HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOUNGE BOHEMIA

GRAPHIC DESIGN - When the owner of my favourite bar in London, Lounge Bohemia, called to let me know about their second birthday party, I couldn't wait for the invite to follow.

Without doubt, Lounge Bohemia serves the best cocktails in London; they vary from the best Old Fashioned you could ever imagine passing your lips to molecular concoctions.

The invite arrived, delivered by hand, which was a great touch. Given the postal strikes most invites that we have been sent are arriving about two weeks late. It came in a Czechoslovakian urine sample tube. I'm not sure how this relates to the party... maybe I don't want to know.

joes[a]fiend

THE WEAK SHOP

ADVERTISING - There's nothing we like more than an advertising campaign created around a funny little product. So when we saw this effort by DDB, Canada for the BC Dairy Foundation we were in awe.

The Weak Shop sells products aimed at people who don't have the energy to go about their daily lives and need a little help. Our favorite product is towel clothing; it's something that would certainly benefit some of our contributors. Also, if you think you can do better you can submit your own ideas for a product to The Weak Shop here, the competition closes on February 1, 2010.

This campaign certainly contains all five key elements needed for success:

1. Simplicity
2. Reflective of the values of the brand and/or product
3. Memorable
4. Playful
5. Collaboration

If you buy anything from The Weak Shop, they will throw in two pints of milk [in bottles, we hope].

I wonder what my first purchase will be... That's if I have the strength to complete the purchase.

joes[a]fiend

THE FUTURE

PHOTOGRAPHY - Styling by Webster + Stokes photography by David Sykes.

joes[a]fiend

UNIVERSAL ADAPTOR

Get a world view. Read The Economist.

ADVERTISING - This billboard for The Economist by BBDO, New York, no doubt resonates with the readership and reflects the global nature of magazine's editorial content.

Thumbs up from us.

joes[a]fiend

I THINK YOU'RE WONDERFUL

GRAPHIC DESIGN - The good things in life are not free, they actually cost £1 and are designed by Supermundane and if the postmen decide to do some work one might well drop through your letterbox (provided you are wonderful, obviously.)

The postcards are available at Present Joys - if you email them the details of your suitably fantastic recipient and the message you wish to communicate with them, they'll send the little beauty for you. Perfect for all those lazy buggers out there.

We wont take credit for finding this gem, Fever Zine gave us the heads up.

joes[a]fiend

BOUNCE TO POGO

MUSIC - The first time we heard Pogo's mesmerizing beats we were in awe. Pogo makes his beats by 'recording small sounds from a single film or scene and sequencing them to form a new piece of music.' In essence a simple idea, but the execution is anything but. The tracks are emotionally filled masterpieces with hooks, melodies and riffs that get your head nodding.

If you want to give it a go the equipment Pogo uses is 'Adobe Audition for sampling, FLStudio for sequencing and Sony Vegas for video editing.'

It's no surprise that the film and music industries have taken offence to the inspiring aural and visual creativity of Pogo. Sony Pictures Entertainment contacted the artist claiming that 'Bangarang', a rework of the Steven Spielberg film 'Hook' with some added bass and cymbals, was an infringement of their copyright.

You should check out his YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/Fagottron. Our personal favourites are Alice [featured above], Expialidocious and Bangarang.

ENJOY

joes[a]fiend

IT'S NICE THAT ISSUE 2

PUBLISHING - Despite all the problems with the Royal Mail at present they delivered the new issue of It's Nice That's bi-annual on time yesterday. Perhaps they realised the brilliance that was enclosed in the thoughtfully stamped brown box?

A real treat for illustration fans with not only a beautiful Rob Ryan print slipped inside the front cover but also a cracking Tom Gauld postcard, complete with hand written thanks from the It's Nice That gents themselves.

The issue acts as a great reminder of the service that It's Nice That provides - similar to the Now That's What I Call Music albums during the early nineties - but all killer [design] without the filler.
Bill Freeman