High End Package Design

Design by Stranger and Stranger, a Studio from London

This is what they say about themselves:

Stranger and Stranger is a packaging design and branding company specialising in alcoholic drinks. Since 1995 we have named, researched and registered wines and spirits brands worldwide.

We've created bespoke and innovative bottle shapes, labels, closures and all secondary packaging.

We've created marketing support material and environmental dressing. We've supervised production to the highest standards.

We've won a pile of awards along the way but most importantly we've helped sell a billion bottles of beer, wine and spirits in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

This is what I say about them:

Absolutely beautiful. An amazing collection.

It doesn't matter what the liquid tastes like.

Hopefully you haven't oversold the product.

Or is the product the design? Manufactured for the back bar.

The bottles are eloquent.

The labels are works of art.

Drink it in and enjoy.

(And yes, I can use eloquent to describe the expression of an inanimate object like a bottle because it does have a mouth.)

Monkey is the New Guerilla

So technically this isn't guerilla marketing, but it is a brilliant use of identifying a non-traditional consumer touchpoint to deliver a marketing message.

I always imagined the Death Star would have a more modern style latrine.

An Interview with Handiedan

One of my favorite artists, whose work I own none of ... yet.

Arrested Motion did a nice interview with the Dutch artist. They asked one of the questions I'd been wondering about since I was first turned onto her work:

AM: The name “Handiedan”, where does it come from? What does it mean?

Han = my name, the short version of my first name

die = that

dan = than

In English I know it’s a little confusing. People often think I am a guy, because they read ‘Handy Dan’ or something, but in Dutch it is actually a funny little rhyme.

A little history: When I write my email conversations or text messages I often end my messages with this kind of rhyme words and Dutch word combinations. ‘Cheers van han dan’, (Cheers from Han than), ‘xx van han die dan!’ and ‘Han says hi!’

Keep an eye out for future shows. Handiedan shows with Phone Booth Gallery. If you see a new release before I do, buy it for me.

50 Year-Old Scotch is EXPENSIVE

Special edition 50-year-old Glenfiddich scotch

This is what packaging for a $15,000 bottle whiskey looks like. Only 500 individually numbered, hand-blown glass bottles will be available, each adorned with Scottish silver and packaged in leather-bound cases. 50 bottles will be released each year, for a period of 10 years.

Conan Really Left NBC To Go Save The Princess

Taking A Piss ... Doggy Style

Well, this urinal design definitely answers the question of what to do with your hands when taking a piss. I guess you just grab on.

I'm not sure where this is? Or who designed this amazing display of toiletry? But it definitely puts a smile on my face.

How are you supposed to keep your eyes forward if the guy next to you starts mini-pumping the urinal? Or how do you even choose which urinal to approach in the first place? Do you choose by thong color, stockings, skin tone? It really changes the entire experience.

But what really worries me is ... if this is what the urinals look like, what do you think they have going on with the toilets? I can't even imagine what kind of crazy fetish those bowls might cater to.

Smile, You're on the Internet!

I can't explain why, but this just puts a smile on my face.

Bring It On, Cupcake

The Name of The Game is BALLHAT

... And Toby is the Champion.

It takes a special kind of person and a special kind of gathering for Ballhat to truly takeoff. In this case, the person was Toby, an Aussie director with a head for beer games. The gathering was in Tony's kitchen.

Before this night, I never would've imagined that a mariachi hat and a squishy baseball would prove to go together like peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs, or the suggestion of a threesome and a slap in the face.

I gave Ballhat a try and completed not a single orbit. Toby, for this amazing achievement, my hat is off to you, sir ... literally.