Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Nokia Launches New Phone With Deadmau5 and Sick 4D Projection in London

Nokia takes its LUMIA 800 new product launch to a whole new dimension with a public 4D spectacle on the Thames river in London. Breakthrough marketing ideas like this is necessary to help Nokia regain some of the smartphone market share it is losing to Android devices and iPhones. Will dropping the bass and throwing an electronic light show help sales? We'll have to see... but for now watch the mindblowing event below:

Monday, November 28, 2011

Tommy Hilfiger Finally Gets Hip With Preppy Holiday

The struggling-to-be-relevant and fresh American lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger has finally found a way to make ridiculously good-looking "waspy" people less douchey and more fun with their new holiday campaign themed "House Par-tay". The creative which came from Laird and Partners (you may remember them from the short-lived Gap Logo redesign) stays true to the brand's iconic red and blue color scheme, diverse and oh so gorgeous cast of models while being humorous and fun. What is different about this campaign is the concept of "family", specifically defining who "The Hilfigers" are, and the range of age, race and hairstyles.

How can you dislike a family that parties during the holidays in their underwear?

Congrats to Creative Director Trey Laird of Laird + Partners, Film Director Francis Lawrence and Stylist by Karl Templer for job well done. This campaign makes me want a pair of plaid jammies!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Holy BOW-loney Part 2

I can never get tired of the big wide bow. Here's an homage to my Holy BOW-loney post two years ago and some of the bow-y things I'm currently obsessed about:
1. Blair Waldorf's Christian Dior Embellished Bow Gown
2. ChloƩ "Lily" wallet in red leather
3. Hair Bow, source
4. Navy Striped Bow Bandeau from Amourouse on Etsy

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Best Digital Idea Ever: A Britney Spears Music Video Bracket

MTV's Britney Spears: 30 Videos for 30 Years music video bracket is probably the most time I have ever spent on a bracket (even more that last season's SYTYCD bracket that I made) and maybe even the most time I've spent on a branded digital idea/site. The bracket is simply brilliant. You click on a box that pairs up two Britney videos which you can then watch the videos and vote for your favorite to move onto the next round. After you submit your vote, you can see what the results are thus far.

As an avid Britney fan, having to choose the number one Britney Spears video is like asking your dad what his favorite Nicholas Cage movie is... there's just too many favorites. Britney has so many iconic videos and hits but if I had to choose I would go with her old stuff that had lots of choreographed dance. My favorites are CrazyStrongerI'm a Slave 4 You, Toxic and Piece of Me.

Sad to see "Born to Make You Happy" wasn't on the bracket but I guess the video did kind of suck.
Click here for the bracket

Monday, November 21, 2011

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Take Your 5 Year-Old to a Katy Perry Concert

Last Wednesday I won 2 free tickets to see Katy Perry at MSG through a Twitter Contest from @JustDance_Game. How could I say no? I mean, after all, it was Katy Perry's Firework that launched my TV commercial career.

I was surrounded by girls no older than 15 and as young as 5 dressed in sequined tops, fish nets, pink wigs and way too much silver eye shadow accompanied by their middle age moms and dads. Some girls even had to stand on their seats to see the concert.

Maybe it's Katy Perry's sweet bubble gum pinup image or parents just don't listen hard enough to her lyrics but parents who take their kids to a Katy Perry concert must not care how sexually charged Katy's songs and stage presence are. For example:

1) Katy opens the concert screaming "slut! slut! SLUT!" as a dancer dressed in a slot machine costume runs around stage
2) Katy takes a bite out of a giant "magical" pot brownie
3) Katy jokes about infidelity by kissing a boy in the audience
4) Katy rubs her crotch, spreads her legs and moons young girls all around her
5) She sprays water into the crowd in the finale - This is more of a concern for everyone's cell phones

Although Katy might be extremely dirty, the concert surprisingly made me respect and appreciate her as a singer, performer and artist. Her set was decked out like Alice in Wonderland and her outfits was literal eye-candy (she wore candy buttons and candy cane inspired dresses). She cracked jokes that were actually pretty funny, played guitar, did a Whitney Houston cover and was an overall blast--maybe that's why parents takes their kids to see Katy Perry because secretly they just want to have some fun themselves. If you're a fan of her hits and above the age of 13, I recommend checking out her concert!
 Pearl
 Thinking of You
 California Gurl

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Finally Got a Table at St. Anselm

I've had the Metropolitan Ave. restaurant St. Anselm on my must-eat list since this summer. I'd walk by the abnormally dim restaurant (they're not open during the day) every time I went grocery shopping at Foodtown and would eye the whole grilled fish on their menu. Just my luck, the New York Times reviewed the restaurant in late September making it impossible to get a table at any hour since. They don't take reservations so I've tried to stroll by for dinner a couple of times, only to find the restaurant packed and wait times greater than I can tolerate.

The birthday gods must have been very generous with me this year, as I arrived Tuesday around 7:30 pm to find only 2 or 3 tables filled. NO WAIT. No way!

Time to feast! We ordered grilled artichoke hearts and garlic butter clams to start. For my entree I had haloumi salad with pea greens and green beans and grilled whole trout with butter garlic sauce. Sean ordered New York strip and a side of pan-friend mashed potatoes with truffle oil. I burnt the top of my mouth pretty badly on the pan-fried mashed potatoes--it's really hot. Everything was delicous. There literally was no food left on our plates. I will definitely be coming back to try the grilled sardines with pickled lotus root and the bourbon brined pork chops. Oh man, can't wait.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Party Like It's 11.11.11

I can't thank everyone enough for making my 25th birthday so special. Thanks to everyone who called, texted, FB messaged to wish me happy birthday and everyone who came to Brooklyn Winery to celebrate. It's mindblowingly amazing to see my JWT, Digitas, BU, Punahou and NYC friends converge. Also, big thanks to Brooklyn Winery for their awesome space & service.

Being a quarter century has been awesome so far, can't wait for what's to come...