I love my iPhone 4 and couldn’t imagine life without it, but after watching this ad, I found myself thinking should I upgrade to the new iPhone 4S. That is the power of this soft sell ad from Apple. It doesn’t mention Siri or iPhone at all in the ad but yet the messages about the new features was so strong. Watch it yourself and let me know what you think.

Yours in soft selling

Belinda

Very recently, I and a few girls went and checked out the Twilight Boutique Markets at Portside, here in Brisbane. We were on mission to discover some last minute Christmas treats for family and friends. I will have to admit that I had finished my Christmas gift buying, but it didn’t stop a tiny splurge on something special for me.

To my delight I discovered this gorgeous stall, displaying some very beautiful hand made paper crafts, by the name of The Papertie Affair (see pics for some of their creations). I was instantly drawn to the beautifully crafted ornaments for the Christmas tree and vintage paper inspired ‘Merry Christmas’ banner (which I had to buy and have up on the wall at home).

After seeing these stunning items I get the company name and that these guys are inlove with paper. It’s a passion and an affair for the creator, since The Papertie Affair was established in 2009. Originally only creating Christmas decorations, they now offer a huge range of products created from gorgeous paper – both vintage and new – including stationery, home decor and artwork.

So why not start your own affair and check out The Papertie Affair website for more info on their products and which markets you can see them in.

Yours in beautiful handcrafted paper
Dawn

Belinda Vesey-Brown, Managing Director

Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography Audiobook,$22.79USD

Make sure it is audio so you can listen where ever you are.. to get in all 25 hours of insight on this amazing entrepreneur.

Amber, Studio Manager

Frankie Magazine 2012 Daily Journal, $24.95

This is for the organiser of your family. They’ll look forward to opening it up everyday and getting that warm fuzzy feeling from the beautifully crafted and designed spreads. It is too pretty to pass up! – Get in quick! It is sold out online but still available at some local newsagents or NationState.

Lee, Web Developer

Canvas Pop Instagram Prints, prices start at $29.95USD

 Now you can turn your artistic filter-applied images in to your own pieces of art for the whole family. Printed on canvas and framed, a personalised gift for your loved ones is just a few clicks away!

Craig Brien, Art Director

iLuv Professional iPad case with bluetooth keyboard, $63.60USD

Michael Taylor, Design Account Manager

A day at the Thai Foot Spa

This spa located in New Farm is the first of its kind in Australia and is a blissful escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Who wouldn’t love to be given a relaxing day at the spa on Christmas morning? Rejuvenate the creative juices with a selection of treatments that promote inner peace, well-being and good health. Treatments range from 30 mins to an indulgent half day! It’s the festive season – so why not have a champas and order from the mouthwatering menu…

Dawn Wilson, Senior Designer

Typodarium 2012 Calendar, $16.80EURO (approx $22.16AUD)

This is an awesome typography calendar for all lovers of design and type. There’s a tear away for everyday of the year showcasing a different typeface, giving you a daily dose of inspiration and beauty.

Tanya, Senior Designer

Frankie Magazine Subscription, $57

Angie, Office Manager

Henri Matisse Les Velours Framed Serigraph, $325USD

Although at the higher end of the budget, this beautiful Matisse piece would be a great gift for any true fan of his work.

Anya, Senior Designer

Yellow Bird Project Indie Rock Colouring Book, $10
The Indie Rock Coloring Book, designed by Andy J Miller, is an interactive and creative present for any music lover, it doesn’t matter how old they are. It includes 25 hand illustrated designs and games that reference the likes of Devendra Banhart, Bloc Party, The National and heaps of other indie rockers. And best of all, it’s for charity!

Justine, Digital Strategist / Digital Account Manager

Aardvarkonsea Manifesto, $40USD

The success I believe is the quirkiness that engages the viewer, that works. Come on, you know you smile at the ‘six geese a laying’ reworked to highlight six pregnant woman in comfy bonds wear and another favourite for me is the ‘eleven pipers piping’, but I’ll let you checkout the video below to see the idea behind that one.

On mention of the video, this showcases all 12 days in one advert. However a fresh concept that I love and think works really well, is that in one advert break, three days are shown in separate mini 10 second ads, with longer ads in between. The unique version of the song grabs your attention every time and I know as soon as I hear it I stop whatever I’m doing to see which day is going to be highlighted and the mini repetition ensures you walk away knowing the brand name behind it.

Also for your information the unique Australian voice you hear singing is Jack Ladder, it’s a little rough but it suits the theme and you’ve never heard, or seen, Christmas carols like this before!

So what do you think of this campaign from Bonds? Do you think it’s successful and what’s your favourite day of Bonds Christmas?

Yours in Advertising
Dawn

I will be the first to admit I am a big, big fan of this time of year. Christmas would have to be my favourite holiday of the year and really what’s not to love. I really enjoy the spirit of giving at this time of year, so in honor of this I thought I’d share a wonderful Christmas website, so you can spread the Christmas cheer too!

Well Santa has embraced the 21st technology and developed The Portable North Pole, so he can communicate with us from afar. This website offers a service that lets you create a free personalised message from Santa to a special someone, whether their young or old.

The site asks you a number of questions about whom you’re sending the message to. Such as their name, age, favourite toy, how they’ve been good and so on. You can then upload some photos of them and the present they want and the site creates a personalised video message using the options you’ve selected.

Last year I and a great time creating messages for family and friends. It definitely brought out a spark of that Christmas cheer and magic in everyone. I love that technology has developed in a way that lets you create the magic of Santa for the young ones we love, that believe, and those that like to enjoy the innocent magic of Santa and Christmas.

Below is a video sample, so you can see the wonderful message that has been created and I enourage you to send out some Christmas cheer to those you love.

Yours in Christmas cheer
Dawn

How many times have you watched a TV ad and wondered what it was going to be about?

I was very intrigued by the recent Tooheys Extra Dry – Nocturnal Migration ad. I feel a little silly because it wasn’t until the last scene that I realized it was a Tooheys Extra Dry Beer commercial, and that was only because it said so. I didn’t really get the nocturnal migration of the stag storyline.

When I first saw this commercial, I immediately thought it had to be something about Christmas. I expected to see Santa in a sleigh somewhere, especially in the scene with the moon as the backdrop. After all, Christmas is only ten weeks away.

In the TV commercial, the stags who are representing Tooheys Extra Dry drinkers, gather together and experience a night out. They unite and share the ultimate journey – the nocturnal migration.

A Tooheys beer drinker probably would have immediately recognised the Tooheys trademark stag, and picked up on the fact that they were advertising their favourite beer.

Yours in TV Commercials
Angie Rapisarda

“Designers, type enthusiasts and people who love to explore the world of typography, better take a seat before hearing – FontBook, the most complete reference guide of typography in the world, is now available as an App for iPad!”

– Halex Pereira for MacMagazine Brazil (translated from Portuguese)

As if I didn’t need yet another reason to go out and buy myself an iPad (yes I’m proud to say, I am a big Apple fan). When the iPad came out I told myself that I didn’t need one. I felt it was just a glorified iPhone and I already had one of those, but month by month my mind is being changed and now with exciting Apps, like this one on offer from FontBook, I find myself jealous of those who already have one, perhaps it’ll have to be a Christmas present from Santa this year!

This great App delivers 620,000 font specimens – 19 times more than the printed FontBook 4, which only had 32,000. You can use this app to look up and view fonts by typeface name, typeface classification, designer name, foundry name, year or publication, or by similarity of design. This App is like a designers dream, especially those in love with typography. What better tool do you need to flick through and preview thousands and thousands of typefaces.

Check it out or download it for yourself at http://fontbook.com/

Yours in typography,
Dawn

Apple has advertised that they are marking the beginning of the Christmas shopping season with a special one day shopping event. You’re invited to “wrap it up” this Friday when the apple online store will be having a sale on iPods, iPads and other Mac gifts.

This isn’t the first time Apple have had a Black Friday sale with no pricing details divulged. Each year the mention of less expensive products intrigues and tantalises shoppers!

Yours in online shopping,

Anya

Love the Christmas spirit? Head to King George Square on Friday 3rd December to see the Lighting of the Christmas Tree.

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and a host of special guests (including Santa!) will be there with performance excerpts from Queensland Ballet’s The Nutcracker and plenty of your favourite Christmas carols. Festivities begin at 6:45pm so head to the corner of Adelaide St and Ann Street in the CBD to join the celebration.

Who loves Christmas?  Christmas is that magic time of  year that we all love to hate and every year is upon us before we realise it.  I was in the Brisbane Queen Street Mall this week and noticed the Myer Christmas Windows all alight and alive with beautifully animated characters depicting the classic Christmas story of “The Nutcracker”.

Every year, the Queen Street Mall comes alive with Christmas cheer as families gather wide-eyed to celebrate the annual Myer Christmas Window display. The Christmas Windows are Myer’s gift to the City of Brisbane.  Each year tens of thousands of visitors to Queen Street Mall visit the iconic Myer Christmas Windows display.  This year, they will celebrate 55 years of production.  There is always a specially selected theme – chosen from a story book, nursery rhyme or even the theatre – brought to life in an animation spectacular that ignites the imagination and Christmas spirit in all.

This years tribute to the “The Nutcracker” is not the first time this story has been told in the windows, with the Nutcracker first appearing in the Myer Christmas Windows in 1957 – the second time the windows were ever produced.  Each year, the new theme of the Christmas Windows remains a heavily guarded secret while the clever artists, animators and craftspeople are creating their magic for over six months to bring this Christmas tradition to Myer’s many Christmas visitors.

Why don’t you bring out that Christmas spirit and inner child in you and check them out.  I was very impressed with them this year.

Yours in Christmas

Angie