Publicis Singapore turns mental health stereotypes upside down

The above print ad was created by Publicis Singapore for Samaritans of Singapore, an organization that provides resources for those struggling with mental health issues. Utilizing what is known as an ambigram, which is a word or image that can be read in more than one way, the campaign strives to challenge people's preconceptions and stereotypes surrounding mental health. The text, at first glance, is a phrase we hear all too often; one that, when viewed upside down, is really a cry for help. It serves to highlight the notion that issues tend to lie beneath the surface. At the risk of sounding cliche, things are rarely what they seem, and those struggling with mental health are no different.

At a time when depression and mental health continue to surge, and warning signs often remain overlooked, I can't applaud those involved with this campaign enough. It is a rarity to be untouched by mental health issues in some capacity, whether you have struggled personally or known someone who has. Despite this, society as a whole tends to perpetuate myths about those affected. Campaigns such as this remind us that too often we take things at first glance, at face value. We too often overlook the signs and signals of those who hurt. Sometimes, we just need a different perspective to see a cry for help.

Creative Milwaukee Artists Needed!

Are you a creative visual designer living in Milwaukee? Do you have a good eye for what makes the clothes you wear really stand out?

If so, keep listening. Printed Onion, a new apparel company that offers "Clothes about where you live and love," might have something that suits your talents.

Printed Onion is a location-based online t-shirt store currently in Chicago, Philly and Boston. Right now, as we seek to launch a market in Milwaukee, we are recruiting quality designers to create t-shirt designs to begin our Milwaukee collection.

In addition to exposure and building a portfolio in graphic arts, designers have the opportunity to earn up to $1,500!

Still interested? Check out www.printedonion.com to see what we're all about. If you think you've got some sweet ideas brewing and want to put your talent to use, I want to hear from you. You can reach me at kevin@printedonion.com, and we can begin moving forward in the process.

Peace, love and t-shirts,

Kevin
Milwaukee City Ambassador
Printed Onion
kevin@printedonion.com

Love Communications & Tobacco Free Utah give smokers a "Clue" about their fate

 

Salt Lake City-based Love Communications created the above ad as part of a print campaign for Tobacco Free Utah, working to garner awareness of successful quitting attempts. The ads stem from the popular board game "Clue", where players solve a murder by identifying the victim, the weapon used and the room serving as the stage for their demise. In the ad, the central figure's smoke lofts into the shape of a rope, one of the possible weapons in the board game, and accompanies the copy in the bottom corner: It wasn't the rope in the conservatory that did him in. Information about Smoke Free Utah is provided as well.

I find this ad to be striking and effective for several reasons: first, the usage of design is commendable. Instead of relying on simple photography and topping it with editing tricks and photoshop layers, we are presented with a shadowy, well-drawn digital image; second, creatively drawing from a popular board game will resonate with a broad range of audiences and allow the message to disseminate with ease; lastly, it benefits from a lack of excessive copy. The one line of copy ties the image and its theme to the client, providing just enough information to guide consumers to further information. It's bold, colorful and creative, and if I were a smoker I'd take the message to heart.

New pub creates memorable visuals to capture attention

Beer Point hired an advertising agency based in the Ukraine to raise awareness of their opening with a set of ads similar to the one above. The ads feature an almost cartoon-looking individual with a full size beer shoved into their mouth, accompanied by a look of surprise. Each ad showcases a different beer, likely in attempts to convey the pub's wide range of beer selection. These ads have been featured on adsoftheworld.com, recognized for their usage of memorable imagery which has been greeted with both praise and distaste.

I feel this ad is blog-worthy because it certainly stands out in a world where visual communication is constantly in our faces. I am undecided as to whether the print would inspire me to visit the actual pub, because I agree with some online commentary that they are a little frightening in an off-putting way. However, if their objective was solely to foster awareness of the pub I can guarantee that these ads achieved said goal -- the striking visual practically commands attention.

MGD 64 offers most for calorie counters

The above image is a print ad that appeared during Miller's campaign for their brew, MGD 64. Now referred to as simply Miller 64, with a redesigned logo, the brew was once the lowest-calorie beer on the market until Budweiser released their Select 55 brew. The ad uses interesting visual effects to showcase the unique benefit of their product; with other alcoholic beverages, you would have to drink much less to equate to the low calorie count of their MGD 64 brew.

I stumbled upon this ad while doing research for our group projects for my advertising course, and I think it is effectively communicating to their target. On a basic design level, the interesting visual draws attention particularly due to the positioning and shapes of the liquid in the other drinks. The MGD 64 bottle stands out with its rich coloring and fullness. The idea for the ad also effectively reaches their market, as the target is primarily those who want to enjoy a drink but also want to live healthy and remain cognizant of calories. I personally don't like Miller 64 all that much, but the ad would certainly attract my attention to the product.

Classic horror flick gets remade

The above video is the teaser trailer for "Carrie", a remake of the classic horror story from Stephen King about a misunderstood high school student named Carrie who is pushed over the edge at her senior prom. The original version of the film, released in 1976, is still recognized as one of the most effective horror films of all time. The remake slated Kimberly Pierce, known primarily for her Oscar-winning film Boys Don't Cry, to direct in efforts to give the classic horror story a fresh look for the new generation.

The teaser trailer, released only several days ago, is shorter than a normal trailer allowing for less depth in terms of plot, character and action reveals. Still, the teaser conjures a sense of fear with its combination of off-screen voices discussing the horrible tragedy at Carrie's hand simultaneously as the camera pans down a chaotic, fiery street. The camera halts as we finally catch a glimpse of our bloody, crazed character at the center of the film. I am not a huge fan of remakes of old classic films but I love the Steven King story at the heart of this film

Applegate Farms strikes at health conscious consumers with "What's in your hot dog?" campaign

Applegate Farms, a popular all-natural and organic meat brand, is thrusting a relatively ignored public health issue into the spotlight with their new "What's in your hot dog?" campaign. The brand launched three ads that utilized humor to raise awareness of the toxic hormones and chemicals often found in hot dogs. The target seems to be health-conscious consumers, particularly moms, due to the growing trend of introducing healthier and more organic options into our pantries.

I was aware of this ad campaign during the summer when it was launched because I interned with a PR firm that has Applegate as a client. While many people have heard vague rumors about some of the preservatives that make their way into hot dogs, few actually understand what they are consuming when choosing this popular American dish. The commercial does a great job of highlighting this issue and benefits from its use of humor to connect with audiences. I had never heard of Applegate Farms prior to interning with FoodMinds this summer, but after seeing this commercial I would definitely purchase their hot dogs.