Photo via EUKicks
Overkill recently teamed up with Nike and did the official release of the Nike Cortez Pack on January 31st. The worldwide pack will be released on February 14th. The pack comes with 2 pairs of sneakers. One which is blue is based on the classic 1972 style Cortez and the other a silver metallic which embodies a forward thinking, futuristic 2009 look. 
Photo via EUKicks
I prefer the classic looking sneaker over the 2009 version. But in reality I perfer they toy. What toy you say? Well hold on a second and I'll tell you.
Photo via HighSnobiety
To promote the release of the sneakers Tokyoplastic created two characters Phil & Bill, based on Nike's co-founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman. And there is even this slick animation film so you can see how these little guys move.
Friday, February 13, 2009
BEST: Sneakers and Toys
Music: Max Tundra
There's a hell of a lot going on in Max Tundra's brain. The layers and layers and layers of programming in his music will overwhelm most people. I welcome it. He's remixed the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Futureheads and Pet Shop Boys. His 3rd album "Parallax Error Beheads You" came out in October 2008 on Domino.
The twisted video for "Will Get Fooled Around" pretty much sums up the insanity.
Max Tundra - Will Get Fooled Again
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Do That Dance.
Here's a look at the new Club Coke bottle design. Club Coke is an exclusive line available only at the best clubs around the world. For the 5th anniversary there was a collaboration on the design between Justice and Ed Banger creative director So Me. All made in aluminium, it was launched in Paris last night with a performance by Justice. The bottle is red during the day and then glows in the dark at night! 
Photos via BKRW
Hand held DJ
Deadmau5 is a progressive house and electro house producer and DJ from Toronto who can now add iPhone application creator to his resume. He's just released the Deadmau5 Touch Mix which allows users to mix and remix ten of his tracks on your iPhone. Apply delays, effects, rewinds, cuts, and even use a scratch pad anywhere you can use your iPhone. (also known as EVERYWHERE)
The app is priced at $2.99 on the Apple App Store.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Music: Royksopp
Fan video by mushroomsmoke.
I'm crazy for the first Röyksopp single from their soon to be released album "Junior". It's going to be released March 23rd in the UK. I don't think it has a release date yet this side of the ocean. The album is going to feature appearances by fellow [thanks Kat!] Swedes Robyn, Lykke Li and the Knife’s Karin Dreijer.
Who's excited? Scooter!
Class Action
US Airways Flight 1549
photo from: Calacanis.com
This sort of thing is really interesting. I am sure there is a logistical explanation for why the first class passengers get a flotation raft with seats and the coach passengers get...the wing. I'll wait for the answer.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A little bird told me...
This is Andrew Bird.
He likes to have far away photos taken of himself in fields so no one can make out who he is.
He is also an incredibly talented musician.
And he'll be playing in Toronto on April 3rd.
Fly Bird, Fly.
For more on Andrew Bird, click here.
Music: E-603
Straight off the bat, the need to mention Girl Talk in the same breath as E-603 (formerly known as Ethan Ward) is pretty much obligatory. I can actually say that I like the samples that E-603 uses much better. His mash-ups are more current than classic, at least for the indie rock. Hip hop and I have a tenuous relationship at best anyways. But in this framework, I can dig.
He also has these sweet tees:
Check him out here: www.myspace.com/e603
Pepsi Punk'd!
Lawrence Yang has re-imagined the new Pepsi logo. It's pretty genius! Please check out his other work on his blog: blow at life.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Becoming Kate
Anyone with the February blahs is bound to have their heartstrings tugged at by this ad. Tourism Australia's Destination Campaign is pretty much flawless. Produced by Baz Luhrmann, it appeals to the overworked, the underplayed, and has impeccable timing. Who doesn't want a small aborigonal child to transport you to a sunny place and remind you of the important things in your life right now?
The format is as simple as IKEA flat pack. Take your pick of an overworked capitalized city, add a romance tale, the promise of better days and bam! Advertising gold. You almost expect Monster.com to pop up as the end graphic, almost like the commercial is a twisted Australian double date between Daniel Kleinman and Baz Luhrmann. Watch the Shanghai version here:
Read more on the Destination Campaign here.
This Ain't No Disco
This Ain't No Disco is a blog that features some amazing work spaces. Agencies are asked to send in photos of their interesting and unique working environments. A few of them make me really jealous. I call it e-bragging. 
OneMethod Digital + Design which is located in Liberty Village in Toronto was recently featured on the blog. And of course, it looks really fun to work there. Urban inspired illustrations, ambient lighting, private meeting areas, and smiling faces everywhere.
Friday, February 6, 2009
All new way to Wake & Bake
Fear not, pale web surfers! Computer Tan has arrived. No, we're not joking. There's even a downloadable version for your iPhone!
Just watch that that webcam of yours is switched to "off" when tanning any unsightly angles.
Visit Computer Tan here.
Music: Timber Timbre
Front man Taylor Kirk's voice is hushed yet confident. After two releases they are now on tour supporting the self-titled third album released by Toronto record label Out of this Spark this past January. Their blues heavy folk sound is often eerie, but always enjoyable.
They'll be playing Wavelength's anniversary party next Thursday February 12th along with Ghost Bees at The Music Gallery in Toronto
www.myspace.com/timbertimbre
Check out the track: Lay Down in the Tall Grass
Stress Relief
It's Friday!!!! So I'd hope your stress level is coming in for a landing. But just in case you're having a rough day, here is a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological tests.
The funny thing is that it works.
1. Picture yourself near a stream in the mountains.
2. Birds are softly chirping in the cool mountain air.
3. No one knows your secret place.
4. You are in total seclusion from the hectic place called the world.
5. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
6. The water is crystal clear.
7. You can easily make out the face of the person you are holding under the water.
See. You're smiling already.
Via Have Fun With English
Thursday, February 5, 2009
We Laugh. You Laugh Too:
This is the new ad for Monster.com
Daniel Kleinman strikes gold yet once again!
Agency: BBDO, New York
For all the credit info, click here.
Please don't Kiss Me in 3D!
So I know it seems like I only write about saucy avatars who can live on your desk top, but we are just 9 days away from Valentine's Day, and Crest has decided to give us Fernando so that we all learn the value of whiter teeth. Oh, and 3-D glasses.
Huh?
Digitas along with production co Luxurious Animals have designed two online avatars for Crest who will kiss you in three dimensional form. Pick from either Olivia or Fernando, slip on your 3-D glasses [that you have to buy yourself!] and get ready to be smooched over the computer screen. After kissing you in a variety of steamy ways, Olivia and/or Fernando then stop the virtual make out session to [surprise!] remove Crest whitestrips from their teeth. The moral of the story then kids, is that you can do just about anything when wearing Crest whitestrips. It's just like a tampon commercial, but for your teeth!
Um, so... I'm trying to figure out how buying 3-D glasses and kissing an on screen Spanish avatar is going to make me want whiter teeth. I guess Fernando's Spanish accent is meant to make us blog girls get a little flustered and never want to spend time with our real boyfriends but I sort of feel like if I did actually make out with a boy in the real world who proceeded to remove a set of whitestrips from his teeth post tonsil hockey, Spanish or not, I may end up barfing in my own mouth a little bit. Would Crest be happy if the barf was white? Let's wait until next Valentine's Day to find out.
Poor show, avatar. What is the point of you?
Alas, for the curious I must leave a link. To be kissed in 3-D, click here.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Get In My House
The Interior Design Show starts tomorrow at Exhibition Place. STUDIO JOB will be there on February 6th at 3 PM as guest speakers. The pair are most famous for their Alice-In-Wonderland-esque oversized "Silverware" pieces. Their designs are so good that their website doesn't even contain any of their work. Oh snap! Visit it here.
Other top pics are Canadian duo Castor, made up of Brian Richer and Kei Ng. They'll be taking place in 5X5: 5 DESIGNERS, 5 INSPIRED SPACES with 4 other firms designing living spaces within the exhibition. Joining them are 64th and Queen, Dee Dee Taylor Hannah, Tomas Pearce Interior Design Consulting, Inc. and Earth, Inc.
Happy Eyes I have, Grasshopper.
More on the Interior Design Show here.
Advertising: Sony Vaio
Through the next couple weeks in New York City you'll have a chance to catch a street campaign that Sony has launched. Live mannequins will be appearing in several spots around midtown and lower Manhattan holding Sony's Vaio notebook. The models are appropriately clothed with eye-catching threads designed by six designers and are choreographed to move like mannequins. Creepy Chic!!
Here's a video of what went down in Grand Central Station:
Client: Sony
Agency: 180 Los Angeles
Executive Creative Director: William Gelner
Creative Director: Joel Rodriguez,
John Matejczyk
Art Director: Lindsey Aquino
Copywriter: Graham Douglas
Visit http://sony.com/golightly to view the upcoming videos as the mannequins strike a pose.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Gig Guide/Music: Fan Death
Either you expected it, or you feared it...but DISCO is BACK! If you've been loving the sounds of Chromatics, Hercules & Love Affair or Glass Candy, be sure to check out Fan Death as they take over Sneaky Dees on Febuary 6th. They'll also be joined by Toronto's Parallels, the side project by Cam Findlay, live drummer of Crystal Castles.
Check out their video for Veronica's Veil:
Monday, February 2, 2009
Invention: Midomi
I fell in love with the Shazam iPhone application the moment I downloaded it. So the Midomi website peaked my interest tremendously. Instead of listening to the recorded music, you can hum or sing a song into the microphone, have that analyzed and it will tell you the artist and song. Supposedly!
I decided to put it to the test and belted out a few in the name of science. Unfortunately for my song selection OR my lack of carrying the appropriate tune, it only was correct on 1 out of 4 songs.
Here were the songs that I sang. (Maybe humming would serve me better??)
Apples in Stereo - Glow Worm
TV on the Radio - Dancing Shoes
Lil Mama - Lip Gloss
Britney Spears - I'm not a girl, not yet a woman! (ya, I sang this..WHAT??)
The technology matches songs using recordings submitted by other users. So, in essence more mainstream selections will give you better result. But, give it a try!
Music: Frivolous
Image from frivolouslive.com
I went to a great line up of electronic music happening out of a dance studio on Bloor this weekend, hosted by the great minds at Break and Enter. Frivolous was one of the headliners who really caught my ear. His live performance of Jazz-infused minimal or experimental house was something fresh I hadn't seen in awhile. He's studied classical piano and electronics and brings these two elements together in his one-man live performances. But, really what sold me was him doing the vocals through a telephone receiver. Best thing I've seen in 2009 so far!
www.myspace.com/frivolouslive
frivolouslive.com/
Happy Groundhog Day!
Punxsutawney Phil has spoken. Six more weeks of winter it will be!
To read his full 2009 weather forecast, click here.
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