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.
Ad spoof features Ryan Reynolds hanging off a helicopter
The spoof ad parodies the creative process of the ad industry by giving viewers a behind the camera look.
Dove ad highlights women’s beauty on their own terms
7 in 10 women believe they get more compliments about their look than their professional achievements.
Pepsi 1893: A new artisanal soda for Hipsters
This new premium soda brand by Pepsi is trying to tap into the mixology trend.
The Handy Awards celebrates advertising’s biggest wankers
Any adman can earn some glory whether they’re in the privacy of their own office or chilling at home.
Discover the strange and unrelated products released by famous brands
PlumbWorld has compiled an infographic detailing famous brands that tried to capitalize on other markets.
Snickers imagined as other candy bars
Continuing on its ‘You Are Not You When You Are Hungry’ campaign, Snickers has debuted three print ads that imagine itself as other candy bars.
Renaissance art reimagined as Instagram posts
Imagine what these Renaissance artworks would be like today if they appeared in our modern world.
Amusing cancer testi-monials from a pair of testicles
Did you know that testicular cancer is the most prevalent cancer in men aged 15 to 29? Symptoms often appear as the tumour grows and causes changes in the body. The good news is that it’s also among the most treatable when caught early. But don’t just take…
Paper sample kit that doubles as a calendar
This calendar is meant to fulfill graphic designers’ need to meet and track the deadlines of their projects.
Do you want to talk to a random Swede? Call the Swedish Number
To celebrate 250 years of free speech and encourage tourism, Sweden gave itself its own phone number.
How to charge more for your work
How do you grow your business when you can't handle more clients? Charge more for your work.
Student designers redesign cereal packaging for ease of use
This new cereal box redesign concept is not only vibrant but also more convenient to use.
Pepsi Light packaging resembles a dumbbell
Pepsi unveiled its newest campaign for Pepsi Light that features its product in dumbbell shaped bottles.
Snickers pokes fun at Photoshop fails in new ads
The back covers of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue contain humorous Photoshop errors by Snickers.
Coca-Cola 12-pack packaging transforms into VR viewer
Coca-Cola turn some of their cardboard packaging into VR viewers for your smartphone.
Van Gogh plush toy comes with a detachable ear you can gift
This Van Gogh plush toy, much like its namesake, also comes with a detachable left ear.
New Budweiser packaging revisits its classic identity
For its thirteenth redesign, Budweiser and Jones Knowles Ritchie chose to focus on the brand’s original logotype.
Coca-Cola’s Marvel-themed cans for Super Bowl teaser
Coca-Cola is partnering with Marvel for a Super Bowl spot that will air during the second quarter.
Advertisers tease us with their Super Bowl 50 ads
Laugh or cry, here's a few of the ads that you'll see on Super Bowl Sunday.
Comics depict the sad, but funny truth about Facebook
The series takes jabs at several features of the dominating platform. Take a look at these surprising accurate and funny situations that you should be familiar with.
Hyundai’s amusing Ryan Reynolds ad is Super Bowl ready
Imagine a town where every single man looks like Ryan Reynolds.
McDonald’s unveils bold typographic packaging
McDonald’s new packaging designs for their bags, cups, and boxes feature minimalist typography.
Ad agency takes bad ideas, turns them into gifts to clients
When it comes to defining a problem, creating as many solutions as possible often leads to a few bad ideas. And while creativity is a trial-and-error process, sometimes good ideas come from the bad. At least, that’s what advertising agency Wax has discovered by brilliantly…
Black Friday and Cyber Monday: What have we learned?
Boxing Day was once the time for shopping deals to be found, but that has changed. Black Friday, once a one day tradition for bargains, now stretches from American Thanksgiving until the following Monday, now referred to as Cyber Monday.
What shoppers want and where they’ll go to buy it
This year, the hope is the lower Canadian dollar will help convince both Canadians and Americans that the best deals lie north of the border.
What to do when a client rejects your designs
You and your team have invested hours into research, insight and come up with a presentation that will blow the client away. When it comes to present the designs, you’re excited to share what you’ve all been working to show. When you’re through, you gauge…
Powerful ads warn about the dangers of child neglect
Child neglect comes in many forms. Unfortunately, behaving negligent with a child also encourages bigger problems.
The truth behind glamorous Instagram photos
Social media is full of sad, lonely people pretending they are okay and perfectly fine attention-seekers pretending to be sad. Instagram photos are the most deceptive when it comes to faking our lives.
Clean your digital house with National Unfriend Day
Have you ever scrolled through your list of Facebook friends and realized you don’t recognize half the names popping up in your News Feed? If that’s the case, I’d like to wish you a happy National Unfriend Day!
Become an advertising god with the Award Winning Game
Do you work in the advertising industry? If so, then you know how demanding it can be with very little praise—until you win an award.
The most Instagrammed destinations in North America
From beautifully prepared food to inspirational sunsets, travellers are passionate about documenting the world around them using Instagram. But have you ever wondered which are the most Instagrammed destinations?
Burger King unveils Whopper Wine
How would you like to pair you next flame grilled burger with a rustic red wine? If so, then head over to Burger King in Spain to try their specially brewed Whopper Wine.
Snickers swaps out its name for hunger symptoms
You can now call out those friends who get irritable when hunger strikes by handing the a Snickers. Following the trend toward of personalized packaging like Coca Cola, Snickers is replacing its brand name on their packaging.
What does your social media pic say about you?
Can someone tell who you are by just looking at your picture? Leandra Medine of fashion blog Man Repeller thinks so–she’s created a funny post that reveals what your social media pic says about you.
Personal brand tips for beginners
If you’re a freelancer or have been working for a while, then you understand the importance of a personal brand. If you’re still in university and haven’t started just yet, don’t worry because it’s best to take your time and do it right so you’ll…
The rise of silent storytelling from Facebook’s autoplay videos
When you’re on the computer, either at work or later at night, visiting websites that blast loud autoplay videos when you forget your volume setting can prove to be quite annoying.
Discover the hidden features of the top social networks
The longer social networks exist, the more they learn what their users want; they modify, update, and increase their capabilities to keep users interested. Sometimes, however, older options become hidden features, or harder to find forgotten ones.
Facebook is finally making a dislike button
People have been asking for it—and finally after years of refusing to build one—Facebook is going to give us a way to express dislike something.
It’s time to play Ad Agency Bingo
There’s no need to be bored at work. If you’re tired of working long hours in temperature controlled rooms while tolerating the obnoxious nomenclature, you haven’t played Ad Agency Bingo yet.
Watch: Hard-hitting PSA on smartphone use while driving
As we head into the Labour Day weekend, there will be a lot of people on the roads; either getting ready for school, or heading to the cottage one last time before the end of summer. Chances are that some of those people will also…
If logos were honest about the brands they represented
Logo design and branding are the best ways to create a visual touch point for products and services. But they don’t always accurately reflect the products that they stand for. And as much as we love certain brands for their visually appealing logos, what if famous brands were…
How big brands use colour to affect your emotions
More than just text and symbols, a logo has the power to create a lasting connection with consumers.
Carlsberg’s limited edition, beer-infused grooming products
Do you like your beer? I find it especially good on a warm summer’s day. But would you swap your favourite shampoo for beer? That’s what Carlsberg is hoping with their new line of beer-infused male grooming products created at their Copenhagen-based Carlsberg Laboratory.
Clever ads show how smartphone obsession hurts those around us
According to researchers, the average person is so engrossed in their smart device that they can no longer accurately read how people are feeling. Those same people also have such an obsession with their devices that they’ve forgotten how to properly interact with people in…
Depicting the struggles of ad agency creatives through admojis
Emojis have become part of today’s written language. They’re used to show off our emotions and expressions in a way that’s easier than words alone. In fact, 92 percent of the online community use emojis. But they don’t express enough when it comes to advertising…
How typography can help boost a brand
To creatives and designers, typography has never played a more crucial role to boost a brand than it does today. Your brand is more than a logo; it’s the emotion that consumers associate a brand with when using your product or service.
What if apps needed pick-up lines?
A lot of time has been spent debating whether pick-up lines are the best way to get someone’s attention or not. But what if your favourite apps and websites needed pick-up lines to get your attention?
Toothpaste campaign shows how a smile changes the story
A simple smile has more power than you might think. No matter where you are in the world, what language you speak, or social status, a smile will always be understood. And this is the focus of a print campaign by toothpaste brand Crest.
Is this billboard obscene by accident or by intent?
Costa Rican drivers are getting an eyeful when passing this billboard for beer brand Republica Parrillera Pilsner. When appearing from the front, it appears like your average billboard. However, when viewed from behind they receive an obscene image.
Infographic: 6 tips on managing negative social media comments