''Total Sale'' during Belgrade riots

A video of two young women looting during the latest rioting in Belgrade has fast become a hit on YouTube. The women, running amok, go on a free ''shopping spree'' grabbing handbags and Adidas shoes and clothing from the swankiest stores...sometimes in their teeth - all the while filmed by an amateur cameraman. I post this video to highlight what I find to be an intriguing aspect of human behaviour when social order breaks down - people remain brand hungry. Definite potential for a dissertation. hmmm.

(source: Reuters)

An entire apartment in a box

Inside this box, is an armoire, a desk, a height-adjustable stool, two extra stools, a six-shelf bookcase, and a bed with a mattress! Click here to see more pictures and a video of how this award winning design by Marcel Krings & Sebastian Mühlhäuser works.

(credit: Treehugger.com)

No red roses for Saudi

A few days ahead of Valentine's Day, the Saudi authorities have banned red roses and any other scarlet coloured items from being sold at florists and gift shops across the country. I always thought the whole rose thing was a bit overdone anyway. This could possibly encourage couples to seek out more creative ways of expressing their undying lurve for one another.

Alternatively, you could just buy a dozen white roses and spray-paint them red. ''A'' for effort?

(credit: Reuters)

The Decapitator is back - modding newspapers

Adidas' Marathon Boost - how cool is this?!

"The 2007 adidas Auckland Marathon had 11,000 runners determined to reach their impossible. With the finish line 42 kilometres away, they needed more motivation. At the 17 km mark, they got 50 knots of it from a custom built, hurricane fan created by TBWA Whybin Auckland. Exhausted runners opted in to the adiBOOST lane and were pushed from behind by a massive blast of air. Giving them a much-needed second wind to power them through to the finish line."

(credit: TBWA\Whybin Auckland)

IKEA, take me home with you

Over the weekend, I probably wasn't the biggest fan - considering it took me 4 hours to put together some bed slats I bought. But someone just sent me the link to IKEA's new website on dream kitchens, which is just absolutely incredibly crafted. It really is worth taking a look to see how they brought everything to life - and I'm so not a kitchen person, but my jaw dropped. I thware.

"The Decapitator"

A street-artist going by 'The Decapitator' is having a field day in London. As his pseudonym suggests, his signature mark involves a guillotine and some gory humour applied to a variety of posters around town - cartoon characters are not spared.

(credit: The Decapitator)

Packing tape art

I can make a seriously jumbled-up mess with sticky brown packing tape. This artist from Kiev, Ukraine uses that same tape to create some really nice pieces of art. It's only a matter of time before 3M or Scotch make an ad out of this...

Dentists win Lacoste crocodile logo battle

"Two dentists have won a second legal battle with French fashion giant Lacoste over the right to use a toothy crocodile on the sign outside their surgery, the government trademark body said on Thursday.

Dentists Dr Simon Moore and Dr Tim Rumney said they chose a crocodile for their logo because the reptile is famous for having a mouth full of teeth.

But Lacoste argued that the dentists' sign was too similar to their own emblem, a green crocodile that adorns millions of polo shirts around the world."

(source: Reuters)

Audi R8 Commercial - BBH

A stunningly beautiful commercial by BBH London for the launch of Audi's R8. A big part of the brief was to make the process of building the car as beautiful as the car itself - something I think these guys have achieved. The soundtrack by Simone White ('the beep beep song') is just goose-bumpy. And I don't think I've read a better end-line in a long time either.

BBH London Recruitment ad

Farting chipmunks and Lynx chicks - I think that explains why most of us are in this business. This latest recruitment ad from BBH London is just great (if you can get the kid's accent!).

Googling yourself? You're not alone

"About half of the online adult population has looked up themselves or someone else online, according to a survey released Sunday. A good 36 percent said they have searched the Web for someone with whom they've lost touch, and 9 percent have dug up information on someone they were dating. At the same time, 60 percent said they are not worried about how much information about them is on the Internet."

(source: San Francisco Chronicle)

Crack Cocaine from Hershey's?

Packaging gone wrong? You be the judge.

"Ice Breakers Pacs, which hit the stores this month, are dissolvable pouches in blue or orange that look uncannily like tiny heat-sealed bags of cocaine, crack, heroin or any other powdered drug.

The Pacs, filled with powdered mint and sweetener, are meant to dissolve on the tongue like breath strips.

They're even packaged in a plastic slide-top case similar to the magnetic key cases drug dealers use to hide their wares under cars."

(source: Philly.com)

Falcon Beer - seriously thick

(credit: Saatchi & Saatchi, Stockholm)

Falcon Beer - seriously cold

Ahh. I love the tongue-in-cheek humour and the single-mindedness of this ad. I got shivers. brrrr.

(credit: Saatchi & Saatchi, Stockholm)

Dirty Laundry + Water = Wet Dirty Laundry

At first I thought it was an intriguing visual. I still do actually. But unless I'm missing something in terms of the washing machine's technology, the claim seems a bit off; a washing machine doesn't clean any kind of dirt - a detergent does! hmmm. A toothbrush needs toothpaste, a dishwasher needs tablets, a washing machine needs detergent otherwise it's just water on dirt. And I need a drink...badly.

(credit: Ogilvy Mumbai)

Emma...who exactly are you?

and so it begins...the hype and the questions: who is Emma and what's this all about?

Apparently I missed out on a lot of other activities building up to the posters. This website has appeared all of a sudden and it's got some more on ''Emma" plus a calendar of what's happened so far. Some teaser campaign seems most likely, but for who? and what? I'm used to getting disappointed when it all ends. Here's hoping the foreplay is worth it all in the end.

http://www.emmajetaime.com/

Emma, he loves you

Someone named "Paul" plastered these all over the Bastille metro stop in Paris. Art direction's not so bad - you got a bleeding heart and a nice stencil of "Emma''. The copy is simple enough and has a call to action. Media placement's also good, as I'm assuming Emma must live nearby or frequents this area quite often. I'm hoping Paul keeps us updated on whether his little stunt (if it's authentic) gets Emma to come back. In the meantime, good luck and may I suggest a direct mailer?

(Translation: Emma, I love you. Come back!)

Doggy bag?

A designer bag from Moschino - any takers? I'm personally waiting for the Husky model to come out.

(Moschino store at St Germain des Pres)

Another Sony Bravia commercial

Not too crazy about the music or the execution - could've definitely been better. And in any case, isn't this idea getting a little worn out by now??

(credit: Y&R Egypt)