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The Lost Art of Disney: 250 Original Cels Found




A Japanese university plans to return about 250 pieces of original animation art to the Walt Disney Company that were mislaid in storage after traveling to Japan nearly five decades ago.

Is Your Client Reluctant To Embrace New Media?

Today's NY Times has an article by tech writer, David Pogue titled Are You Taking Advantage of Web 2.0?



While it's a very good article (albeit the term 'new media' is really more apt than his use of the term Web 2.0) it may be a little myopic and a touch obvious.

I'd like to add a little insight, if I may.

Given that I've been an Advertising Creative/Art Director for many large ad agencies and clients for over 20 years, and am one of the few over 35 who understand the importance of consumer generated content and new media (and how it works), I feel Pogue's is a good article to share with hesitant clients.

While he writes about the fact that 'Web 2.0' is a good forum for more human, less structured, often funny communications that can introduce to people to previously unknown companies, (like his example of Willitblend.com), or give a humane and credible face to more corporate companies, he didn't mention it is as a part of a larger marketing plan.

I agree that allowing the public to create mash-ups and fun multimedia content will create trust, goodwill and positive attention. Of course clients get nervous about the potential downside of public forums and blogs. The fear of negative or potentially slanderous comments often keeps them from embracing avenues like You Tube, My Space and Facebook, but, as he pointed out in his own example, consumer generated content can easily be moderated nowadays.

If I may add a few things from personal experience, I've noticed how many large ad agencies do realize the importance of "Web 2.0" or advertising on new media, but don't go about incorporating it properly. Several are quickly trying to staff up their 'interactive departments' and scrambling to hire 'Interactive' Creative Directors. While this is admirable and necessary, they limit themselves to looking at those who have designed many 'hot' websites or won a bunch of Webbys, without realizing that understanding media and marketing credible messages to consumers isn't a new idea, it's just changed forums.

Sure, it requires manpower, technological resources and the spending of money, but that's always been advertising/PR. Yes, one must hire someone who knows the terminology, the intimidating acronymns, the glut of web apps and the functionality of the wireless world, but it's still marketing and it still requires well designed and easily comprehensible and navigatable, targeted communication to make a real and long term impact. Since most clients, and still many consumers, are not completely web savvy, just having a cool site or fun podcasts, favorable comments on social networks, hot videos on You Tube and a Facebook or My Space page is not enough, but it IS essential and should be included in any media plan nowadays.

The very same ad agencies who used to call me in for freelance to work on tv and print ad campaigns or new business pitches are now turning to young hot web designers for their interactive communications without realizing that, although talented at designing flash sites, online animation and cool or funny videos, they often lack an understanding of the big picture of marketing or are too myopic in their understanding of a comprehensive marketing plan. That 'talked about' video on You Tube may get their website a lot of hits and make a company instantly popular, but it must be considered in conjunction with other communications to build a brand that isn't just a flash in the pan. After all, no one is more fickle than a consumer and with the immediacy of online communications, a brand can be hot one week only to 'cool off' in a month.

To wit, many of the large ad agencies are losing work to the new crop of places that call themselves 'interactive' agencies or 'new media' agencies. Microsites for popular and prestigious clients like BMW aren't being designed by the ad agency of record, but instead are being 'farmed out' to these boutique companies filled with talented tech savvy 20 somethings.

While embracing Web 2.0 (or new media) as part of their marketing or PR plan may give a company a more humane, likable and credible image- especially to a younger demographic, the rest of that company's communications to the public, be it via 'old school' forums like magazine, newspaper and television advertising, must also be considered in conjunction with Web 2.0 to fully make a lasting impact.

It behooves any advertising agency to understand the importance of consumer generated content within these new forums as an essential PART of their overall communications for their clients. They need to start by educating their present creatives and clients at to how it works (and it does work) or else they will lose more and more future business to those companies who do embrace Web 2.0 (as defined by David Pogue).

And they can start by reading his article.

Uber Luxe: Luxuriator's Diamond & 18k Glasses and Sunglasses




LUXURIATOR was founded and created in 2004 by Los Angeles based eye wear & jewelry designer Franco Vahe. Franco designed the first pair of diamond-studded Luxuriator sunglasses for a celebrity-friend in Los Angeles, where the brand has evolved into an exclusive and highly fashionable must-have jewelry accessory and trademark.


Above: Franco Vahe with Paris Hilton, sporting a pair of his Luxuriator Shades

The Luxuriator Collection is a modern classic luxury brand of handcrafted diamond sunglasses, with a fashion forward blend of hand set pave or micro pave VS grade, G and F color diamonds set in 18K white, yellow, rose or gun metal gold. Hand engraved and enameled versions are also offered. All temples are made of solid buffalo horn and exotic leathers, combined with top of the line optics. The unique diamond rings on each side are a design trademark created exclusively by Franco Vahe.


Above: the Uno 21, their least expensive model at $5,000.00

The collection consists of 2 main styles; Luxuriator Uno, a single bridge chassis and Luxuriator Due, a double bridge chassis. Each frame style can be made with any of the hundreds of lens shapes available and custom tinted to a clients request. Both styles and all lenses can be made with a clients eyeglass prescription.



Above: The most expensive pair they sell. At $65,000.00, the Due 24 has a 2.0 carat canary diamond and 132 handset pave diamonds, making the total carat weight 3.45.

In April of 2007, Luxuriator launched it's impressive collection worldwide at Basel World.
As time progresses, they claim they are committed to designing new styles and concepts using new materials and new technology combining precious metals and diamonds.

At the moment they seem to have 9 stock models that sell for an average of $7,000.00- $8,000.00 dollars. But they make amazingly unusual custom frames as well.








Buy a pair and you'll be keeping company with the likes of the following celebs, who own one or more pairs; Jamie Foxx, Beyonce, Paula Abdul, Paul McCartney, Pharell Williams, Paris Hilton, Usher, Sharon Stone, Denzel Washington, Sting, Oprah Winfrey and more.

For more information email: info@luxuriatorcollection.com
Telephone: 818.760-8493 or 800.448.2411
Go here to find a dealer near you.

Where's Manish Arora Going After India's Fashion Week? Disneyland!



Above: Designer Manish Arora & his collection at India's Fashion Week

Okay, not really. Besides, he's already been there from the looks of his latest collection.

Fashion week in New Delhi had some drama (the wardrobe malfunction on a Belgian model during the showing of Rajesh Pratap Singh's collection) and some truly amazing clothes. One of the more unusual...okay, bizarre... collections was that of designer Manish Arora with futuristic warrior headgear on models sporting Disney icons clad in crystal, embellishing dresses, scarves and more.



Manish Arora's 'Ultra Man Meets Lichtenstein' collection at the Delhi fashion week had people talking. Known for his irreverent designs, colorful patterns and unusual runway accoutrements, Arora's most recent collection incorporates Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Pop Art and lots of knee and shoulder pads.



The Disney cartoon characters clad in armor and the work of Japanese artist Keiichi Tanaami were rendered on silk, velvet and brocade dresses inspired by Japanese samurais, gladiators and medieval knights.. and to me, personally, Ultra Man.



Arora's models walked the ramp wearing lion masks and metallic armor shields, shoulder and knee pads, most embellished with Swarovski crystals.





"For me, fashion is glamorous and happy and shiny - that's why I show all this," the designer told reporters after the show.



"My clothes always have a sense of humor and Walt Disney provided that for me."



The majority of the collection lacked the Disney characters, but certainly didn't lack stopping power. Take a look at some of the collection:












And of course, Ultra Man:


Around 80 designers showcased autumn and winter collections on the runway or in stalls at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week.

Designer duo Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna took inspiration from city life for their 'Lost in the Urban Maze' collection - the grid lines of the city mimicked in sleek suits and dresses in various shades of brown and blue.

Creative designs were not the only thing that made news at the fashion week on Friday. The shoulder drape of a Belgian model slipped sideways during designer Rajesh Pratap Singh's show, exposing her breast for a second. Photographers clicked away but most in the audience remained oblivious to the slip-up.



Clothes coming undone on the ramp are nothing new to the fashion world, but in India it sent newspaper editors and TV producers into a feeding frenzy. Some TV channels repeatedly broadcast the footage, blurring out the model's breast, while newspapers published reports with photographs of the model.

See Manish Arora's site here.

Laurina Paperina's How To Kill The Artists




Meet Laura Scottini (aka Laurina Paperina), an italian artist with a wonderfully wicked sense of humor.



Her collection of drawings, installation and videos in the exhibit "How To Kill The Artists" is a hilarous and purposely ironic twist in which contemporary artists and cartoonists are being attacked by objects of their own creation, most of which brought them great wealth and or fame. I have gone to to trouble to locate images of the original pieces of art which Laurina references because some of you may not be familiar with the artists or the works.

The Installation:



Now, to better understand the following drawings, I have attached the artist's originals below Laurina's drawings/paintings so you can fully appreciate the satire.


Above: Paperina's painting with all the 'artists' from her collection


Jeff Koons:

Above: Paperina's Jeff Koons Vs His Dog

above: Koons' Balloon Puppy

Keith Haring:

Above: Paperina's Keith Haring's Dog.

Above : keith haring's famous dog icon

Joseph Beuys:

Above: Paperina's Joseph Beuys Eaten By Wolf.

Above: Joseph Beuys and Coyote, performance piece

Jackson Pollock:

Above: Paperina's Pollock

Above: Jackson Pollock at work

David Shrigley:

Above : Paperina's David Shrigley

Above: David Shrigley's photo "severed hand"

Maurizio Cattelan:

Above: Paperina's Cattalan Does Not Surf

Above: Maurizio Cattelan's Charlie Don't Surf

Barry McGee:

Above: Barry McGee (aka Twist)

Above: Barry McGee Sprayed

Above: Graffiti artist Barry McGee (aka Twist) at work

Takeshi Murakami:

Above: Paperina's Murakami Vs DOB

Above: Takeshi Murakami's DOB

Andy Warhol:

Above: Paperina's Warhol Vs. Marilyn

Above: Andy Warhol's Marilyn screenprint

Frida Kahlo:

Above: Paperina's Frida Kahlo

Above: Frida Kahlo's Self Portrait as the Little Deer

Jean Michel Basquiat:

Above: Paperina's Basquiat Vs. His Monster

Above: Jean Michel Basquiat, untitled

Above: Although not ready for download quite yet, she has animated videos which will be available for viewing on her site.

More about the artist:

Laurina Paperina (in english "Little Laura - Little Duck")
1980, Born in Rovereto. She lives and works between Mori (Trento, Italy) and Duck Land
2005, Academy of Fine Arts, Verona, Italy
1999, Art Institute, Rovereto (Trento), Italy

The artists' statement (in italian followed by english):

Io gioco con l'arte.
Il mio lavoro è un'elaborazione ironica della contemporaneità e sulle identità che la compongono. Elaborazione che nasce sintetizzando un linguaggio dove diversità e contraddizione si compenetrano e dove l'influenza dalla cultura di internet e della tv, dei fumetti e dei video games, della fantascienza e dei cartoons, generano un complesso insieme di elementi che si trasformano in un apparente caos ma lasciano intravedere delle forme riconoscibili.
I personaggi che popolano i miei lavori sono dunque ironia dipinta e sono frutto della mia fantasia, sono forme dinamiche e colori sgargianti di una sorta di "virtual reality" simile ad un video games dove la finzione e l'apparenza giocano simulando la realtà.
In sintesi il mio lavoro è un gioco ironico sulle sue esperienze che non ha un fine ben preciso se non quello di rappresentare le diversità di pensiero e come queste possano coesistere,
come se ogni elemento fosse un frammento indispensabile di un puzzle.

[I'm sorry...my english isn't good !!!]

I play with art. My work is an ironic elaboration of contemporaneity and the elements which are part of it. It is an elaboration stemming from a language sysnthesis where diversity and contradiction are intertwined and where the influence of internet culture, TV, comic strips, video games, sci-fi and cartoons are generating a complex set of elements, which, although turning into an apparent chaos, are letting themselves be seen in recognizable forms.
Characters populating my works are "painted irony": they are the fruits of my fantasy, dynamic forms and flamboyant colors of some sort of virtual reality resembling a video game where fiction and appearance interplay and simulate reality.
In sum, my work is an ironic game on my experiences, which has no specific purpose but to represent divergencies of thought and the way such divergencies may coexist, as though each element were an indespensable fragment of a jigsaw-puzzle.
Visit her site and see much of her other work.

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