Brave Bear Sake packaging by Creative Carbon

Creative Carbon is a creative studio specialized in branding, graphic design and CGI with clients around the world. Recently they finished a new packaging design for Japanes Sake brand "Brave Bear". Its special Junmai Daiginjo variety is the first product of its kind to incorporate a soft note of honey, providing a somewhat "wild" experience. The visual identity, packaging and communication exploit this unique feature of the product, further enhancing the experience.

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Yamaguchi prefecture is tucked away in the south-western tip of Japan’s main island Honshu. Among the sake - uninitiated, is best known for the pleasant tourist town Iwakuni. When it comes to sake, Yamaguchi prefecture is known as the home of gorgeously scented, delicate, delicious and super-premium products.

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Weird and Wonderful by Lea Brisell

Young visual artist Lea Brisell creates creepy and fun anthropomorphic images that make you feel weird

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Camper Twins 30th by Filip Custic

Multidisciplinary artist Filip Custic was commissioned by Camper to  provide the visuals for their "Twins" (shoes model) 30th anniversary edit. By playing with concepts like gravity and space it showcased a series of surreal images that brilliantly capture the dreamlike mood behind their collection

Represented by O

FILIP CUSTIC is a Spanish-Croatian multidisciplinary artist who uses objects as his means of communication. He’s creating his own “vocabulary of objects” through a movement he is developing that he has decided to call “objetismo”. In order to express himself he uses a camera to take photos and videos, but he also plays around with audios. Filip creates installations with models, clothing and different kinds of objects that inspire him, using them as sculptures to communicate an idea, concept or message. He likes to play with concepts such as no-gravity, fragmentation, patafísica, balance optic effect and technic art.

Food 2030 by SNASK

Sweden food retailer Axfood approached SNASK studio to create their new campaign "Food2030" - an initiative that urge a joint effort between consumers, business and politicians to work together to ensure sustainability.

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"We started out by creating the identity with the hashtag as the initiative logo and colors and typography. After that we used groceries from the different categories of Ecological, Swedish, Vegetarian and Frozen and created headlines to be used in the campaign as well as printed material. The end result was very appreciated and the initiative is still as important and current as ever. We still need to change our behavior   for a sustainable future."

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Photography by Mattias Lindbäck

Food styling by Ylva Bergqvist

Stronger Than Time: G-class 1979 inside "Amber" Cube

Mercedes-Benz encases its 1979’s G-class inside a gigantic “amber” (44 tons of coloured resin, 90 days in production) cube at NAIAS 2018 Detroit show. Created by Antoni agency with video production from Markenfilm-Crossing

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The 1979 model of the G-class is enclosed in 44.4 tones of synthetic resin

"The piece symbolizes the timelessness of the off-road legend and makes a conscious reference to the natural phenomenon of insects preserved in amber. With it, the german auto manufacturer wants to portray through an art piece that these characteristics have been handed down from generation to generation, making it the perfect symbol for the premier of the classic’s newest version."

The rebranding of Russia’s tourism board

It is merely the first time we see adequate attempt of applying some identification to the most unpredictable and trending country in the world - mother Russia. "A team of five designers has created a new brand identity for Russia’s tourism board, using a logo that references the country’s cultural history and geography.  Employing the aesthetics of Suprematism, an art movement coined by Russian artist Kasimir Malevich that featured abstract compositions of bold geometric shapes, the logo uses such shapes in the form of a map of Russia. An important, avant-garde era of Russian culture, not least thanks to its ties to the revolution, the design team says it used Suprematist techniques because – in its time – it “personified advanced thinking” in the country, and is still associated with Russia around the world." says It's Nice That

The idea behind main "centres" of Russia

The design team comprises Vladimir Lifanov, creative director of branding agency Suprematika; Ilya Lazuchenkov and Yegor Myznik from branding agency Plenum; Denis Schlesberg, ECD at agency Artonika; and Erken Kagarov, art director at design firm Art Lebedev Studio.

The new brand identity was selected via competition within Russia, to which anyone could apply. From 480 logos and 600 slogans, 30 were developed and ten presented for public vote before a jury selected the winner. You can see these shortlisted designs here

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http://russia-brand.com/en/

S7 Airlines: I Am You

S7 Airlines did it again. You may remember their award-winning collaboration with OK GO, and beautiful video campaigns "I want to go, where.." and "The Best Planet" but their latest "I Am You" smashed them all. Glitch, vaporwave, selfie and unlimited access to planet Earth - that what director Salomon Ligthelm put on an editing deck, mixed and twisted together with Russian agency Stereotactic

“With a decidedly eclectic visual approach, we wanted to convey two worlds, one experienced through the limited lens of other people’s digital experiences - creating a distorted and ultimately ‘unrealistic’ depiction of the world, and the other was an invitation to go and experience the world and its unique cultures and subcultures yourself - be it the Wushu Martial Art Kids of Shaolin, the Drifters of Saudi Arabia, the Bosozoku of Japan, the Shamans of Altai or the eccentric characters of a ‘Burning Man’ type arts festival.”

— Salomon Ligthelm

HP Christmas 2017 - Reinvent Giving

It was not John Lewis to win our hearts for the best Christmas ad this year but HP promoting their laptops in a magical way. The Mill worked closely with BBDO and Director Sara Dunlop of Rattling Stick to deliver HP ‘Reinvent Giving’. This heartwarming spot showcases the power of the Spectre x360 to sprinkle some holiday magic for artists (and audiences) of all ages.

M&S Christmas TV Ad 2017

"We can now reveal our Christmas advert - the tale of true Christmas spirit - with our favourite Paddington Bear", M&S, London 2017

Plume by FutureDeluxe

London-based FutureDeluxe were approached by Wacom & Iris London to create a self-initiated art film with an open brief. The result is a surreal and experimental art piece combining woman and bird to tell a beautiful visual story within an imaginary world of intricate colour and detail – Plume.

Uncovers by Pol Kurucz

Pol Kurucz’s "Uncovers" photo series is a Franco-Russo-Brazilian co-production that pokes fun at conventional magazine covers. Rather than posing to sell, the Uncovers models follow their own aesthetic and behavioural norms to tell a colourful story. Uncovers wants the fashion-savvy crowds to reflect on conventionalism and the lack of freedom in the representation of women in commercial publications. The shootings took place in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo during Pol’s transition phase from the fine art world to the more polished and glamorous universe of fashion magazines. The series was a delicate balancing act between the amazement, the deep respect and the irony that the fashion industry inspires to the photographer. This unpublished photo series will be part of Pol Kurucz’s upcoming exhibitions

Photographer and art director: Pol Kurucz (France)
Styling: Natasha Sync (Russia)
Designers / Brands: Davi Ramos, Fernando Conzedey, Sri Clothing, Wallace Barros, Vitor Zerbinato, Fetisso
Set design: Mary Cruz, Lara Ferro
Casting: Tamires Melo, Carollyna Melo
Hair and Makeup: Fernando Haddad, Will Vieira, Diego Américo
Coordination: Tamires Melo
Technical Assistance and Lighting: Gui Griebler, Lucas Stirling

Polka: Purveyor of Dots by Sky Pie

The "Polka" film was born out of a shared interest to investigate the creative process of Sky Pie team with the designers at Refinery 43. 

“Our aim was to explore the hazy origins of an idea, and the trials and tribulations that one must endure to find out what’s on the other side. We were expecting to make a process film. In a case of life imitating art, we instead ended up making a pink-fringed tale of polka dots.”

— Sky Pie

Ultimately Polka’s journey has very little to do with the pattern that vexes her, she must push past her own narrow world views and envision another world altogether. Or as the Lorax puts it, “It's not about what it is, it’s about what it can become”.

WRITER & DIRECTOR: Daniel Castro at Sky Pie Studio
GRAPHIC DESIGN : Kelsy Stromski at Refinery 43

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY : Evan Jake Cohen

ORIGINAL SCORE: Joel Pickard

SET DESIGNER: Espen Oydvin

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Boris Ebzeev
ART DEPARTMENT: Katherine Yaksich

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Behind the scenes

Bagged by Keville Joyce and Rathbone

Buenos Aires based art director and food stylist Anna Keville Joyce and fashion photographer Travis Rathbone exploring a fresh blend of food and fashion in their latest collaboration "Bagged"

Freezing Flowers by Paloma Rincon

Freezing Flowers is a Self Initiated project of Paloma Rincón exploring one of the most traditional Still Life sub genres which is Floral Photography.

Flowers have been represented all through Art History as part of paintings, mosaic or sculptures having it´s more important and independent period in the XIX c. 

“I wanted to feature this classic subject-matter using some of the particularities of it´s own language and technique and at the same time giving it a more contemporary approach, playing with ice geometries in a juxtaposition of textures and materials.”

— Paloma Rincón

Water Made Active

In its new ‘Water Made Active’ ad for G Active, Gatorade pushes the boundaries by creating a stop-motion athlete using drops of water, precision-timed strobe photography and a liquid printer. 

As if the result alone wasn’t impressive enough, the team has revealed that the commercial was made entirely in-camera. James Medcraft, the project’s director of photography explained, “We’re using the flash to freeze the water droplets at a very precise moment in space, and we’re having to do that with millimeter and microsecond accuracy.” 

The liquid printer, which took 5,000 man-hours to build, comprises more than 20,000 parts and 2,048 individual nozzles. Each nozzle turned on and off within two milliseconds. The printer would drop frame-by-frame animations, which the strobes would freeze in mid-air via flash. To create the motion sequence, the team charted data from a real athlete who ran, jumped, and kicked while wearing sensors. 

Directed by: Cole Paviour 

Director of Photography: James Medcraft

Production Company: UNIT 9

Behind the scenes

Artificial Intelligence vs YOU by Departáment

The new Audi A5 Coupé premiere became the world’s first automobile launch event employing real-time motion tracking technology. The car’s advantages were presented in an innovative show “Artificial Intelligence vs YOU’ — the result of a creative collaboration between the event’s general producer, DEPARTÁMENT New & Wow Marketing agency, SILA SVETA studio and Interactive Lab.

The creative concept “AI vs YOU” was the main theme of the event and the reference point for the script of the show where real-time motion tracking technology was used. Acting as the author and the main character of its own presentation, the car effortlessly controlled the 3D mapping scenario by driving around the projected area. Special sensors were attached to the car to detect its precise location in the 500 sq.m space and to connect it to the live synchronisation and rendering system creating impressive video content and controlling light fixtures in real time.

More than 400 guests watched the show from the stand designed to secure a specific viewing angle. At the show’s culmination point each of them was surprised by a phone call telling them a short phrase “But You Can” in the voice of Artificial Intelligence.

Team

General Producer & Creative Agency — DEPARTÁMENT NEW&WOW Marketing
Creative & Technology concept — DEPARTÁMENT x SILA SVETA x Interactive Lab
Video content and special effects — SILA SVETA
Interactive show, tracking system — Interactive Lab

Making of

Fantasaraxia by Boldtron

Art director and virtual reality artist Boldtron runs a self initiated agency FANTASARAXIA (previously) in the middle of sunny Barcelona doing a lot of collaborations with famous Spanish agencies like the latest with Serial Cut we reviewed last year. His latest commission was created for local brand Miranda for Lydia in collaboration with Somos Usted agency, revealing a fashion line as like as it imagined on sale in totally virtual world.

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Sing-Sing Studio

Sing-Sing is a collaborative animation, photography, and design studio formed by Adi Goodrich, & Sean Pecknold (previously) They use a lot of vibrant colours and positive energy in creating projects like a lyric video for Fleet Foxes, a few photography and animations works for Headspace, an optical illusion photo series for Sagmeister & Walsh, an Alphabet book and a lot more

The Heartbeats Experiment: GERMANOS

Six People - Six different situations. One oscillograph records their reactions. What makes their heart beating faster?

Directed by Jean-Paul Frenay

Client : Germanos / OTE Group
Agency : Ogilvy & Mather
Production : Central Athens Film Productions
Director : Jean-Paul Frenay

Mass Current

Melbourne-based agency Mass Current creates eye catchy solutions for events and brands. Worth to mention that their neon basketball ring for Stussy went viral last year