Glee - Original Songs

Alright, I admit, I'm a fan of Glee, aka  'Gleeks'.  Not sure if you guys watched last week's episode titled 'Original Song'- if not, you missed a good one.  It was the first time where they performed original songs! And surprisingly the songs are pretty good! (can't stop listening to them : ) I can definitely see them as singles too!

"Get It Right" - Performed by Rachel Berry 

" Loser Like Me" - Performed by New Directions

CK One Becomes a Lifestyle Brand

Remember CK One 's unisex fragrance when it was first introduced in 1994? Well, Calvin Klein is reviving it, and is now a complete lifestyle brand. The collection includes jeans, underwear, and a new CK One Summer fragrance.

Check out their very fun, edgy, sexy and cool looking advertising campaign shot by Steven Meisel. Is it just me, or does black and white just makes things cooler? : )

Cool Pic: Front Row Footwear

Just really like this pic. I found this on this fashion photography blog I regularly visit: Jak & Jil . Go check it out, lots of great pics!

Love this shot! Looks like, new shoe's a must if you're sitting at the front row of a fashion show : )

Real-Life Version of The Animated Film 'UP'

I love the animated movie Up. After watching it, it made me wonder if it's possible: to take a whole bunch of helium balloons, tight it to my home and fly somewhere??

The people at National Geographic tried it and it worked!! So cool!! It was actually done in part of a new National Geographic Channel series called How Hard Can it Be?, which will premiere in fall 2011.

A team of scientists, engineers and world-class balloon pilots successfully launched a 16'x16' house 18' tall with 8' coloured weather balloons and set a new world record for the largest balloon cluster flight ever attempted. 300 helium balloons were used! The lightweight building reached more than 3000m and remained in the air for about an hour.

Reminder: Hallmark Greeting Card Competition! Ends March 25th!

Hello my Canadian readers! Just wanted to remind you guys about the Hallmark Greeting Card Competition. You have only about 2 weeks left! Last day to submit you entry is March 25!!
(I've blogged about this before - check out the posting here )

Be a Hallmark star!
You could win 1 out of 24 $250 cash prizes and your chance to see your card in hundreds of Hallmark stores across Canada! Very cool, eh?

It's very simple! You just need to find a funny (and appropriate) photo, along with a little writing that will work well with the image - and that's all!! You can also submit artwork/design images too, not just photos. The theme is BIRTHDAY HUMOUR. oh, btw - you can submit as many entries as you want!

For all the contest information and to submit your entries, click here.

Curious and want to meet the judges?? ( I am one of them : )
Well, they are now posted up on the Hallmark Canada Facebook page - Go check it out! And since you're there, don't forget to 'like' Hallmark Canada. What do you think about my caricature? Does it look like me?

Hurry up and get your entries in. Have fun and good luck everyone!!

Movie poster: Trainspotting turns 15 years old!

I've always have a great interest in movie posters: the creation, design, and the thought behind of what is usually called 'the one sheet'. Today, I came across this story: The Trainspotting movie poster turn 15 years old this month. The very popular, often copied, Helvetica-used poster was created by Mark Blamire and Rob O'Connor. I'm a fan of it too!

Check out their interview here, where they talk about working on the project and how the whole design of the Trainspotting movie poster campaign came about. Very interesting!!

Starbucks New Identity!

To celebrate Starbucks' 40th anniversary, the company celebrated with a new logo - a 'starbucks' less Starbucks logo. I've blogged about this before, you can read here. And now, the day is here! Check out their new cups, cup holders (which btw, I love the 2 tone green) and shopping bags in pics below. As part of the anniversary, they also introduced some new products: a coffee blend, called Tribute, and a range of sweet snacks called Petites.

Cake Pops (love these, very cool looking!)
Rocky Road Cake ( I tried, very yummy), Birthday Cake, & Tiramisu Cake

Starbucks Petites - too pretty to eat : )

They also created this fun animation ad. I love it - very cool and fun! Loved the different fonts they used. So, what do you think of Starbucks' new identity?? Happy 40th Starbucks!!

Diet Pepsi: New Skinny Can

I am not really a big soft drink drinker myself, but that doesn't mean that I won't blog about it. Diet Pepsi will be releasing a "taller, new Skinny Can'. The new can will be more than 6" in height.

There will be a big marketing program around it too. Ads will not only promote the can by also convey the idea of "getting the skinny" or the inside scoop on the latest in culture, fashion, style and design. The new skinny can was actually debuted a couple weeks ago at New York's Fall Fashion week where they were an official sponsor. The can was presented as a fashion item and handed out to the trendsetting crew that frequents the runway shows. Which I think was such a smart idea. What a perfect event to introduce this product?!

The new diet pepsi skinny can will hit stores this month. What do you think of it?

Joe Fresh - Spring 2011 Looks

It's March already?! Which means Spring is just around the corner ( I hope). Joe Fresh just released their Spring 2011 lookbook! (which btw, I always look forward to) Some very nice stuff for the whole family.

The looks are fun and playful. Lots of stripes and sequins. Nice pastel colours and Khakis!
( loving the whole khaki colour looks) What do you guys think? What's your favourite look?

Here are some pages from the Spring 2011 lookbook. To see the rest, click here.

I really like the whole mix of patterns. ie. stripes with plaid and pattern. It works!

I like the khaki look and choice of the colourful font used.

American Idol Top 13!

Not sure if you guys are following, but Idol is one of the many realities shows I enjoy watching. It's actually their 10th season this year. New thing this time around - 2 new judges: Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez ( she's so pretty! : ) joins Randy.  I don't mind them so far , Steven's fun to watch plus some great chemistry between him and Jenn.

The top 13 was just announced last night. I think the American people did pretty well. Definitely the most diverse group than past seasons, interms of their music style. Lot's of young/talented ones too.

My favourites that I will be rooting for are: Thia, Lauren and Stefano. What about you guys?

One thing I want to point out, not sure if you guys have noticed -  is the microphone the contestants uses.
There's a red logo on it. ( see it? at the end of the microphone, in the pic? ) I think it's 'Beats by Dr.Dre' logo! I thought he only did headphones? ( btw, I want one of those - ibeats ones) But anyways, I just thought it was such a smart/great use of logo placement.

Look's like it's going to be a great and interesting season. For more info on Idol, click here.

H&M TV Commercials

I just love these H&M TV commercials. They're only 15-20 seconds - so simple, cool and so fun to watch! I like how they split the screen into 3 sections, using 3 slightly different camera angles - a kinda cool affect.  I think, actually, a smart technique since they are selling clothes, what better way then to show it off in different angles?!

FYI- the music used in the commercial is the song "Mannish Boy" by Muddy Waters, covered here by singer Erykah Badu.

Here are some from 2010. For more recent ones, go check them out here: H&M 2011 TV commercials.


( I have that cardigan! : )

A Solar-Powered Print Ad!

What a cool print ad! A print ad that promotes green energy by being solar-powered itself. In the magazine, you see a black and white sketch. But when you hold it up to the sunlight, it changes into full colour! And then text appears to complete the thought. It was created by BBR Saatchi & Saatchi in Tel Aviv for Israeli energy company Shikun & Binui Solaria. I have a feeling this work may end up winning some kind of advertising awards.

Here's the magazine Print ad, and below is a video demonstration.