Some projects we’re asked to work on involve rethinking everything. Whatever was there before needs to go. Get rid of it — and fast. Yet, others are more subtle. They require a bit more time to get at the essence of what a brand is. That’s exactly the challenge that photographer William Geddes came to us with: to help him clarify brand/philosophy of all promotional materials.
A new trend in advertising has hit the streets, though it’s tough to say whether it’ll catch. QR codes — a digital barcode common in Japan — are meant to be decoded by smartphones, so an advertiser’s special offers, promotions, or (in the case of Calvin Klein) their NC-17 commercials can be seen.
It’s an interesting technology whose sole purpose is to engage audiences in new ways. Rather than simply being part of the background noise of the urban landscape, you’re required to act.
Barcodes are nothing new, and there are still very innovative uses of them. In NYC, it seems that most people have smartphones, though I’m not sure if that is the same for the rest of the country.
Passing fad, or new reality of advertising? Below I’ve taken a look at some of the recent trends…
This fall during Fashion Week, MSLK will be judging the Nolcha Beyond the Runway competition to discover and support the industry’s next hot up-and-coming designer. During the competition, 50 independent designers from around the world will put on a traditional runway show featuring their personal collections. These shows will run over the course of three days during the traditional 7th on 6th tent shows. The focus of the event is to give these designers exposure to press, buyers, and industry figures in the New York fashion market.
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Brooklyn seems to tbe the epicenter of New York City’s most forward-thinking green initiatives. Whether it’s urban farms, green roofs, farm-to-plate initiatives, or green buildings themselves — it’s got it all.
MSLK is proud to be partnering with Brooklyn Ecopolis, a non-profit 501(c)3, community-based education and resource center aimed at promoting access to sustainable products, services, and innovations for healthy living.
Product manufacturers have a unique opportunity when presenting their brands and product lines online. Unless they have the privilege of running their own brick and mortar locations or a branded shop within a shop, this virtual storefront is their one opportunity to present their full product line in a controlled environment.
These days many people are visiting websites from their mobile devices. As we become as completely untethered and free to roam the internet at will, customers are checking emails and Googling key phrases as soon as the mood strikes.
Is your website ready for their call?
Take-Less, the third in MSLK’s trilogy of Eco-art installations, debuted on Governors Island on June 11-13.
Like 2663 Urban Tumbleweeds and Watershed, we set out to raise awareness to the senseless over-consumption of plastics in our everyday life. We set our sights on take-out containers. We found it sad to think that the containers that the meal you had delivered to you (in 30 minutes or less) will be around for hundreds of years, especially when there are alternatives out there.
Festivals are a great way to engage people in a city or neighborhood. It’s an effective way to bring people into the area and showcase the normally hidden real estate. It’s a win for local business and civic morale. Such is the case with the annual “Season of Flowers” in the city of Girona, Spain, which were we able to catch on a recent visit. For nine days in May, local artists create works of art using primarily fresh flowers. These works are set amid some of Girona’s finest public and private architectural settings, many of which are open to the public only during the festival. These works are scattered throughout the old city (Ciutat Vella), on the cathedral steps, inside monuments such as the ancient Arab baths, museum courtyards, small patios, and along the city streets.
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NY1, our favorite TV news source, ran a short feature on MSLK’s latest eco-art installation Take-Less, along with the Figment festival as something to check out this weekend.
Featured in the clip is are shots from our assembly, featuring Sheri Koetting, Ryan Nussbaum, Christel Fearon, and Daniela Morell. All shot by unofficial MSLK documentarian John Meehan.
This website is amazing: http://www.compositionwithjavascript.com/
It’s an interactive work based on artist Piet Mondrian’s “Composition with Yellow, Red, Black, Blue and Grey” (1920). It allows everybody deconstruct the original painting and form it again in whatever he or she wants. Lines are shiftable (just drag it with your mouse) and colors changeable (click on it). Texture of the painting was preserved for authentic look.
You can play with composition, forms and colors, alter the harmony of the piece or even destroy it and compose something pictorial.
