Following a recent trip to Moscow, I was faced with the familiar hollow feeling that comes from a) drinking some of the finest wines known to humanity courtesy of a VERY generous, talented and above all handsome client and b) wondering what to do with the teetering stack of business cards I had accumulated.

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I was in Moscow for a few days last week, and with Olympic fervour reaching unprecedented heights back here at home, I managed to spend 2 or three hours one night in a bar near my hotel, catching up on some of the action. The teaser campaign for the forthcoming Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics marked the beginning and end of each advertising break in the coverage and I couldn’t help but compare the Sochi logo and the London 2012 logo. Read more…

This years Ice Hockey World Championship will begin on May 4, 2012 and will be hosted by two countries – Sweden and Finland. Having an ice hockey fan and player in our office, we were certain not to miss an update when the tournament’s logo was made public. The reason for an Angry Bird game character in the logo wasn’t clear at first. Well, here is the link: the mascot ‘Hockey Bird’ was designed by Toni Kysenius at Rovio Entertaiment, the company behind the hit game Angry Birds. Both Toni and Rovio are Finnish, obviously.
We find it quite unconventional and telling of the current global culture that a video game character steps outside the game world and becomes a symbol for a country (typically, it would be a ‘national flower’, mountain or similar). More importantly, it is a global brand recognizable by the young ‘i-generation’ which the International Ice Hockey Federation has to promote the game among to ensure long term commercial success for ice hockey at a global scale.
The star constellation which forms the foundation for the identity is based on the tournament’s slogan “Northern Stars of Ice Hockey”. The goal was to create a visual identity that would bring together the two host cities, Helsinki and Stockholm, and give people a feel of a two-year event.
Will this become a new global trend – app and game characters breaking the mold in the world of ‘real’ brand? Read more…

British Brand Jack Wills has become a household name within a relatively short space of time. Established in 1999 in Devon, they have brought together sporting and country pursuit influences to appeal to what they describe as the “University Crowd.” The reality is that they appeal to a far wider audience, from high school kids to middle aged parents! I love to see truly British brands succeeding with something more than an inherited or adopted authenticity, which brands like Ralph Lauren have attempted to simulate for years. The store shots I’ve included show a successful store concept, which is placed within a beautiful old heritage building. The window displays work really well in introducing the new Spring Collection and the window graphics accentuate the heritage direction. The mix of old and new continues online, check them out on: www.jackwills.com Read more…

We love the striking black and white design for the forthcoming Moscow Design Museum, plans for which were recently unveiled at London Design Week to great enthusiasm. Elements of the design flicker and animate on the website with the promise of what is to come, something we are finding that our clients are requesting more and more for their brands, to engage and add dynamism.
The museum will include two separate parts: showrooms housed in a former bomb shelter hidden in the architectural splendor of Moscow’s downtown Artplay center and a special bus to roll through the city streets, the official opening is scheduled for this summer.
Design collections will include about 80 percent from foreign designs and 20 percent from Russian designs. This is because the focus will only be on the most prominent and interesting products. http://www.moscowdesignmuseum.com
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While browsing the many “Best of 2011″ posts on various design blogs I came across this packaging work that I somehow missed at the time, for Honey & Mackie’s ice cream shop – fresh, fun and tasty design for ice cream made natural, organic and locally grown ingredients.

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