Great North Run

Today is the day of the Bupa Great North Run. An exciting day in itself, the run has become the most popular half marathon in all of the land, so I am told. And thousands of runners flock to the North to run over that famous bridge. This day however has a certain more excitment for me as the runners run across the bottom of my street. The days leading up to the event runners can be seen training and signs for road closures go up. It's an exciting time. The mood on the day is tangible and it is impossible not to smile as the runners jog past you. Standing in the crowd gives you such a buzz, I cannot imagine what you must feel running it (though I have considered it...then thought better of that idea).

As far as advertising, it's a dream come true for charities, who not only raise thousands of pounds via the runners but also get to splash their logos across T-Shirts and tents. It's such a positive place to be it seems the right thing to give to others. Other businesses also gain from their presence at the run, ice cream sellers being just one. A great advertising oppotunity, a great feeling and a great day out.

Product Placement

The Government are considering lifting the ban on product placement, something which in America is already very familiar with and indeed the film industry thrives on. But how will it work in Britain? Casually placed Guiness in the Vic? Perhaps we wont notice, we are inundated with subliminal messages through are tv screens already. In reality TV I am sure it wont make a difference, as I am ore likley to notice the gaint white stickers placed over products, which though despite thier name being blocked out are so obvious that it seems barley worth the effort. Product placment however can oftern be over powering and corny. Though it can give some much needed revenue to our economy is it worth distracting from the message of a film or programme? It is a worry that it will cheapen programs.




This is a clear exapmle of blaintant product placement.
Is it up to designers to ensure that products are not slapped in the face of the viewer. For some it is more a moral desision. For example Quentin Tarantino does not use any real products in his films, and instead makes up products to be placed in his films for example 'Jack Rabbit Slims' cigarettes are an invention of Tarantino. I think these made up product placements are much more interesting than simply advertising existing products, and opens up far more possibilities.

Ben Tallon

I came across Ben Tallon while reading the Guardian, who Tallon illustrates for. I love his hand crafted style and use of typography mixed with clever imagery to convey oftern controversial and sharp meaning. I like hand draw/made illustarion in design as I think that you can feel more of the personality behind it, there has been real connection between pen and paper and not simple Control Z if a mistake is made. It is perhaps even mistakes that give personality to this hand rendered style. In readin a review of Tallon's work I found that some of his deisgns have been comissioned and produced in an hour, which keeps his ideas fresh and alive. I think you can see this in his work. Though I can't imagine producing something within an hour as I have a great tendency to overthink. This quick style has a great energy to it and perhaps I could try it in future projects.

Christmas Terroists

Staying with the Christmas theme, just for now I promise, this is not going to become a blog obsessed with the season to be jolly.

It seems however that there are others which agree with my thought that christmas may be coming to early this year. They are called the "Movement for the Contianment of Christmas" and are apparently based in Leeds. This group has sent threatning letters to charity shops in Leeds with damage to thier property if they sell christmas cards before November the first. One threat is that the doors will be filled with glue if the shops fail to comply.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/early-christmas-card-threats-probed-1778777.html

This to me rings of a fight club type anochy. Normal people driven to extremes by the commercialisation of the world, and in this case a season. Though in theory I belive that christmas should be confined to December this to me this seems somewhat extreme. If it is leading to violence perhaps the card comapnies can have thier day

Disney Buys Christmas

It's offical Disney has taken over christmas. Borris Johnson, Mayor of London has agreed to turn the West End lights on to coincide the relsease of Disney's 'A Christmas Carol'. Yes, the lights are going on crazily early at the 3rd of Novemeber none the less. This seems crazy to me, a company has now bought the right to when we should start celebrating. I am not a religious person, but it seems to me that we have lost the meaning of christmas, surley some of the excitment and magic of chritmas will be lost if we sell it.

We already gave Santa to Coca Cola and the Christmas lights to Disney. What's next? I feel we should reclaim christmas from the companies, and yes perhaps even the advertisers, who we all know thrive on this time of year. Especially now if it destined to start early November. Is christmas becoming too commercial?

Drugs, Driving and Really Big Eyes.

This advert has been running for a while now, and I have to admit that it didn't grab me as the drink drive campaign, or indeed the alcohol awareness campaign that the governement have been running. This ad seems to almost make light of drug driving, not showing horrifc crashes or consequences that the drink driving ad showed. It seems simply that the only side effect from taking drugs (which it does not mention is illegal in the first place), is getting overly large eyes. Not that much of a problem one would assume. I think the FRANK adverts show much more effectivley the effects that taking drugs can have, it reaches it's target audience of teen to young twenties and also gives them something to think about. The new govenment ad simply passes you by, with maybe a humourous look at these people with large eyeshttp://http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/17/drugs-policy-government-campaign.

Weebles

These figures stand at the mouth of the Tyne, on Sandhaven Beach close to where I live. Weebles is the name given to them by us “locals”, the real name for this piece of work is Conversation piece, by Spanish artist Juan Munzo. These weebles however don’t wobble, they stay standing against all the elements that can be expected to hit a beach in the North. This piece is a modern take on the 18th century genre of painting informal social gatherings, and yes, when you see these sculptures, there are a lot of questions to be asked. What? Why? Who?

They are weird, but I think that’s why I like them, strange creature that share my beach. They are eerie, especially at night and add to the strange feeling of aloneness against the waves. I really like how there are a group of them, it’s not a lonely sculpture. It’s a happy one, surreal but there is a feeling of togetherness in this group, perhaps even conversation.