ad from this brand before, and this one is just as fresh and even more visually powerful. Grabs your eye, makes you grin and gets the message across, all in a second or two.

About the Ad of the Week

Ad of the Week for December 22, 2011

George Pytlik — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:46:13 +0000

In this nice twist from the usual tree-scented air freshener for your car, Hyundai offers a car-scented air freshener you can hang on your tree. Fresh. Direct mail piece.