Sdwys

The Proof is in the Photoshop

When I was younger, I thought it was the coolest thing when my dad captured a photo of Santa Claus while he was heading out the door after delivering my presents on Christmas morning.  He then showed me the proof -- a Polaroid picture of a black boot going out the door.  I was stoked.  I truly thought it was the real deal.

Now, nearly 20 years later, advancements in technology have made believing in Santa A LOT easier.  Enter Capture the Magic.

For about $10, you can upload a picture of a room in your house and insert one of 200 possible Santas in various poses into your picture.  You can instantly 'wow' your kids with evidence that the big guy really exists. 

Now, if your kids are more computer literate than you, meaning that they know the capabilities of Photoshop, you're screwed.  Just sayin'.

Ring Pop...literally.

We've all done it before -- popping things out from perforated paper like paper dolls or insurance cards.  But would you pay $99 to pop out seven, stainless steel rings (one for every day of the week)?  Apparently, many people, like this blogger, would.  Introducing Ring A Day.

According to the site:

Simply pop a pre-cut ring from a silver sheet, polish rough edges with the included sandpaper, and voilá! The sheet itself makes great wall art once all the rings have been removed, or can be worn as a necklace. Just attach a chain to the piece.

 

Hey, to each his / her own.

Daily Candy Jr.

Daily Candy shows up like a sweet treat in our inbox every morning with information that usually proves interesting and helpful when it comes to Los Angeles.  Now, following the same free email newsletter model, I Heart Daily aims to appeal to teenage girls with news regarding fashion, makeup, music and everything in between.

The post from Y Pulse reads:

If ever there was a time to adopt this type of business model — free content delivered straight to readers' inboxes and/or RSS feeds — it's now. Because while most mags have websites (and as of late they've certainly been pumping that virtual real estate for all its worth) the idea of an online destination with no strings (read: paid subscriptions) attached seems like a refreshing and welcome change.

Is That Penn State You're Wearing?

When you think back to your college days, you probably think of friends, parties, local hangouts, favorite classes, etc.  But honestly, do those memories ever include smells?

Well, now they can!

According to SeattlePI.com:

Fans of Penn State can smell like the school for just $60. A fragrance developer says it has made a perfume and a cologne inspired by Pennsylvania State University's blue and white colors and its campus vegetation.

Masik Collegiate Fragrances says the perfume for the school in State College, Pa., smells of vanilla, lilac, rose and white patchouli. The cologne smells of blue cypress and cracked pepper.

The company's president says the 3.4-ounce bottles of fragrance should appeal to Penn State's vast alumni and football fans.

Masik also has captured the smell of the University of North Carolina, and plans to offer scents for six other universities next year.

So, for UCLA, should I expect to buy 3.4 ounces of eau de SMOG?

Putting the Soft in Microsoft

In the battle to be the ultimate computer, PC lovers now have more ammunition to use against those with an affinity for Macs:  Softwear.  No, we didn't just commit a typo...we really meant the 'wear' part.

According to AdAge:

Microsoft is going from marketing computer programs to making clothes, with a new line of graphic tees dubbed "Softwear by Microsoft."

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant once again called upon a celebrity spokesperson to help it gain some street cred, this time in the form of rapper Common. He contributed designs to the collection, reminiscent of the '80s, a time when he and Microsoft both came of age.
The line features retro MS-DOS fonts and a Bill Gates mugshot tee. It launched this week with a bash in New York.

Microsoft calls it a "clothing line that taps the nostalgia of when PCs were just starting to change our lives," one that's made to "showcase the DOS days of the software company that now connects over a billion people."

Who doesn't want to be like Willy Wonka?

That's what the creators of the German startup Chocri asked themselves before starting their online create-your-own-chocolate-bar service.

Springwise says:

The online ordering process at Chocri is similar to the customized muesli and coffee concepts we've covered—both of which also happen to be German.* After selecting either white, milk or dark chocolate, customers pick the ingredients they'd like to add: fruit, nuts, spices or bits of candy. Options range from the familiar (almonds, hazelnuts and raisins) to the adventurous (cumin, gummi bears and gold dust), and up to five ingredients can be selected. When they're done mixing and matching, customers pick a name for their very own 'meine schokolade', which is printed on the label. They're also given a unique product code for easy reordering. Prices range from EUR 2.50–6.50 for a 125 gram bar, depending on which ingredients are added. Chocri uses fair trade, organic chocolate only.

After visiting the site (and translating it into English), we realized what an amazing offering this is, especially for Christmas.  In fact, we thought of sending our good friend Priyanka some custom chocolate and labeling it 'Yanka Bar.' 

Happy Friday!

Build-A-Mag

Source:  Springwise

Starting early next month, global banking giant HSBC is offering passengers at Heathrow's Terminal 1 a chance to select magazine articles on topics they're interested in and have them bound into a hardback form they can take on their flight, according to Marketing Week. Through a kiosk located beyond security at Terminal 1, travellers will be greeted with an HSBC-branded hardback magazine cover. They'll then browse the diverse selection of loose-leaf articles arranged on backlit shelving, UTalkMarketing.comreported. Available articles will be sourced from coverage around the globe focusing on four general topic areas: home and abroad, commerce and politics, health and sport, and media and culture. Consumers will also be able to choose from among five writers, including celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, tennis legend Björn Borg and Harrod’s trend forecaster on the future of shopping. Once they've made their selections, travelers will simply take their articles to HSBC's binding bar to be neatly bound inside the hard cover. The two-week pilot effort, which is part of a campaign to promote the HSBC Premier Card, was developed byCunning with JC Decaux Airport, Kinetic's Aviator division and MindShare.

Website: www.hsbc.com

(Ree)Bok to the Future

What's better than the 80s?  A Reebok pop-up store that brings the 80s back to us, 2008-style!

According to Contagious:

[Reebok] has opened its first ever pop-up store which captures the spirit of the 80s more than a Deely-Boppered roller skater sporting a Rara skirt and a batwing top.

Called Reebok Flash, the store is located in a 3,000 square-foot gallery space on the Bowery in New York. It features limited edition sneakers and exclusive apparel collections. The range includes the distinctive and colourful work of Rolland Berry, as well as input from design guru John Maeda. 

Experiential agency Formavision developed the  store that takes its inspiration from Vorticsim, an English arts movement from the early twentieth century noted for its dynamic interpretation of Cubist and Futurist principles. www.formavision.info

Sebastien Agneessens, Formavision’s creative director and founder, comments: ‘We wanted to create a destination underground space that creates a buzz among fashion hipsters. We also want to attract partners so we can use the space as an epicentre for cultural events. For instance magazines like [interior design title] ID are using it to launch its ’40 under 40’ issue, and some indie record labels also plan to use it.’

Oh, and in amongst the packed cultural itinerary and visual references to Flash Dance and Thriller, there will also be a few pairs of shoes on display. Reebok Flash is re-launching several popular lines from the 1980s, including the Pump and Freestyle series.

Get Crazy With Shwayze

What do Richard Simmons, Billy Blanks, Jackie Warner and Shwayze have in common?  They all want to whip your butt into shape!

According to an article from TrendHunter:

Last summer, Shwayze and Cisco Adler released their beach-rap debut album ‘Shwayze,’ which featured hit singles like “Buzzin’” and “Corona and Lime.” The Los Angeles natives have parlayed their infectious “summertime in a bottle” vibe into a workout series with Nike Sport Music called ‘Beach Body by Shwayze Workout.’

‘Beach Body by Shwayze Workout’ is a 20-minute program coached by Shwayze and Cisco Adler. Naturally, Shwayze music is featured in the workout along with a series of cardio and strength exercises meant to cover the upper and lower body in a short period of time.

Forget beach boot camp...we've got Shwayze!

Nintendo Messages With Massages

While shopping at the Topanga Mall with what seemed like the rest of America this past weekend, I was randomly asked by a young girl if I wanted a free massage.  Being the skeptic that I am, I hesitated at first but she reassured me that it wouldn't cost me anything--just ten minutes of my time playing Nintendo DS.  Happily, I sat down on a padded white stool inside the cabana and was handed a DS.  The young girl explained to me my choice of games and also introduced me to my masseuse.  I chose Brain Age and within a minute, I was hooked.  Sure it helped that Katie (the masseuse) was kneading my shopping aches away, but honestly, the game was fun and the whole experience made me leave WANTING a DS.  With a strong marketing push towards women, Nintendo definitely got this one right. 

The picture below doesn't do the booth justice because while I was receiving my massage, the place was packed.  I took this photo during their down time (obviously) but you can get the feel for the experience.  In fact, one girl sitting across from me stayed another ten minutes after getting her free massage just so that she could continue playing with the DS.