Cumbia is seen by highbrow critics as something you don’t even clean your ass with. We can agree, both lyrical and musical most cumbia is not really the most tasteful music. Is it music anyway? Mmm. But then watch this remix of Major Lazer’s Hold the Line by the duo Frikstailers from Cordoba, Argentina. The hawt video clip featuring the amazing Tranqui Yanqui, aka the King of Cardboard, makes you wanna move for sure. I love it when something so bad, turns in something so good!
Via: WUBA
The World Cup is on it’s way so time for Nike to start releasing cool stuff again. Check out this short film introducing the new Brazil shirt for example. Great illustrations of Brazilian artist Speto. Time for me to study Portuguese.
Via: Direto do Forno
Why doing things the simple way, when you can do it the hard but beautiful way? Haviana thinks digital in an analog world. Great work!
Via: Pagina2
And a surprise it is. A pleasant one. Nice work by Cinco.
Today a new Starbucks outlet is opening at Utrecht Central Station. For Dutch Starbucks fans an important day because it will be the first easy accessible Starbucks in The Netherlands. Till now you had to go to Schiphol Airport or Nike HQ Hilversum (only for employees) to enjoy a fresh cup of Starbucks coffee.
Personally I have mixed feelings towards the coffee company from Seattle. Drinking Starbucks I remember my great first trip to New York, where drinking coffee while walking and talking on the phone seemed to be the coolest thing ever. At the other hand Starbucks is called the ‘McDonald’s of the coffee-industry’. It is an important player in the globalized world where every commercial street in the world starts to look the same.
An interesting change in (or addition to) this strategy of world domination is the new 15th Avenue E Coffee and Tea store in Seattle. It is a new concept store based on the local neighbourhood. The shop is an authentic looking local café serving coffee made by manual machines and local food. Moreover 15th Avenue E Coffee and Tea will be opened only during hours according to the lifestyle of the area and will be hosting cultural evenings promoting local musical talent. It is a strategy of un-branding since the big Starbucks logo is absent. The only link to the company is the window saying ‘inspired by Starbucks’.
Is this glocal strategy the way to go for international companies? Again those mixed feelings. Critics (see comments) say that the new store is not inspired by Starbucks, but by next door café Smiths since it looks very similar. Confronted by these opinions director of global concept design Liz Muller states that the design is based on the first Starbucks store ever on Pike Place Market in Seattle. Is Starbucks going back to its roots or is this concept a troy horse taking even more local cafes? Something to keep the eye on. The store does look great!
Source: PSFK
The International Society for Human Rights is celebrating its 60th birthday. And what is a party without cake and the ones who made the organisation so important? Original work of Berlin based agency Scholz & Friends.
Source: Chunnel
After the celebration of 60 Years of Soles & Stripes Adidas Originals Argentina decided it was time for a fresh layer of paint in their store in Palermo, Buenos Aires. Instead of doing it the traditional way they asked local artists Gualicho and Pum Pum to decorate the shop. Pum Pum painted his characteristic rebellious and naieve figures in the fantasy world created by Gualicho. The result is a balanced combination of art and marketing which should inspire more companies. In a globalized world were most shopping streets look the same the collaboration of brands with local artists is the way to go. Both from an ethical, design and commercial point of view.
Source: Atypica
For a long time now I am a fan of the beautiful work of Argentinean communication and (digital) design studio Fausta from Buenos Aires. I am very impressed by the Latin American design in general and in this case specifically Argentinean graphic design. To me it combines an incredible creativity with a colorful simplicity. Fausta is a young studio which combines this design with new views on communication. Fausta is formed by María Luisa García Collazo, Karen Brownell and Sabrina Prieto Blanco.
I could not wait to work with them and my new personal website is the first result of this collaboration. But there is more to come and this will be challenging project for El Desafio Foundation.
Fausta | communicación + diseño
info@faustaweb.com.ar
Montreal based ad-agency Sid Lee (also in Amsterdam) now offers architectural services too. I completely believe in total concepts and this seems to be a great step in the right direction. Check it out on Sid Lee Architecture.
