THE RiCHARDS GROUP: AN AD AGENCY WiTH A CONSCiENCE, A BRAiN AND A HEART.

The Richards Group

FLYVERTiSiNG

So Jung von Matt had an idea to attach banners to flies, yes flies.
Watch it here: Fliegenbanner

SQUiGGLY CHARACTER DESiGN

Mark Gmehling, a german designer put up some really cool character designs on his web page.

Defintiely worth checking out: Drinsch Exhibition

CUT iT OUT

Mini now sells rugs. No, wait. Mini cars are so economical, gas stations now sell rugs. Yeah that's it. You know you have a well established (even iconic) car brand when you don't need to show the car. Badjar Ogilvy, Melbourne used this insight beautifully.

HUGGiES

Is this for reals..?

ONE LiFE CAMPAiGN

COALiTiON OF REASON

THE FUN THEORY

This is a viral ad campaign done for VW by DDB Stockholm, that is getting people to change their behavior for the better by making mundane things, like stairs vs. escalator, more fun. Click me

RED BULL STASH

Red Bull is hiding stashes of energy shot cases around the country for their new guerrilla marketing campaign. Check it out

TYPE NERDS WANTED

If anyone is bored and looking to find out the differences between types of serifs: The Return of the Serif: Part 2

AWWW, BRiLLiANT..

NY LOTTERY SWEET MiLLiONS: SLEEPY TiME

You have most likely seen these ads. They are all over the subways.
Check out the TV spot: Warning: Major 'Cute' Overload

HOME

Watch Home

Directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

An amazing documentary of our planet, as seen from the heavens.

ANTiCHRiST

Directed by Lars Von Trier
A beautifully dark film starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Download Antichrist

iQ FONT

When Driving Becomes Writing: Toyota recently created a new font that was based on the movements of one of their cars.

RETHiNK COMMUNiCATiON

This campaign by Rethink Communications, a creative firm out of Vancouver has lots of really nice work. Their stuff for Science World is among my favorites: Check it out

ELENA KALiS

Underwater photography by Elena Kalis

LSD PHOTOGRAPHERS

LSD Photographers

A talented agency that produces some very bizarre work while exploring the endless possibilities of photo manipulation.

EXACTiTUDES

Gabbers - Rotterdam 1994

"Rotterdam-based photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek have worked together since October 1994.

Inspired by a shared interest in the striking dress codes of various social groups, they have systematically documented numerous identities over the last 14 years."

FOOD OF THE GODS

The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge
A radical history of plants, drugs, and human evolution
by Terence McKenna

YOUR FLiGHT, SWiSS MADE

Client: Swiss
Agency: Publicis Zürich, Switzerland

If you have a few minutes to spare, do check out this amazing spot for SWISS, which further demonstrates how brilliant cinematography can provoke an emotional reaction in the viewer.

This was clearly the intended purpose for a well-known company like Swiss, whose goal was perhaps to simply 'wow' the viewer, in order that he/she then associates that emotion with the service provided.

ADVERTiSiNG: iT'S A CULTURAL THiNG

Client: InterSport
Agency: AdmCom Bologna, Italy

If you saw this ad in North America, I'm quite sure it would not be long before you started hearing complaints about the image's content. However, if I were to tell you it was produced by an Italian agency for an Italian client, posted up in the city of Rome, where a group of strolling nuns is nothing out of the ordinary, well..that just about changes everything doesn't it?

Client: Volkswagen
Agency: Lowe Zürich, Switzerland

Targeting the right audience, and speaking to them directly is a critical part of advertising. It is a great enough challenge already to communicate efficiently to the selected market in a country that speaks one language, so how do you go about that in a country where they speak four? Using cultural reference and popular knowledge is one of the most exploited means to vehicle an idea. Yet as we've seen, the universality of a message can often be limited by geographical borders and linguistic barriers.

Client: Volkswagen
Agency: KSB/SJ Zürich, Switzerland

Does anyone who isn't German get this?
In central Europe, it is custom when transporting large objects that exceed the car's space to place a little red handkerchief at the end in order to signal other drivers' attention. Is this a good ad? If its target audience understands, does it matter that we might not? If German Volkswagen distributors are making a profit, then for all intents and purposes it must be.

iNFORMATiVE ADVERTiSiNG

Client: Episcopal New Church Center
Agency: The Richards Group

Pitching an ad for a church must be a pretty hard thing to sell. Especially since their is no real product, service or any kind of monetary transaction involved. Working with informative advertising is all about moving people to action.

In this brilliant ad, the agency succeeds in addressing the brief, who's main focus was targeting young adults who had lost interest in their religion or felt the church was too sectarian.

Client: La Ligue Contre le Cancer
Agency: Unknown

Here is another powerful example of informative advertising. This ad conceived for a French organization against tobacco demonstrates how image and text complement one another by suggesting a cigarette autopsy and labeling the toxic substances found inside. Copy reads: Autopsy of a murderer

BORROWED iMAGERY

Client: Foundation for Allergy Prevention
Agency: Unknown

A great example of how popular imagery can be used in a completely offset way, in order to reinforce the ad's message. It's interesting to note the obscenities they get away with in the copy by using such contradicting visuals.

Client: LEGO
Agency: Unknown

The intention to mimic a tremendously popular photo for this ad is both witty and effective. LEGO allows a child to play, imagine and build whatever he/she wants, and it all starts with a few simple building blocks. By replacing the construction workers with children, the ad conveys a lot about the product without ever having to make reference to it. A strong visual and a logo, that's it.

MiNiMALiSM

Client: BIC
Agency: Unkown

When working on a product that has been around for some time, one might deduce that its practical benefits are well known to the general public. At this point, the ad can serve more as a reminder of the product's value, and go on to play on an emotional quality.

Client: BIC
Agency: Unkown

Another example of an ad in which the product's function is demonstrated in a simple and efficient way. The creativity displayed here transcends the two dimensional plane of a roadside billboard and uses the surroundings to communicate the product's efficiency.

LOGO

MISSION STATEMENT

The COMD Agency aims at helping Pratt students transition from an educational experience to the professional world by providing the opportunity to become more involved within the active advertising commmunity, as well as creating a student identity for those interested in obtaining the most out of their college years.

Organized events will include guest speakers, portflio reviews, and other social gatherings allowing the advertising majors to develop a better sense of community and extended networking. We are also working on obtaining ADC (Art Directors Club) memberships for the participants, which will be discussed at the weekly group meetings:
Tuesdays at 12:45 Steuben 403.

Though advertising majors are strongly encouraged to participate, the agency is open to graphic design and illustration majors as well. If you have any questions concerning the COMD Agency, please feel free to ask.

Contact us:
gescobar@pratt.edu

ADVERTiSiNG

ad·ver·tis·ing

noun

1. The activity of attracting public attention to a product or business, as by paid announcements in the print, broadcast, or electronic media.
2. The business of designing and writing advertisements.