We are being watched... from the East

Omid just found this entry about MediaCatalyst on the Russian 'Design Collector' blog.

It's a 'web-design case study' page, also tagged with the words 'Flash' and 'minimal'.

The Russian text: Непревзойденная классика голландского веб-дизайна - студия MediaCatalyst.На их сайте, легкость интерфейса перекликается с тяжеловесностью списка клиентов.

Means, roughly speaking: Media Catalyst's site is an unsurpassed classic of Dutch web design, which juxtaposes a nice, light interface with a heavy client list.

Спасибо большое!

 

Project launched: Schiphol Noise Monitoring System

Yesterday, Schiphol Group launched their online Noise Monitoring System, a Flash application which gives people living near Schiphol Airport precise details about aircraft noise levels in their area, as well as runway and flightpath usage.

MediaCatalyst built the Noise Monitoring System in Flash. The application is fed real time information from an XML database, enabling users to access an up to date overview of all 22 noise measurement points. Users can also enter a postcode to find their nearest measurement point, and call up the historical data monitored by that point.



To launch the app, click ‘Ga verder’ under the little map that says ‘Actuele meetgegevens’. (Read more...)

 

Reboot - the aftermath

Reboot7 reinspired my sense of what's possible in our modern, networked, digital communication space. I feel like I got my internet back, after years in the wilderness.

I like the way that diverse networks of thinkers, activists, entrepreneurs etc. now have the tools to join forces, and a context within which to build new models of human interaction.

I like the way that companies are losing the ability to control their image. There's a lot of talk about how brands are conversations, but most companies think conversations start and finish when they open their wallets and shower us with slick ideas and aspirational imagery. Clued up companies that respect their customers now stand to reap the benefits of authentic conversations. Those that would rather treat us like dumb manges-touts are in for a rough ride.

I'm seriously interested in using this blog to energize and open up our internal company conversation to clients, prospective partners and any other interested parties. Open, honest communication has always been the cornerstone of the way MediaCatalyst does business. I see this blog as our chance to walk the talk, and represent our strengths. This is something I'll be working on for at least the next six months, beginning with a manifesto which will give my fellow Catalysts a context for their contributions to this conversation.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Reboot's organisers for the ace food, brilliant setup and great lineup. Well done organizers! I'll see you next year.

 

Media Catalyst wins Sony Europe email newsletter pitch

We are delighted to report that Media Catalyst Amsterdam has been selected to create a series of email newsletters for Sony Europe.

We were chosen following a competitive pitch, in which we beat off competition from 5 well known European e-marketing agencies.

We'll be handling the My Sony, Digital Imaging, Walkman World and Home Entertainment customer newsletters. The first issues will be released in September 2005. The plan is to create plenty of extra value around the standard 'company sends product info email to customers' strategy. Watch this space for more details...

 

ViralBomb

"Tell colleagues who might be interested", says Dabitch from adland, "I decided to start an announcement list for advertising virals games, films etc on the web". The idea is for the creators of virals to announce their stuff, and list credits of people involved in it so that people in the industry can keep up with who has done what. Sign up here.

Job done.

 

Me, Ilse, Mark & Ben on our way to Rotterdam to look at new talent in the Willem de Kooning Academie.

 

workingspace..

which workingspace should we prefer?!
sRGB or adobe RGB (1998)?

(Read more...)

 

Sony Ericsson K300 Campaign site

The assignment, an idea, an energetic concept, client sign-off and a packed schedule.

All ingredients to set the hands of the clock to 'Crunch time!'

(Read more...)

 

CommunicAsia 2005 is Live

Sony Ericsson launches its new entertainment and communication technology at CommunicAsia 2005 held in Singapore...

(Read more...)

 

Reboot: Day 2 review

Featuring girls without pockets, wasteful peacocks, a polite man in a kilt, and a lot of seriously good practical applications of data aggregation.

(Read more...)

Keywords: Reboot7

 

Grassroots activism

 

Reboot: Day 1 review

Where do I start? Trees are in tune with your brainwaves, Flickr is a surreal game, and a lo-tech is beating mobile phone manus and operators at the location game...

I don't really want to post all this in one go. There's just too much to say. (Read more...)

Keywords: Reboot7

 

Reboot!

I am writing to you now from the future of the internet. Believe it!

It's in the warmup phase at the moment, we're covering background stuff and creating the space for some interesting conversations later on. So far we've had Doc Searls and Robert Scoble setting the scene.

The best thing that 's come up so far is this crazy map created by Bernhard Seefeld. Scoble's convinced this is the germ for some serious location-based goodness - the ability to instantly look up where you are and what's around you. Go check it.

Gotta run. More later. Look up!

 

Denki groove

"If you're looking for information on the latest Sony Ericsson, Hitachi and NEC Japanese cell phones, then you've come to the right place!"...

http://www.newgmobile.com/

 

Ollie's book club: 26 Letters, Illuminating the Alphabet

What better time than a holiday in Malta to rock the creative team book library. On the menu was Ben's choice, 26 Letters, Illuminating the Alphabet.

The new exhibition at the British Library in London, part of the 2004 London Design Festival., offers a fascinating lens through which to view the world today. Twenty-six posters -- each representing a letter of the alphabet and produced jointly by writers and designers, are located throughout the British Library, forming an A-Z typographical treasure trail for visitors to pursue. The free exhibition runs to 1 January 2005.

The book has images of all the finished posters, little bios of all the writers and designers, and "diaries" written by each pair talking about their experiences during the project.

Reading about other people's creative (and not so creative) processes was interesting, particuarly in a situation like this which was more like an old fashioned art commision than a design job. A good quick read - I finished it in an afternoon and had plenty of time left to take a nap, have a swim in the pool and take some stupid photos. Like this one.

On the whole some nice stuff, some not so nice stuff and a pretty good insight into how the big guns work.

High point
Panic hitting the pros when they realise that they have no brief, no ideas, and a crap concept.

Higher point
The great stuff that some of them came up with regardless.

Ollie's favorite letter treatment
X was pretty slick.

Worst letter
At the other end of the scale: L. What were they thinking. Really.

 

Lieverdjes 2005!

This saturday we played in the annual Lieverdjes tournament. A football tournament with many of the agencies here in Amsterdam.

(Read more...)

 

Swan song

Calling all music lover dem! Get down to the End, Nieuwebrugsteeg 32, Amsterdam on Saturday (4th June) night to witness the first and last comeback / go away gig of Grand Sonics. We'll be onstage at 21.30, playing for about half an hour.

www.grandsonics.com has info and samples of our tunes for the curious.





P.S. We're breaking up after this gig, due to the departure of our bassist. However, the drummer and I are determined to continue in one way or another, so we're keen to talk to musicians who might be interested in joining us for further sonic explorations. Interested? Come along on Saturday and dip your toe in our waters...