digital popcorn

an augmented future

Posted in advertising, mobile, technology by alastaircotterill on February 7, 2010

I’m sold on the importance of mobile marketing and i’m convinced that geo-based utility is where at. I don’t necessarily think that foursquare is the answer, but i am loving the acrossair browser and some of its branded augmented reality tools – like Stella Artois’s Le Bar Guide.

It was no surprise that I felt like having a beer after using the Stella Bar Guide – but what did surprised me was that I choose to have a Stella, when I wouldn’t normally. It might just be that I’m susceptible but the fact the brand was on my radar was very tangible.

I’m sure that providing tools/services that are really useful like this drives real affinity with brands and I’m sure that mobile is the ideal way to deliver this.

At the moment brands playing in this space are few and far between, but the potential flip side of too many brands getting it wrong and branding every surface (real and virtual) without any utility or benefit to anyone is played out in Keiichi Matsuda’s nightmare vision of an augmented (hyper)reality:

As featured in CR.

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pieces of a man

Posted in inspiration, music by alastaircotterill on January 28, 2010

gil scott-heron is coming to town

i’m v excited about this – an opportunity to see living legend Gil Scott-Heron at the Royal Festival Hall in April

tickets go on sale tomorrow morning – hope to get mine and to see you there

A recent interview on BBC is worth checking out here

A exclusive preview of his new album is currently on the guardian

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scale your caring

Posted in advertising, internet, social media by alastaircotterill on January 19, 2010

more great stuff from gary vaynerchuk – this time on brands (and celebs) keeping up with changing consumer expectations:

hit me up gary

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keeping things in perspective

Posted in advertising, internet, media, social media by alastaircotterill on January 9, 2010

these ads make me smile every time:

and recently got switched on to this pure genius:

not necessarily that new but I keep coming back to them as ways to keep some perspective on a lot of what we’re talking to clients about.

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some more data visualisation

Posted in design, inspiration, thoughts by alastaircotterill on December 22, 2009

we were lucky enough to have the fantastic David McCandless come in to the agency yesterday to talk about the wonders of data visualisation (what this space). if you haven’t already – check out informationisbeautiful

I’m not sure if the following meets David’s rules for what makes a great data vis but it’s a quite nice interactive data visualisation of 5 years of data visualisation:

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interview with nicolas roope from poke

Posted in advertising, inspiration, internet, social media, technology by alastaircotterill on December 15, 2009

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giant steps

Posted in art, inspiration, music by alastaircotterill on November 17, 2009

lifted straight from my new favourite tumblr - jazz channel, coltrane’s giant steps in time with the written music. the genius doesn’t come though just the notes on the page but seeing them in time with his playing is humbling and inspiring:

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warhol polaroids of 70’s sporting champions

Posted in art, inspiration by alastaircotterill on November 12, 2009

currently showing at danziger in NY

a young jack nicklaus looks uncannily like an old chris tarrent

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lego copie d’arte

Posted in art, inspiration by alastaircotterill on November 12, 2009

art recreated through lego by italian artist marco pece - more copie d’arte here
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eşref armağan painting volvo s60

Posted in advertising, social media by alastaircotterill on November 12, 2009

eşref armağan, a remarkable blind artist paints the all-new volvo S60, giving us a vision of a car which is due to launch next year and no one has seen yet.

see more of eşref on facebook

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