Penguin, "We print the words you do the covers" some of the results

I have been checking back onto this website since I first posted about this initiative. Here are a few of my favorite covers from the 'online gallery'. I think most if not all rival what is currently on the shelves at the moment. They are all very different in style and some of those that have been done for the same title could not be more dissimilar. This shows how people can react differently to the same novel, I love this idea and the results that it has created.

Lloyds TSB Advert

I like this advert and concept. Its something that doesn't necessarily relate to the bank until you see the end. I like this technique, in a similar way to the Alfa advert someone commented on in their blog last week, it allows you to be pulled into the visuals and music. By the time you get to the end you are actually quite curious about what it is promoting. The animator Marc Craste has created a really stylized scene and characters. It flows well and doesn't over complicate things. Its an interesting direction for a bank to go in but one I think that is quite successful.

Targeted TV Adverts

I saw this advert for the first time last night on TV. Aside from the fact that its a good example of Chanel successfully creating a glossy luxurious advert that will not look out of place either now or at christmas, I also noticed something else. There were two guys and three females in the room at the time, both the lads after commenting on how good looking she was weren't that interested. All of the females however were more captivated by the advert and the product they were selling. I actually asked the people I was sitting with after what they thought of it, both guys said it was boring and not remotely appealing, where as the rest of us were really attracted to it. I know this in itself is not conclusive, but it was interesting to see how we all reacted to an advert none of us had seen before, when we weren't deliberately trying to form an opinion (as you do in a focus group for example). I think this is a case where they know so clearly who their target audience is they are able to design an advert that appeals directly to them. Whilst its something we all try to do, seeing this made me realize how much impact it can have if done successfully. I guess its a good example of the fact you don't have to be worried about alienating some people, in order to reach your desired customers.

FunkyLittleDarlings.co.uk

I first heard about this design service in the Sunday Times Style magazine. It was founded by Mandy Colliss and David Quinton (former toy and Graphic Designers). The company evolved after the couple discovered the surprising lack of uncheesy wallpapers available for kids. “The idea is that parents send ideas and photos of their children and we create a bespoke picture”. This is often personalized even further when they add characters or imaged based on the child into the design for them to discover.

I think it’s a fantastic idea, I remember when I was younger wanting something bright and dramatic on my walls and my mum begging me to change my mind into something that I would like for longer that a week. Whilst these dramatic designs don’t totally eliminate this possibility, the fact that they are designed specifically to suit both the child and the adults commissioning it does reduce this chance. Its like having a large (but more permanent) picture painted for your wall, it is something that will always remain unique to you.