Mini Adventures

I love the idea for this iphone application for the iPhone. It is called Openness and encourages users to be open about new activities and explore new things. It is bases in the UK and is for those users that want to do new things, especially in the current friendly weather.

The mechanism is pretty straightforward. Select your location, decide how much open-minded you are and then shake to be surprised by MINI. You might end up with a recommendation for a Body Detox Clinic or if you luckier you could receive directions to a Mexican wrestling match with fetish cabaret. Whatever the hint, rest assured the experience will be definitely off-beat.

This is the kind of thing I say I’d always want to be able to have, but I always live in the wrong city. Now, I live in the right city , but don’t have the right phone.

Come on! It should be for everyone. Or just Blackberrys (I’m selfish. so what)

via AdverBlog

Random Things

Here are a couple of links I’ve seen today and wanted to share. They’re not all worth their own post, but they’re worth a click.

• 14 ways to fake a good night’s sleep by allure
• The Queen’s expenses have risen because there aren’t enough planes in the Royal Airforce for the Royal Family’s Needs.
• What’s next? Shaving her head? I hope this isn’t a cycle.
• The transformation of the King of Pop
• He shouldn’t be allowed near those costumes. Coco is rolling over in her grave.
• Robert Pattison is  grateful.
• Funny airport security story
• A quote on the Honduran coup shown to me by an Honduran:

“Zelaya has provoked this institutional crisis. He seems to have a very strong appetite for power. He’s trying to be the victim, but he won’t get a lot of sympathy by defying the country’s institutions.” – Michael Shifter, a Latin America analyst at Washington’s Inter-American Dialogue

Enjoy the Links

Better Late than Never

Americans tend to be innovative (or in some cases claim they are), but this is far from new.  Allure’s Daily Beauty Reporter  mentioned delivery  beauty treatments  as if they were a completely unique and ingenious concept. Coming from the Dominican Republic, I beg to differ. You can have anything done at home: blowouts, manicures, pedicures and massages. Though Allure mentions this as a perfect service for elderly women that can’t get themselves to a beautiful salon, in Santo Domingo it’s used by women of all ages.  In most cases it’s not more expensive than visiting your local beauty parlor and much more comfortable. 

visit the allure link HERE.

I’m a fan of this, and I know a lot of my friends are too. (Just ask my friend Moli)

Hopefully, the US will catch on to this pretty soon, but knowing US beauty prices it’s bound to be quite expensive.

via Allure

Nigaz

It’s easy to fail in international branding. Markets have different slangs, customs and cultures and it’s hard to take them into account along with the norms for the global market. A failure that’s boundto make the media rounds this week is “Nigaz” – Russian gas giant Gazprom’s new joint venture with Nigerian firm NNPC- which, though a simple joining of the words Nigeria and Gazprom will be causing a lot of controversy. For English speakers it has a different meaning that Gazprom will definitely not be able to overcome. Twitters were definitely on it like wildfire (seems to be they’re the olace to go for everything lately). Here are some of the recent tweets regarding this.

RichardYoung: You know those brand consultants we all hate so much? Sometimes worth the money: http://bit.ly/HAKVF (hat tip: http://bit.ly/lFgocb )

MikeyTRRP: Erm, the firm is gonna be called WHAT?! http://bit.ly/HAKVF

RichHL: The Russians like Nigaz with attitude. http://bit.ly/HAKVF

CheEdgarissimus: It’s impossible, but true! Nigeria + Gazprom = Nigaz. http://tinyurl.com/l2lhkl

kollner: Gazprom signed $2.5bn deal with Nigeria’s state forming join venture to be named NIGAZ. Seriously, nigaaaaz http://bit.ly/QHQtn

renepower: http://tinyurl.com/l9n5uu Doh, more ‘Whats in a Name’ fun – Gazpro’s Nigaz Nigerian joint venture

For up to date tweets: https://twitter.com/search?q=%20http%3A//bit.ly/HAKVF#search?q=nigaz

I think a little bit of international research would’ve gone a long way. I’ll assume the rebranding they need to do will cost more time and money than that research would’ve.

via BrandRepublic

Bad Dog.

This shoe spread for French Marie Claire is adorable. It’s a completely different take on the usual long legs and stilettos. Dogs add to the cute factor, but I can’t believe they let them chew on such stylish (and expensive) footwear. When my mom was arguing her points on why I shouldn’t get a puppy she should’ve just shown me these. I wouldn’t have been able to argue back

Here is the spread shot by Peter Lippman

I guess they should’ve fed them nutribalance

via JulietteMerck

Too Much!

‘Mourning Objects’ by Anna Schwamborn is a line of concept jewelry that is made up of your deceased loved one’s hair or ashes.Besides pure hair being used, cremated human ashes are mixed with black bone china, the world´s highest class porcelain. In her own words:

Mourning Objects

Wearable body pieces including human material

The collection of objects contains post-mortem memorial pieces which include aspects of a deceased corpse, namely hair and cremated ashes.

She has worked for Alexander McQueen and Vivianne Westwood, but had definitely gone crazier than both.

I find these to be not only ugly, but also very creepy. They have an erie quality to them and I don’t think anybody I know would like to be immortilized into odd-looking jewelry. This macabre jewelry line is very depressing. Jewelry should make you smile (or drool a little.)

I don’t think even Morticia Adams would be caught dead in these.

via Dezeen

Free Hugs

The The Anonymous Hugging Wall  is an installation by Keetra Dean Dixon that can be found in London. Sadly, the webpage doesn’t say where I can find it or how long it’s up for. 

I’m sure you can’t help but smile when you walk by.

via NotCot

Smell-O-Vision

We’ve all seen this idea before, mostly in futuristic films that show how the world would be in the year 2235, but it’s kind of creepy seeing it come to life. The SmellIt is a new device that plays smells along with your dvd player. Here is how it works (as described on their webpage):

SMELLIT works just like your printer, but instead of ink cartridges, it works with smell cartridges. As your DVD player reads the video and sound information from your favourite DVD disc, SMELLIT processes the same DVD, but the ”smell CARD” decodes all the smell information from 10 to 20 seconds* ahead of the actual scene so the odours have time to reach the spectators. After decoding the smell information, the cartridge vaporizes a very small amount off concentrated “smell gel”, and the central fan distributes equally the smell in all directions. It can be loaded with 118 cartridges, each one with a different concentrated “smell gel”. All the cartridges can be easily changed and last 3 times more than a regular ink cartridge.

Imagine the surprises that could come when surfing channels. This could give a whole new meaning to Giada DiLorenti’s show. It sounds good in theory, but I’d definitely have to limit my Food Network activity if I don’t want to gain 5,000 pounds. 

As a person I think it’s a clever idea, but a bit weird. If it catches on I’ll be one of the late adopters.

As a future advertiser I think it’s an incredible idea and opens a whole new world of possibilities. Who wouldn’t order pizza at 11pm when you smell it whole lazily sitting on your couch? I wonder who’s going to be the first to take advantage of it. I’m looking forward to the Glade ads. 

via Addictive DJ Designs

Unemployed Fashion

This idea gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘Recessionista.’  For those unemployed with a sense of humor comes these pins and t-shirt by the fellow unemployed Irina Blok who definitely found the bright side to her situation. She created these pins and a Resume Tshirt, my personal favorite for those of you desperate to get your next paycheck.

Check all of them out HERE.

I also found her mini portfolio to be quite impressive, and her adorable swine flu masks.

She definitely knows how to laugh at herself and the world around her.

Burton’s Wonderland

I’m not a huge Tim Burton fan or a huge Alice in Wonderland fan, but I do believe they’re bound to be a great match. I have to admit I did love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The set and characters  he created were unique and interesting and the costumes  were amazing. He managed to make a classic story a trippy and graphically impressing one. His work with Alice is bound to be impressive.

These are the new official promo release pictures. These photos prove that Burton’s new film will be a whole new trip down the rabbit hole.

 

and if you’re not a Burton fan. Who doesn’t love Johnny Depp?

via USAToday