urban forest

Urban Forest project was commissioned by The Times Square Alliance and developed by Design Ignites Change for Times Square in Manhattan. At first, 185 banners were required to be filled to advertise good business and quality of life, but The Times Square Alliance decided to push the project further to the level that would integrate other forms of art and design to demonstrate that Times Square is not only about consumerism and commercialism.After Design Ignites Change carried out the research and found out that sustainability is one of the prime issues that concerns designers, it became clear that the banners and their design should communicate sustainability in Times Square. This approach allowed The Times Square Alliance to show their concern about the global problem as well as designers to unfold their creativity skills to open a debate and make people aware of the issue. The Times Square Alliance wrote a brief where they asked to communicate environmental, cultural, social and economical issues through a tree symbol either metaphorically or literally. A tree seemed to be an appropriate symbol that not only communicates sustainability but also would be a nice contrast to the chaotic everyday life of the city.
However, green-looking design and the concept of the banners on their own would not enough. After the banners were taken down they were recycled into the tote bags to make sure they don’t just end up in a landfill. Although the project had its weaknesses like the vinyl material used to produce the banners, it goes without saying that it raised an international media interest and therefore the public awareness of the issue.

egg designs

Although Egg Designs is a South African design studio based in Durban, their designs do not have “typically African” look about them. With some ethnic hints their furniture is influenced by their surroundings. Like this rather peculiar “Rocker” chair that was created using shopping trolley mesh or a swing inspired by children’s swings handmade from recycled used car tyres, although this one is an extravagant leather version for the grown-ups.

cameron moll poster

This signed limited edition letterpress poster was designed by Cameron Moll to promote the First Annual Design Review for a team of 30 designers at the LDS Church. The building on the poster is the Salt Lake Temple constructed from Bickham Script Pro, Engravers MT, and Epic typeface families characters and presents a modest exquisiteness of flowing pattern textured to an eye and formed by beautifully organically positioned letters.

sonia kashuk fragrance packaging

When designing this packaging for Sonia Kashuk fragrance there was a problem of organically placing two different products into one shape: a solid fragrance compact and a liquid fragrance bottle. For making a personalized aroma three solid fragrances are included that consumers can blend, as they like.
Widely used aluminium producing unique smooth to touch surface enhances the sophisticated futuristic shape of the packaging evidently inspired by an artist’s palette. The graceful rounded shapes of the compact were extended to provide support for the clear liquid fragrance bottle that is free from unnecessary elements that would argue with unusual asymmetrical form of the packaging. The whole design is efficient and Sonia Kashuk fragrance fits easily in a hand or a bag.

interactive model by pentagram

This interactive architectural model of Lower Manhattan was designed by international network of agencies – Pentagram that incorporates functionalism, identity and visual aesthetics into its design projects.
Wall Street Rising’s new Downtown Centre attracts tourists and citizens and acts as a public place where guests and residents of the city can come together to experience a feeling of neighborhood and unity, which is very rare in such big cities. It is not only visual attraction but it also provides useful educational and practical information about events, attractions and even history in eight short documentary films about the area.
The mouse that selects buildings, streets and places of interest navigates the architectural model and the information is then projected onto model itself.

tbwa=disruption

TBWA is a worldwide network of advertising agencies that was founded in Paris in 1970. Nowadays it consists of 237 offices with such clients as Nissan, Adidas, Apple, Playstation, Pedigree, Whiskas and etc.
TBWA philosophy is “that brands can’t beat the competition by following the rules of the competition. Brands that truly outperform the market do so by breaking the conventions of their market and plotting alternative paths to growth.” They call this Disruption.
Disruption is a way of life. It is a tactic, a device for transformation, an instrument for revolutionization and a driving force of evolution and development. “Disruption is not destructive. It is creation.” Disruption is the way of turning something passive into something active. Disruption questions conservative perception and upends existing theories, beliefs and narrow-mindedness that distract from real creative potential and initiative.
TBWA investigates three different fields required for achievement: Convention (“Conventions are the limiting definitions that organizations often unknowingly adhere to”), Vision (“the Vision is the guiding premise that opens an organization’s horizons, both in communication and action”) and Disruption.
TBWA helps brands to progress by developing “Disruptive strategies” and creating “Disruptive campaigns”.




This ad campaign (2006) plays on a hard side of a dog’s life bringing a humorous note to it. Pedigree is a reward for suffering that people doom their pets to. This idea is put together by funny imagery and the copy at the bottom that reads: “Because dogs don’t always have it easy”.



Unfortunately there is nothing absolute in life… except Absolut Vodka. Well, at least that is what this poster campaign tries to establish with jokey pictures from imaginary “Absolut World”.





This advertising campaign wittily communicates the deadliness of a foot odour that can be associated with fatality of a weapon. It is a really suitable and effective hyperbole of the main underlying subject of the campaign. The tag line is: “Ephydrol. Gets rid of deadly foot odour”.

read it before hollywood does

One of the most topical problems of contemporary culture is unwillingness of younger generations to read classic world literature. This problem is a key issue of the poster advertising campaign created by Leo Burnett (2005).
How can classic literature compete with astounding, full of breathtaking special effects and silicone bodies world of Hollywood, when audience doesn’t need to turn the imagination on but obediently swallows commodities of the Dream Factory mass production?
This funny but concurrently full of bitter irony poster campaign demonstrates how Hollywood can turn any classic literature masterpiece into vulgar cliché.
So, read it before Hollywood does.

life after re-branding: endless confrontation of the bee and the egg

Beeline and Mobile Tele Systems (MTS) are two largest mobile phone operators in Russia. They have been sharing mobile market since early nineties and one of the strategies they both almost simultaneously used to win clients was re-branding.
Beeline was registered as a brand in 1993. The logo was very simple, but incredibly clumsy looking. Use of blue background suggested professionalism and conservatism, while white italic type, that looked like it was done in marker pen, on opposite, suggested informal attitude, as if the letters restricted themselves from being fun. Odd-looking yellow bee in the centre added a bit of contrast to the logo. An image of “busy bee” spoke to businessmen.


The brand identity existed over ten years and only in 2005 Beeline decided to change it to more noticeable, aggressive and glaring. Although main requirement was incorporating a bee symbol and same blue into new identity, Wolff Olins (London 2012 and Tate identities) got rid off blue and left remaining just colours of a bee, that, to be fair, looked more like colouring of a wasp. New identity turned the idea of bright communication and emotional bond between a client and the mobile operator into practice. Beeline is perceived as more stylish, dynamic, cheerful and active. However, there is a disadvantage of the new brand identity. Beeline entered mobile market as a company offering expensive services (“busy bee” image), the main target audience after re-branding appears to be young people.


MTS was founded in 1994. Their logo was more complicated. Use of three equally bright colours and three totally different fonts made it awkward, ugly and confusing. The logo was trying to explain itself but explained too much at one time.


MTS corporate identity also existed over ten years and completely changed in 2006, shortly after their main competitor’s re-branding. MTS knew its clients well; they are family, active, young and independent people. New symbol communicated simplicity, sincerity, humanity, strength and trustworthiness. It is a symbol of life, creation, beginning and logic of development. The colour reflected courage, energy, dynamics, innovation, emotion, leadership and victory. Two parts of a logo communicates balance. Its simplicity makes things clear and best understood. MTS promotional campaigns are always personal, symbolic and associative.
Use of egg as a company symbol is an ironic question in our minds: what came first – the chicken or the egg or, in this case, the bee or the egg?

new formula of russian fashion

E2O is a new fashion brand by young dynamic Russian designer Evgeniya Ostrovskaya. It is fresh, original, whimsical and surprisingly affordable. Natural fabrics, like cotton, wool, linen and silk, used in all garments, and brown paper and one coloured ink of graphic prints of packaging gives the brand environmentally friendly feel, as well as the sense of harmony with nature.
E2O packaging mirrors brand values and the concept, which is new edge of contemporary style, translated in graphic prints, blending of traditions of different cultures, setting a mood and reflection of soul’s state. Its style brings romantic philosophy into routine consumerism.