This is the question posed by Digital Family Reunion (DFR). jungle [8] has taken on the task of bringing the molecular level into a unified visual field. It began with Creative Director Lainie Liberti giving the visual interpretation of what a tech holiday party would want to stir in the consciousness of its attendees.

You will not find images of dreaded Christmas sweaters from grandma nor will this party leave you cringing from the onslaught of lackluster, forced, and drunken conversations about office politics and gossip. The goal of DFR is to synthesize 1.0 + 2.0 and create a platform for collaboration, discussion, and innovation for our communities, while of course, having a great time in the company of like-minded individuals.

One look at the website and invite for DFR and you will know this is not your typical holiday party. As with all things jungle [8] takes on, causes run the gamut of our affections. We aim to unite, to create, to empower, and leave in our wake a trail of limitless possibility.

On a cellular lever, we are molecular energy working in brilliant formation. The visual depiction created by jungle [8] for DFR is a flow of energy created by the visible light spectrum. Each of us vibrates on different energy levels, and we merge to create a community reflective of our unified energy. Out of this energy field, bursts of solar power emanate indicative of our social selves, active, powerful and radiant.

The task of translating this image into a live installation rests on the design concept of jungle [8]’s graphic designer Tuan Vutran. With creative genius beginning a steady knock on the door of perception, the installation takes on an earthy form. A week from today, at 8:15 PM, DFR will begin a yearly tradition known as the Business Card Installation Ritual.

Tuan is piecing together the Business Card Installation one Styrofoam ball at a time. Like planets, connected through clear, plastic umbilical cordlike tubes, reflecting prisms of rainbow light, the balls will appear to take flight with wings made from 2000 business cards from the original dot commers. The molecular representation symbolizes all of our talents fusing to herald a new year, a year of collaboration, change, and interconnectedness.

All in attendance for DFR will be asked to add their business cards to the Card Installation and become immortalized in a tangible reflection of our ever changing molecular bonds.

Be sure to see: Magnifying Connections: creating an installation, episode 1

Whatever taste, aspirations are yours when choosing the car of the, your future, the constant in the equation will be its green properties. In the 2008 Paris, Detroit Motor Show, the diversification of the designs, technologies and creativity displayed incontestably the full range of environmental awareness of the car manufacturers.

Aligned with the desiderata of industrialized countries’ consumption, the values of the car industry shifted with in the back of their mind, to maximize the good on earth. From luxury to ordinary cars, the competition is sharp to present excellence in fuel economy, in gas emission reduction : The paradigm of the Millennium!

If Toyota with its famous Prius enjoys its leading position among the diesel sales (hunted by Honda, Nissan, Ford…), the appearance of new technologies as the Blue Tec for Mercedes, or the hydrogen power for BMW expresses the eagerness of brands to overthrow any supremacy in surpassing the market expectancy. Performance is now synonymous with respect of the environment, the clean energy is the common denominator.

Since the mass consumption opts for ordinary cars, luxury cars responding exclusively to the high-end market, developing a car that corresponds both to the financial affordability and the eco-consciousness of the nowadays tendency will be the coming challenge. For that matter, the “agile and zippy” Jetta TDI designed by Volkswagen has already won people’s heart over the Prius!

Without disarming and on the offensive track, Toyota, once again, started the electric vehicles race by proposing to the public in 2010 its “plug-in hybrid electric” prototype, twin version of its popular Prius, bearing (I guess!) in mind for its conceptualization that it will follow its elder sister’s glorious steps!

Powered with its lithium-ion battery pack, the motor generates 50kW allowing an autonomy of 7 miles at 62mph. Electrifying isn’t it?

Its fierce competitors Chevy Volts, GM plug-in are sparkling, right behind! Soon, cars like computers will become obsolete as launched on the market!

Only problem in this clean energy picture : what is the end of life of lithium-ion batteries?

It was last June when we saw our first Cabana Cachaca ad, and triggering our first blog in response. The dramatic black and white ad features the model’s completely bare ass as the centerpiece, making it a startling ad to find in a magazine that featured a child star on the cover.

Since then, the campaign has raised eyebrows with its racy ads, some of which had to be taken down and cropped to make them suitable for the public. All of the ads feature totally naked models posturing in high heels, leaving nothing to the imagination as they flashed tan-lines and Brazilian wax jobs. The website is even more graphic, and it starts to seem ironic that the only part of the model they won’t show is her head. Faceless models sound familiar? Yeah, it reminded us of Tom Ford and one of his perfume ads, too.

But there’s a difference here. Tom was selling cologne, a beauty product, and he didn’t try to classify the product as a depiction of a national identity. He could equate the product with whatever ideal he wanted, and not worry about offending the truly authentic.

Apparently when the folks that branded Cabana Cachaca penned the slogan “Authentically Brasilian”, they didn’t think the truly authentic Brazilians would mind being equated with a waxing procedure. Apparently, when their client New York business man Matti Anttila said he wanted to make a distinctive, high-quality spirit that showcased the best in Brazilian technique and tradition, they didn’t think that mission was good enough. “Authenticity and quality”, were the exact words their client used when he described what his product stood for. “Nah, let’s throw some naked ass in there to get attention!” must have been the logic they used, and it caused them to stray so far from the brand’s original, truly authentic Brazilian identity as a traditional product only made in Brazil.

In the debate over the ads, some have argued that Brazilians have no problem being associated with a beautiful woman. They are known for their gorgeous women, and proud of it. But the ad isn’t celebrating the woman and her beauty, it’s objectifying it. The model is headless, need we say more? And the problem with objectifying something is it can turn to a stereotype fast. How can we Americans pride ourselves on being politically correct and respectful of other cultures if we’re equating an “authentic” national identity with girls groomed for sex? Cabana Cachaca features the slogan above a girl’s bare ass: “When you want nothing standing between you and a good time”. On a socially-conscious level, this ad campaign sucks.

A reader left this comment in response to the ads:

“As an American married to a Brazilian and having traveled many times to that country, I can definitely say they are a lot more open there than here when it comes to sex, but this is such a stereotype that is ridiculous and insulting. It is the same as using Tony Soprano’s stereotype to advertise Italian products.”

A lot of brands throw around the term “authentic”, and the word is slowly losing its meaning. We can say one thing for sure: Brazilian-waxed booty arched in the air to sell alcohol certainly doesn’t count.

The Institute of Color Research has uncovered that within 90 seconds all humans make a subconscious judgement about a person, environment, or item — and from 62% to 90% of that subconscious assessment is based on color alone.  That’s a small window to make your case.  And for the burgeoning brand, that’s a judgement that is not only going to be made quickly, but will solidify without even a conscious awareness.

So, first and foremost, color is your ally.  Color is what will be noticed first, assessed quickest, and remain longest.  Among Smashing Magazine‘s 7 Ingredients of Good Corporate Design, color stands in the number 3 spot.  About color, they say that when designing the visual identity of a brand the colors should emphasize the philosophy and strategy of the [brand].  Most definitely.  But even further, colors should trigger an emotional reaction within the viewer, no matter if that reaction be subconscious or outright.

Not convinced that color has that much impact on the human psyche?  Or just unconvinced that that impact is not quite as universal as everyone may think?  Follow me.  Take a look at Cymbolism.

From Cymbolism’s website:

Colors are believed to have very specific meanings, but these meanings vary over time, place and culture. For years designers have been using colors to communicate feeling and mood, to trigger memories to make us act a certain way.

Cymbolism is an attempt to quantify the association between colors and words [and emotions].

With Cymbolism, colors are synthesized into their word equivalent by a community of online voters.  Just match color that is immediately triggered by the word provided.  Then, the voter is provided with a continuum of other voted colors that others felt were representative of the word.  Also, after voting, click on a color to see the most associated words and emotions for that color.  Not only interesting, but another front to attack when creating the visual representation of any brand.

Perhaps with the use of color theory and recognizing how and why color impacts humans all, your brand will be known solely by its color like a certain delivery power-house. “What can brown do for you?” And how about Alltel? They’ve successfully stripped their competitors down to their primary color palettes.

Ask yourself, what are your colors saying about you?  Probably a lot more than you’ve every consciously realized.

Now, let’s correspond: What are you all trying to convey with your color choices?  Which colors impact you most?  Let us know!

Everyone’s seen the Barack Obama screen prints by Shepard Fairey, right? The ones that were enthusiastically waved by supporters at the DNC; the ones that were on the back cover of Wide-Eyed, and included in several other publications, for four months; the ones by the same artist of the Obey Giant fame?

Well there’s a new wave of them being slapped up across the L.A. Eastside (maybe the Westside too, haven’t been out that way in awhile) with a different spin on them. Instead of the Gazing-Into-The-Sunset-Obama being complimented with the words Hope, Change or Progress, the new posters simply say Obey. As in: Obey Obama or be destroyed. They’ve got the Orwellian Big Brother feel common in much of Fairey’s work.

Who is responsible? Last I checked Fairey was still all aboard the Obama Train. He shows off an Obama autographed thank you note on his webpage along with a glowing appraisal of the candidate. And according to the LA Weekly, Fairey has distributed 250,000 of his prints thus far and was arrested in Denver trying to plaster up a 10 x14 ft. HOPE poster. Doesn’t sound like he’d have much motivation to derail his own successful grassroots branding campaign. One thing is for sure, if it’s not Fairey, there is a pretty talented imposter at hand. The prints look identical to his.

What remains of the prints that is. Although I’ve come across perhaps fifteen of the Obey Obama prints I’ve yet to see one in better than fair condition, even though they appear to have been put up recently. All the prints have been torn or mangled. There’s been an attempt to remove everyone I’ve seen. Which is a difficult task to do, if I may say so my self. The industrial strength glue (or whatever is being used) makes it extremely difficult to remove a poster in one piece. It makes me wonder if there is an organized effort to remove the imposter prints.

What could the motivation be? Could it be McCain’s street team is waging a turf war with Obama’s? Fun to daydream about, but unlikely. My opinion is that Obama’s recent shift to the center – to broaden his appeal for the general election – has angered someone. At one point in time he was coming off as very anti-war, he’s backed down from that position since winning the primaries. Obama may also be victim of a bit of a backlash. He’ was introduced to us as someone above politics. As he comes down to earth there is bound to be resentment. A politician is a politician is a politician. Maybe another street artist is trying to remind us of this.

Either way it will be interesting to see what happens. Whether the Obey Obama prints catch any of the same momentum that Fairey’s have seems to be a long shot. It all depends on whether there’s an audience for them. Another question is whether the prints will affect the potency of Fairey’s brand. Duplicates and rip-offs have a way of weakening, or endangering, a strong brand. And there is certainly potential for escalation as the election looms. We here at jungle [8] will keep our eyes to the street in the meantime

If anything, this article does raise the difficulty of marketing high-end goods to Third World countries. Emerging upper and middle classes in China and India have created a definite consumer base for high-end products, but there is still a delicate balance to be struck between creating “brand awareness” and doing so in a way that is sensitive to millions that remain in poverty. For all the potential that India’s new wealthy classes present, the fact remains that over half of the 456 million population subsist on less than $1.25 a day.

And in this image, a barefoot Indian man poses with a Burberry umbrella worth $200.

In other high-end news, hard times have been hard for everyone lately, the rich and famous including, and high-end retailers have been pulling out all stops to lure their typically free-spending customers from their recently thrifty habits. Saks Fifth Avenue recently expanded its online content to cater to the younger, YouTube generation with a “virtual catalog” that includes several how-to beauty videos and video clips displaying products from the likes of Zac Posen, Dior, and Mark Jacobs. And Bloomingdale’s is launching a music-themed campaign in November, complete with print ads and live performances by musicians.

Hopefully these campaigns will go more smoothly than Vogue India’‘s photo shoot!

If you’re female, and have watched TV within the past year, or gone to see the recent Sex and the City movie, you’ve most likely been urged to get a new vaccine called Gardasil, marking the first time most of us experienced being targeted by a drug company when sitting in a movie theater.

Pharmaceutical company Merck has taken drug marketing to a whole new level with its new campaign for the drug Gardasil, marketed as a vaccine for cervical cancer. Their campaign, launched on a massive, multi-media level to consumers and aggressively promoted within the medical community has taken the nation by storm, and created a buzz among women almost phenomenal.

While fear-based advertising had numerous harmful effects on the moral and values of a society when used to promote clothes, food, cars and other commodities, the bad effect is multiplied to a whole new level of irresponsibility when used within the healthcare system.

What the campaign communicates conveys a massive lack of social consciousness, on several levels.

Even while the drug was still in testing, before it was approved, Merck was paving the way for it’s next best-seller. The drug was expedited through the lengthy FDA-approval process in 6 months, a process that usually takes years, and before tests could reveal the long-term effects of the drug. Merck went to great lengths to cultivate support for the product within the medical community, hosting sponsored lunches and paying doctors and nurses up to $4,500 to simply lecture about the drug’s functions.

Merck hit all media to pack it’s punch, using Facebook, TV, print, and even a theater ad that played before the Sex and City movie. Merck’s efforts for Gardasil earned a them numerous awards from….. guess who, Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing Excellence awards, and Gardasil was named best brand by Pharmaceutical Executive magazine.

Pharmaceutical companies traditionally haven’t marketed vaccines as aggressively as other drugs, because they weren’t as profitable. Gardasil is their golden ticket, currently going for the whopping rate of almost $400 for the drug, not including doctor fees. Many health plans don’t cover it, kicking it into the women’s luxury item category, which is known for distorting the true value of something, according to who and how many people want it.

But should a medical vaccine really be the next “it” thing to have, or give to your children?

More cautious mothers are starting to realize they were wise, as new facts about the vaccine come into the light. Consider these not-so-obvious facts about the product itself: the vaccine was rapidly rushed onto the market, and long-term effectiveness is still undetermined. Some tests have revealed the vaccine’s protection to wear off after only 3 years. And Merck recommends giving it to girls as young as 10 or 11. Which means it might very well wear off twice before a girl even became sexually active. And at around $360 a pop, what does that mean? Merck just made almost $1,200 to protect that girl against something she never was exposed to. 

Merck’s marketing for Gardasil cashes in on the power the term “cancer cure” holds, and doesn’t accurately communicate the true function of the vaccine. Consider these facts: the drug prevents infection from two of the main cancer-causing strains of HPV. There are over a hundred, and it doesn’t protect against those.

Cervical cancer takes years to develop, and regular PAP smears make it easily preventable, as long as it’s detected early.

Commercials neglect to mention that over 95% of the deaths caused by cervical cancer are in developing countries, where women aren’t able to get Pap smears, the simple preventative measure. In the US, due to the increase in regular testing, the rate of cervical cancer is currently decreasing at a rate of 4% a year.

Some states are considering the vaccine mandatory for middle school-aged girls, and Virginia has recently made it law. Considering how cancer is easily caught and treated through regular check-ups, shouldn’t the state instead mandate routine Pap smears when that girl reaches puberty?

If immunization becomes mandatory, everyone will be feeling the high cost of the drug, through their wallet. The high cost of the drug will raise the cost of healthcare, already a major burden in our current economy.

One of the things we consciously support here at jungle[8] is the move away from fear-based marketing within the advertising industry. As we have said before, the old adage of “ you’re not good enough”, or “quick, hurry, buy this or something bad will happen to you” is no longer relevant within a socially-conscious society.

            So, the point is to think twice before being swept up by the latest fad product. Or stop and think when you’re told you should be afraid. Because, in this case, the scariest part is how Merck is expected to make over $1.6 billion this year, not just from medical necessity, but from fear.

Leave it to the Sunshine state to use solar power to fuel a collaboration between outdoor ad company Fuel Outdoor, and Miami’s Metro line. Under a new agreement, Fuel is harnessing the state’s most prolific but chronically under-used resource to give the city 600 new bus stops for free. Metro users will get shelter them from the rain and heat, and Fuel gets ad placement for its clients.

 With the burgeoning OOH (out-of-home) ad movement, we’re only going to be seeing more ads interfacing with us in almost every situation, from ads placed eye-level in a bathroom stall to TVs that talk to us while we feed our gas tanks, to wall-side billboards that tailor their ad to whatever person is walking by.

Hey, if we have to be surrounded everywhere we go by outdoor ads, giving the city’s public transport users some shelter, and harnessing renewable energy to do it is the way to go.  It makes you wonder why other advertisers are taking so long to convert to solar, especially in other perennially sunny cities…. yes, take that as a hint, LA.

Found: this much water each person could save in a year by switching to a high efficiency toilet. Now multiply that by every member of your family. Use Only What You Need

Gone: History. Adios. Sayonara. Kaput. This much water down the drain every month if you don’t adjust your sprinkler system. Use Only What You Need

Missing: This much water all from one lousy running toilet in just one month. Buy a new flapper and call off the search. Use Only What You Need

Advertising Agency: Sukle Advertising & Design, Denver, USA
Creative Director: Mike Sukle
Art Directors: Andy Dutlinger, Jeff Euteneuer
Copywriter: Jim Glynn
Photographer: Brian Mark
Retouching: Matt Carpenter
Published: July 2008

Stickers are fun, but what if the logo couldn’t be removed from the fruit? We’re targeted by advertising everywhere we look, and now it just might be staring back at you from your plate. Certain fruit grown in Dongguan, China have recently been featuring logos in the fruit itself, presumably created by application of a sticker of some sort during growth.

Wow. It seems the blank spaces in life are slowly being infiltrated more and more by the fingers of advertising. The water we drink is branded by the liter, the clothes we slip into are essentially wearable logos, the brand of device we communicate with often becomes more important than what we are saying on it. Our shoes leave a logo imprinted in the dirt as we walk, even our wide blue skies are being filled with ads written in the clouds, and banners flying by.

In our hyper visual culture, advertisers are grabbing every bit of space left, in an effort to make their mark in, or is it on, your mind?

So where will our culture eventually draw the line? What is too much? For over a hundred years is has been acceptable to brand cattle; will little Fifi the poodle now come home from the groomer with the pet shop’s name and contact info shaved across her bum? Will tattoo artists insist on including their logo in the bottom right corner of every tattoo they do? Will companies test the ultimate employee loyalty and effectiveness of ad executives by demanding they feature the company’s logo as a permenant implant on their hands?

Throughout history people have killed, sold rights, children, and usage of their body for money, is the next item on the market their skin? Apparently it is. People have auctioned off space on their heads for thousands of dollars on ebay. Certain restaurants offer free lunches for life to anyone willing to get their corporate logo tattooed on their body. The Great Northern Brewing Company holds contests, giving away a new Harley Davidson to the person with the biggest version of their “yahoo-in cowboy” logo. Even baseball teams have given away free lifetime season tickets to anyone willing to tattoo their logo on their body.

If it’s all about ad space, where will it stop? Our skies are filling up, ads are creeping onto our bodies. We’ll soon be selling out landscape we know as our dreams. I have some interesting product placement opportunities, if you are interested.