Apple iPod Explodes 9/20

To begin, this just screams me. I LOVE music, always have, always will. Not to mention I have a very diverse taste in music. I like everything. I remember when the iPod first came out, somewhere around 8th grade or the beginning of freshman year. It really is amazing how things have progressed; the fact that you can buy a small electronic device for a reasonable price and download an enormous amount of songs giving you hours and hours of music anywhere you want. Anyhow, back to the advertisement. I love the appeal of this billboard, at first glance and after taking everything in for a few minutes. Like I've mentioned, I love music, so it had me at hello, but it is exploding with diversity and color. It is chaotic, but beautiful to me. I also love how the design is huge at the top and then all of the albums shrink into the tiny nano. It reminds me of the genie in Aladdin coming out of the little lamp. Basicslly that's what the iPod is: the endless magic of your desired music in a teeny little living space.

Music Video by Sour

I recently saw the music video to "Hibi no Neiro" by Sour. This video is astounding. It takes a completely different approach with its art direction. I'm sure it took a lot of time and work to choreograph all of the different movements and people involved in the project. The idea isn't one hundred percent original, but the style is extremely creative. The video is inspirational.

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=175105006320&h=UDyLL&u=7PuDM&ref=mf

Gladiator's? Hmm... 9/14

SO, within the last few months I've noticed the popularity of these "trendy" sandals grow. It is a mystery to me, however. I just can't conceive wearing such a silly looking pair of sandals. They not only look semi-masculine, but they aren't complementing to females. All I can think when I look at them is 'Who decided this was cute?' Maybe if you're dressing up for a party or for Halloween they wouldn't be so bad, in fact they are a pretty accurate depiction of real gladiators. The one's shown above are overkill, but the shorter one's aren't as bad. I mean they still have a slight masculine look, but at least it doesn't crawl up your leg.
When I reflect on the girls I have seen wearing them, none at IUPUI come to mind. That doesn't mean they aren't wearing them, but they sure aren't that common. Most of the girls I've seen in them are younger, most likely high-schoolers. Aside from looks, they even seem like they would be difficult to put on with all of the straps to undo and redo. Now, sandals that have ribbon that wrap around your leg are a much more sensible and attractive approach for those who want their sandals to extend upward.

New Pabst Billboards 9/17

The new billboards for Pabst are very abstract and strange. They are vividly detailed, but I don't feel the "creatures" fit the product identity of this lower-cost beer. The artwork is interesting, don't get me wrong, I just feel another depiction would serve this beer better. I think a more effective advertisement might feature average people in average settings and situations, or less abstract art. Here (to the right) is the original logo. Its appeal seems the direct opposite of the new artwork in the ads. Below is a newer ad with the same artistic style as the first billboard, but it isn't so obscure. I can agree with this one, I just can't seem to understand the company's approach with the odd creature features.

Friend's Artwork Gallery 9/9

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=31149985&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=39002834129&aid=-1&id=1164480750&oid=39002834129

This is the url to the Facebook group my friend Steven Holliday created. It features his artwork, but it isn't just any artwork. He designs apparel most commonly decorated with famous faces. His work is so inspiring to me. Most of his pieces are so accurate and detailed. His accuracy is really one of the main reasons I find his work so intriguing. I also feel his medium is perfect for the age group his work is focused towards.

Soda "POP" 9/7/09

Lately I've seen the new advertisements and billboards for Pepsi. One in particular that caught my attention right away was the ad reading "SODA POP" where the "o's" are replaced with the newer Pepsi logo. For me, this billboard was effective; I felt like it did really "pop." I started to think to myself why it did so, and when I began analyzing it I realized the background was bright pink. My initial opinion was that shade of pink, the blue, red, and the whites don't go together or seem like typical colors to pair, but they were completely effective at presenting the message and getting the intended reaction, at least for me. I think the pink is the main component that gives this message its energy (to make it "pop"), but maybe that's because I'm a female. I'd like to get a guy's opinion to see if gender has anything to do with the reaction. (Or maybe any bright color in the background would be sufficient at sending the message.) I also think the logo in place of the "o's" helps set the message out. In general though, I like that Pepsi inserts their logo for the letter "o" in newer advertisements such as "XOXO" "HOPE" and "Optimism" to name a few. It changes their whole appeal to the public.