http://brickstudios.com/index.php/site/index/ en jeff@brickstudios.com Copyright 2011 2011-08-03T03:09:44+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/its_better_to_be_on_the_mobile_train/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/its_better_to_be_on_the_mobile_train/#When:03:09:44Z Whether you like it or not, people are glued to their mobile phones. It makes sense when there are more mobile phones than people in the world. This fact is definitely changing our industry, our process, and how our clients market their businesses. In only the past 4 years, 400,000 mobile apps have been developed and 11 billion apps have been downloaded. And, these numbers are exponentially rising. We have been adapting our business to accommodate this staggering increase in mobile interactive design and have already gotten our hands in on a few apps and are eager to take on more. Technology 2011-08-03T03:09:44+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/wired_adobe_embrace_the_ipad/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/wired_adobe_embrace_the_ipad/#When:18:02:34Z As many of us know the iPad made it's official debut to the public today. As I type this the lines are still out the door, and wrapped twice around the block. They have probably been like this for more than twenty-four hours. Similar to the buzz that the iPhone produced almost three years ago, the iPad is predicted to change the way we view media, messaging and information in an entirely revolutionary way. Case in point, Wired and Adobe have teamed up to provide THE user experience for magazine readers and other print-based publications such as newspapers and books. This device will change the way we interact with design, information and advertising. And we can hardly wait. Design, Technology 2010-04-03T18:02:34+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/ask_a_spy_to_market_you_online/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/ask_a_spy_to_market_you_online/#When:16:49:30Z USA networks' Burn Notice is gaining more popularity by the week. This action-packed original series follows around a "burned" spy who tries to piece back together his life in Miami. It's a clever story that doesn't take it self too serious. The lead character, Michael Westen, has an abundance of spy knowledge that he shares with an online audience through a voice-over narrative. It's very McGyver meets black ops. Just like a spy, the online marketing of the show covers all of it's bases. "Ask a Spy" captures the essense of Michael Westens character in a quasi-question/answer video forum. Inspiration 2010-01-04T16:49:30+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/credit_card_transaction_w_iphone/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/credit_card_transaction_w_iphone/#When:18:35:12Z This one seemed almost inevitable. But Square seemed to have gotten it right. Well, from idea and interface standpoint. We haven't actually tested this product. Not yet.  Check out their website for more details. Technology 2009-12-18T18:35:12+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/architecture_and_lego_connect/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/architecture_and_lego_connect/#When:17:45:50Z From toys, to theme parks LEGO has again ventured into unexplored territory for their brand, products and customers. Their newest release is “Architecture.” A series of world famous buildings and architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright. As far back as I can remember LEGO has been providing the pieces to fuel our imaginations. Piecing together little blocks like a three-dimensional puzzle was just the beginning. LEGO has steadily, and confidently marched forward with a smart and design-centric brand that enlightens children and adults alike. The Architecture series is a clear example... Design 2009-12-11T17:45:50+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/freeband_-_the_ambient_life/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/freeband_-_the_ambient_life/#When:18:17:38Z Great animation and insight to the future of the technology from the guys at www.theqbf.com. It imagine this is how Minority Report looked in it's pre-vis stage.  Inspiration, Design 2009-11-21T18:17:38+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/awesome_beautiful_or_both/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/awesome_beautiful_or_both/#When:14:02:06Z Rock Band just got more timeless with the new addition of The Beatles. This trailer produced by Passion Pictures is a perfect encapsulation of the Fab Fours career. Inspiration, Culture 2009-06-11T14:02:06+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/print_and_digital_are_finally_dating/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/print_and_digital_are_finally_dating/#When:00:24:11Z It's true! Total Immersion has created the technology to bring print to life with a simple web cam. AND you can interact with it. Check out video. Be impressed. Inspiration, Technology 2009-04-26T00:24:11+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/what_inspires_you/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/what_inspires_you/#When:18:28:36Z A creative will say that the key to creating is inspiration – but where does that inspiration come from? We’ve experienced that it can come from many different sources and that it’s unique to each individual. I thought I’d share some ways that Brick Studios finds their inspiration, then ask – what inspires you? MUSIC DOES IT I’m not exactly sure why, but here at Brick Studios there are a few very specific albums that trigger our creative minds into being ultra-productive. If we are in a lull, we can just... Inspiration, Photography 2009-04-06T18:28:36+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/skittles_showers_the_social_networks/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/skittles_showers_the_social_networks/#When:22:45:12Z In the past five years, every serious marketer has been using social networking sites to promote products, ideas, and in the best case scenario, create a subculture. For example, Cadbury Chocolate have gained new awareness with their drum-toting gorilla, pounding his way through Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” These creative mash-ups and cultural pairings have new meaning once they are introduced on the ever-changing stage of the internet. This is where Skittles.com and their agency of record, Agency.com, have broke new ground for a mainstream brand with a simple and unique execution that appears to be a direct lift from Modernista’s website. Critique, Inspiration 2009-03-23T22:45:12+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/loyal_army_where_cuteness_rules/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/loyal_army_where_cuteness_rules/#When:23:53:17Z When it comes to clothes, I can be a sucker for “cute”. I have been trying really hard to dress like an almost-30-year-old, but when I discovered Loyal Army Clothing, my willpower to combat cuteness went out the door. Loyal Army, based in San Francisco, currently has their clothes being sold all over the world in fun stores and boutiques. At Loyal Army, they live in the world of “Kawaii” which, in Japanese, means “cute”, and there goal is... Culture 2009-03-16T23:53:17+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/designing_in_a_recession/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/designing_in_a_recession/#When:00:05:12Z It has been about six months since our economy and the world has realized the United States is officially nursing a massive hangover from an insatiable appetite for excess. And it’s going to take more than a special hangover cure of greasy eggs, pickles and aspirin to relieve this pain. We understand the reality now. Thank God! This is why I see this recession as a good thing. Don’t get me wrong, this is going to be tough for a lot of individuals and companies, but I feel It will ultimately be good for the foundation of our economy and more specifically, the design industry. This includes every possible form of design: print, product, interactive, motion, and even industrial – Yes, I am talking to you GM. And here is why... Critique, Culture 2009-03-07T00:05:12+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/james_white_is_retro_modern/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/james_white_is_retro_modern/#When:21:43:39Z Recently, we came across the work of James White from Signalnoise.com. His work has a fresh and vibrant persona with a prism-colored palette and geometrical forms. These are the signature attributes to his style. Within this combination, James creates a sense of motion and fluidity with an almost three-dimensional quality to his work. Oh, did I mention he is prolific?? A quick visit to his website reveals an expansive body of work. From his beginnings with watercolors, human forms and skulls to intergalactic color schemes and crystalline forms, James expresses the themes... Inspiration 2009-02-27T21:43:39+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/pinkberry_has_some_swirly_branding/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/pinkberry_has_some_swirly_branding/#When:20:34:38Z Moving out to Los Angeles, I was excited about many things – sunny weather, beaches, hiking, amazing Mexican food – but most importantly, the frenzy that Los Angeles has created about frozen yogurt, locally coined “Fro-Yo”. There are many frozen yogurt stores to enjoy in southern California, but by far, the most unique and perfectly branded is Pinkberry. Pinkberry opened... Critique, Culture 2009-02-17T20:34:38+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/bye-bye_cable_box._helloo_boxee/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/bye-bye_cable_box._helloo_boxee/#When:09:01:24Z Haaaaave you met Boxee??? Well, you should. This tiny little app is very quickly making itself irreplaceable. Never mind the cute tilted face logo (or is that a movie reel?) – Boxee is pure beauty and brawn. Enough of the initial enthusiasm, let's talk about what Boxee can do. With Boxee, you can view... Technology 2009-02-07T09:01:24+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/the_biggest_campaign_for_the_biggest_smallest_movie_ever_made/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/the_biggest_campaign_for_the_biggest_smallest_movie_ever_made/#When:21:06:41Z I was talking with a friend recently, and she was telling me about a campaign she just finished at Wieden+Kennedy, a creatively-led advertising agency in Portland. The campaign was for the new feature film “Coraline” which is based on the horror novella by author Neil Gaiman. The film, produced by LAIKA Studios, is the first stop-motion animation filmed in 3D. The story is about a young girl, Coraline, who finds... Critique, Inspiration, Culture 2009-02-06T21:06:41+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/red_the_color_of_hollywood_marketing/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/red_the_color_of_hollywood_marketing/#When:03:30:50Z Through the luck of an eBay auction, Brick Studios had the pleasure to grace the 2009 nominees’ presence at the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards Red Carpet. Actually, we were squeezed into these tiny bleacher seats and most people hardly noticed us... Culture 2009-02-04T03:30:50+00:00 http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/walt_may_be_cryogenically_frozen_but_his_family_is_on_fire/ http://brickstudios.com/corkboard/walt_may_be_cryogenically_frozen_but_his_family_is_on_fire/#When:03:41:48Z Brick Studios has had the recent pleasure of attending an AIGA studio tour at the Disney Family studio in North Hollywood. This was a two-hour long, casual look into the inner workings of how the Disney Family team transformed a parent-focused suite of sites into a successful, online family destination at Family.com. Although these sites are under the umbrella of Disney, this team has done a wonderful job of branding it with its own unique personality. The look is very friendly, and almost what you would expect for this type of audience. But what is truly impressive is what’s under the hood and all over the dash of this site... Critique 2009-02-01T03:41:48+00:00