The Design Block
If you're looking for the latest in advertising and marketing, design related technology and lifestyle tips, and art or design highlights then you're in the right place. Find all this and more with the Design Block blog.
Snowbird ski resort cleverly uses 1-star review in its ad
From intermediate to expert skiers, Snowbird ski resort in Utah is renowned for its challenging slopes. However, one guest found the mountains to be a bit too challenging and wrote a 1-star review of his stay.
Company makes humorous soaps for all types of people
Do you still use bar soaps or do you use a body wash? If you still use bars, then these products might be just what you’re looking for. And while the soap industry may not be known for its sense of humour, an American company…
Controversial KFC Whole Chicken ad will not face an investigation
We all know that the meat we eat used to be a barnyard animal. And as both an Art Director and a farmer, I know that not a lot of people like being reminded of that fact. That, however, is some of the criticism behind…
Heinz creates Chicago Dog Sauce for the city that won’t use ketchup
People put a lot of things on their hot dogs in Chicago; the one thing they absolutely won’t put on is ketchup. Most Chicagoans opt for mustard, relish, onion and pickled condiments instead. Where this rule originated is a mystery, but one by which natives of the Windy…
Award winning ads show how humans are getting dumber
Our world is populated by different kinds of people, all with hugely varying levels of intelligence. And while most consider themselves intelligent, it can be very hard to get an accurate assessment of our own intelligence. After all, our thoughts tend to sound smart in…
KFC creates $20,000 Zinger Burger from a meteorite
We live in an age of viral pranks where companies will do almost anything to get your attention. Some go with the trends, like Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino. Not wanting be buried under all the social media hype is KFC, which just released a new line of…
Clever ads use optical illusions to encourage pet adoption
Pet adoption is a wonderful thing. Ask any pet owner, and they’ll probably tell you that their furry friend has made their family feel complete. Photographer Amol Jadhav along with art director Pranav Bhide took that concept and transformed a brilliant idea into striking ads that are more than…
LEGO builds its way to award-winning campaign at Cannes festival
After a decade of being nearly forgotten, LEGO has rebuilt itself into a global toy juggernaut. Fuelled in part by The LEGO Movie‘s popularity, the company surpassed rival Mattel to become the biggest toy manufacturer in the world. The LEGO bricks are available in 53 different…
Smirnoff humorously trolls Trump with new transit ad
Whether you like your vodka straight, on the rocks or in your Bloody Mary, there’s a reason Smirnoff received a ton of buzz recently. In its new transit shelter ad campaign, Smirnoff takes a shot at President Donald Trump.
Prada retails a single paperclip for $185US
Prada is selling a $185US money clip that looks like a paperclip. Yes, it’s literally just a fancy version of a paperclip that’s probably on your desk. Barney’s New York has just retailed a sterling silver Prada clip, and it’s the latest item to join the list of things…
ASICS responsive print ad determines the running shoes you need
Running is one of the easiest sports to jump into, and one of the most popular. But did you know that it’s hard on your body and can lead to serious long-term injuries? In fact, thousands of runners don’t use the proper running shoes for…
McDonald’s puts its drive-thru on wheels
If you’re in a hurry, getting lunch at the drive-thru is a convenient way to get your fast food. But what if that wasn’t convenient enough for you? Well, McDonald’s isn’t going to wait for you to come to its brick-and-mortar; rather, it’s taken the initiative…
Danish fashion label RAINS sues Zara for copying its raincoat design
Zara has a reputation for taking runway designs and making affordable versions for everyday consumers. However, they’ve taken a lot of heat in the last few months, starting with their Love Your Curves ad, and now this: Danish outerwear label RAINS recently announced it is filing…
Real estate ad for a $100 million mansion is basically softcore porn
You’ll hear the phrase often when you enter the advertising industry: sex sells. But do people really buy a product just because it has sexually stimulating imagery attached to it? For this US$100 million OPUS mansion in Beverly Hills, half-naked women covered in gold paint star in a…
Starbucks debuts colour and flavour changing Unicorn Frappuccino
Starbucks has decided to jump on the rainbow-themed food trend bandwagon with its Unicorn Frappuccino blended beverage. The sparkly frozen beverage, which was only available from April 19 to 23, had quickly become a social media sensation.
What are the best times to post on social media?
The easy answer is that the best times to post on social media are when the people you want to see the content are on the network. However, each social network has its own best practice. Data from 16 studies proves that posting at the best times will help…
7 colours that could get you sued if used in your designs
There are plenty of colours to choose from. And some shades are so appealing, you’d be hard up not to incorporate them in your projects. However, if you’ve unwittingly been using one of the seven specific colours, you just might get on the wrong side of the law.
Brewery reveals cynical Fake News Ale directed at Trump
Fake News Ale by Northern Maverick Brewing Co. pokes fun at the political climate south of the border.
London studio teams with Coca-Cola to create bottle cap emojis
It’s easy to dismiss emojis; silly faces and undefined symbols that are a language on their own and only for teenagers. However, it’s important to know that many written symbols from today date back to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Emojis transcend borders, languages and technology. And the emoji language is…
Penis seat installed on a Mexico City train to highlight sexual harassment
Have you ever been sexually harassed on public transit before? If you’re in Mexico City, it happens quite a bit. The United Nations and Mexico City‘s government have joined together to launch this campaign against the soaring rates of sexual harassment on the city’s public transit. How? By…
Burger King’s new ad tries to force Google Home to advertise the Whopper
Burger King recently unveiled a genius, yet a little infuriating video ad that’s designed to intentionally set off Google Home; the voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant.
Real estate agency In hot water for objectifying women in sexist ad
A transit poster popped up recently in the London Underground that’s turning heads for the wrong reasons. Real estate agency Marsh and Parsons has received severe criticism following the release of an advertisement objectifying women.
Keep your mouth ‘Whopper Fresh’ with Burger King toothpaste
Do you enjoy the taste of a flame broiled Whopper? What if you could keep that taste in your mouth when you brush your teeth? Burger King France has cooked up a new ‘Whopper Toothpaste‘ with its agency Buzzman. Or at least, that’s what they’d…
Zara’s ‘Love Your Curves’ ad draws harsh criticism and humorous responses
You should always be weary of what you say or post online—especially on Twitter. Clothing brand Zara certainly learned that after posting an ad showing two models with the tagline, “Love your curves.”
New Burger King ad campaign has its restaurants up in flames
Burger King is serious about flame grilling its burgers. So much so that its new print ad campaign has the photos to prove it. Literally burning the house down, Burger King’s latest ads shows its restaurants up in flames; a consequence, according to the ads, of the…
Bottle designs inspired by masked Mexican wrestlers
If you’re into wrestling, then you probably like the masked luchadores from Mexico. A spectacular sight to behold, these ring warriors are commonly included as motifs on tequila bottles. However, Mucha Liga Tequila takes this concept to new heights with its packaging.
The destruction of wildlife illustrated in clever double exposure ads
“Destroying Nature is Destroying Life”. This is the slogan of a beautiful and powerful new awareness campaign against the destruction caused by uncontrolled industrialization. Using double exposure ads, the campaign reminds us that the destruction of nature inevitably leads to the destruction of wildlife.
Snapchat Spectacles may soon play a big role in recruiting talent
If you’ve been avoiding Snapchat, whether personally or professionally, it’s time to start paying attention. It’s a mobile phenomenon which enjoys 100 million users daily, watching 10 billion videos each day. When Snapchat Spectacles were first released, they only seemed to be a playful extension of the…
Airbnb and PANTONE create green wonderland to help fight the winter blues
Airbnb and PANTONE have joined up to create a one-of-a-kind nature-filled space that brings the outdoors, inside. Inspired by the Pantone’s 2017 Colour of the Year, Greenery, the Outside In house in the heart of London, is designed to encourage visitors to embrace 2017 with fresh optimism.
Spotify’s OOH campaign reveals its users’ most embarrassing listening habits
Were you the one who used Spotify to play “Sorry” 42 times last Valentine’s day? If you had unlimited access to people’s listening habits, the results would be more intriguing than you could imagine.
Instagram account pokes fun at fonts and typefaces
Instagram is a good resource when you’re looking for inspiration. It’s also a great place to find hilarious quotes and sayings.
IKEA renames products after frequently Googled problems their products solve
For those searching through endless pages on Google for relationship advice, be wary. IKEA may be using your search queries for inspiration in their new brand campaign, ‘Retail Therapy’.
Top 10 brand disasters of 2016
Branding is a tricky business and it’s difficult to get it right all the time; and sometimes companies can fail, big time. 2016 was a big year for brands like Johnson & Johnson’s, Volkswagen, Uber, and Samsung. All of which have come under fire for making mistakes before…
Student commercial goes viral after being ignored by Adidas
Adidas is a major brand with a host of international agencies. But the advertisement below went viral on YouTube; and it wasn’t created by any of Adidas’ agencies. Eugen Merher, a student at Germany’s Film Academy of Baden-Württemberg, has made an incredibly moving advertising short.
Clever campaign for erotic books gets around censorship
How can you create an advertising campaign for a series of erotic books without getting dealing with censorship? That was the challenge for Brussels-based communications agency Mortierbrigade.
The weirdest crowdfunding fails
Crowdfunding has created plenty of opportunities for aspiring businesses in recent years. It helps give them an opportunity to introduce exciting new inventions and products. However, it can also be risky. You hand money to internet strangers who give you nothing but a promise in return.
Artist helps friends bar with creative chalk signs
The Spirits Tavern in Dahlonega, Georgia had been seeing a decline in patrons. That’s when owner Sabrina Walker had the idea to recruit local artists to design chalk signs for her business. She managed to get a friend of hers, Ollie Wolff Pruitt, aka littlewolff, to take on the…
Bathroom spray uses real gold particles to remove odour
If a unicorn farted golden rainbows into a bottle, would you buy it? Even if it’s guaranteed to give you “the best-smelling poop of your life” or your money back? And no, you’re not having a scatological acid trip… but it might be the closest you’ll get.
Minimalist WWF ads show the impact of global warming
Climate change is already having a significant impact on global ecosystems and communities. Rising average temperatures don’t simply mean warmer winters. Some regions are already experiencing more extreme heat, cold, flooding and drought. To help raise awareness, Leo Burnett Philippines has come up with a collection of print…
Powerful ads feature animals tied up like garbage bags
An argument can be made that in order to deserve respect from other humans, you need to be human. However, with peoples deep love for animals, it raises fundamental questions about the basis of moral rights.
Limited edition art supplies created by Karl Lagerfeld
Adult colouring books are currently one of the top trending items, and rightfully so. Colouring books for adults are touted as a therapeutic activity to de-stress and increase mindfulness. They’re dominating best-seller lists and compelling countless grown-ups to find art supplies to colour with.
Burger King becomes McDonald’s ghost for Halloween
Talk about being burned. A Burger King location in Queens, New York, has taken a jab at McDonald’s for Halloween. In the amusing prank, a BK restaurant was transformed into the ghost of its famous rival. The entire building was draped in white sheets, accompanied by a sign that…
Vintage travel posters celebrate world’s lost wildlife
You can still visit Costa Rica, but you’ll never find a golden toad there. At least not any more. That’s because the species no longer exists. When thinking about your next vacation, it’s standard practice to flick through a guidebook or travel website to find out more…
Life in an ad agency shown through stock photos
Stock photos get a lot of hate. And most of time, the annoyance makes sense. We’ve all seen our share of cliché images, and there are lots of weird, creepy ones that leave you wondering who would want to use them. Then you see them thrown in…
College student’s photo series protests rapists release
In June of this year, Brock Turner, a former student at Stanford University in California, was sentenced for rape. He received only six months for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster at a campus party. As you can probably imagine, many people were understandably…
Diet Coke prints millions of unique labels for new campaign
Diet Coke sales keep falling, but the marketing investment behind the struggling soda keeps flowing in the US this year. Coca-Cola put significant media support behind the launch of a new Diet Coke packaging design program. Diet Coke’s fun new packaging stunt uses HP Indigo digital printing technology to create…
KFC scented sunscreen has just launched and sold out
There’s certainly no shortage of strange beauty products on the market. Products like Burger King’s Whopper cologne or KFC’s finger lickin’ good nail polish are available for purchase. Apparently consumers can’t get enough of that finger lickin’ good fried chicken. KFC has released an Extra Crispy Sunscreen that comes…
Instagram account shares funny memes for creatives
Creatives, do you enjoy memes about your industry? If you do, you should definitely follow @screensaviors on Instagram.
KFC Thailand’s new speedy packaging design
KFC's new speedy packaging is a way to encourage people who appreciate the service to order even more.
IKEA ads cleverly remind us of product affordability
A reminder to their customers about how affordable their furniture really is.