Ok so I get that we are living in a digital, web 2.0 world where our lives (supposedly) are getting easier as we have more technology to ‘help’ us.  However with all these gadgets taking over our lives i’m almost certain there will come a time when we wont even have to think for ourselves any more, computers will control our brains.

Its already happening to boardgames, have a look at what Hasbro have done to my favourite childhood game, Monopoly.

“Gone are the £400 property bargains, the silver playing pieces  -  and the opportunity to sneak a note out of the banker’s box”

Yesterday to mark its 75th anniversary, Monopoly unveiled their 21st Century version called Monopoly Revolution.  In a move that mirrors whats going on in our own society the nostalgic boardgame now uses electronic banking instead of paper money and the board itself has also changed from a traditional square to a circular board with sound effects! The new version completely removes the need for players to use mental arithmetic and think for themselves, its what I said at the beginning…. technology is taking over our lives!

In another move, property prices have also shot up to reflect modern prices.  No longer a bargin at £200, Kings Cross Station now costs £2million and not surprisingly Mayfair has not escaped the price hike either, it can now be purchased for tidy sum of £4million!

An estimated one billion people have played Monopoly since its launch.  Designed by Charles Darrow in 1935 it has gone virtually unchanged, so why take the decision to mess around with it now?

In my opinion Monopoly is a classic & iconic piece of nostalgia that didn’t need updating.

As my Mum & Dad used to say to me - if it aint broke don’t fix it!

For years we’ve popping up our bread half way through the toast cycle to check its just the way we like it, peering over the top to make sure the edges haven’t burnt, narrowly missing singeing our eyebrows off.

Obtaining that perfect piece of toast hasn’t been an as easy task especially when you have such high standards.  Just read the requirements from some of the CPB toast addicts and you’ll know what i’m talking about…..

“Caught just before it starts to darken, white and pale caramel coloured”

“crispy golden on the outside, fluffy inside with burned bits round the edge”

“I am very particular about my toast.  I prefer hand cut bread, evenly done with a nice golden brown colour.  It mustn’t be too overdone and if it’s too lightly done it’s too soft”

“Golden brown evenly toasted all over . To ensure its evenly brown I frequently peer into the toaster to check how its coming along”

If only we could see whats going on inside I hear you cry!!

Well take a look at this………

Coley Porter Bell has been appointed to modernise a raft of Russian confectionery brands under the banner of Soviet-era manufacturer Krupskaya.

You will recall, of course, that Nadežda Konstantinovna Krupskaya was the wife of revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. They married in 1898. When she died in 1939 the workforce petitioned Sovnarcom, the Council of People’s commissars, and asked if it would be possible to immortalise her by naming the factory after her.

The project which includes updating the brand logo, involves developing new pack designs for Troika chocolate and crushed nuts bar, Petersburg Nights chocolate bar range, and Summer Gardens boxed assortment.

Last night I attended a networking evening held by the lovely people at LS:N Global

For those of you that don’t know who they are - LS:N is an online consumer news and insights network set up by The Future Laboratory.  In its simplest form the guys at LS:N provide news of whats going on around the globe in fashion, interiors, architecture, design you name it they are on to it and last night they held a fascinating evening at The Connaught Hotel in London.

The topic of the evening was luxury and the way the evening was set up was a bit like speed dating.  6 tables, 6 speakers, 6 minutes all we had to do was sit and listen.

The speakers included Stephen Alden, CEO of the Maybourne Hotel Group who spoke about how luxury is becoming more meaningful in 2010.  ‘Frivolity, excess & waste’ have become a thing of the past, consumers are looking for values, authenticity and craftsmanship in their luxury brands.

And so farewell Cadbury. The nation’s favourite chocolate brand has been gobbled up by US processed cheese giant Kraft. Will we ever see your like again?

The news that Cadbury has fallen to the foreigners is obviously a major business story -it’s the biggest outside acquisition of a British business for at least two years. The weird thing is the effect that the news of Cadbury’s demise has had on the business-savvy brand junkies at CPB.

The overwhelming reaction here hasn’t been ‘Oh what are the new business opportunities?’ There hasn’t even been a dispassionate analysis of the new entity’s brand portfolio. No, it has been sadness. Anyone would think that Kraft had bayoneted our teddy bears from the reaction. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that people wept in the corridors while hardened brand warriors rent their clothes and tore out their hair, when they heard.

Sadness? Sadness? How can that be? In what way is that an appropriate reaction to a business takeover?

Of course there’s a jingoistic element to our collective response. “We don’t want foreigners taking over our brands,” said one sophisticated strategic planner who normally has a markedly global perspective.

Others cite concern for the Cadbury work force. “Kraft are paying too much and will have to make deep cuts to finance the purchase. I’m worried they will compromise the values of this ethical corporation.” said an ambitious young account exec.

But one of our account directors came closer to the truth when she said, “I hope they don’t mess with the chocolate. I don’t think I could bear it if they started to change Cadbury’s. It’s the best chocolate in the world. That’s how proper chocolate should taste.”

What she was saying was that Cadbury, the brand, doesn’t belong to Cadbury’ shareholders -or even Kraft’s. It is hers. It resides in her. As a child it defined the taste of how chocolate should be. It reminds her of parental love and infantile indulgence. Even as an adult it puts her in close touch with her inner child.

And that’s an important point for any brand owner to remember when they are considering tampering with their most famous products. Brands reside not in brand rooms or marketing plans or ad campaigns, but in the hearts and minds of consumers -and other stakeholders. If you mess with them, the response is unlikely to be measured and analytical. It will be emotional, visceral even.

Sadness is only the start of it. The next stage in the bereavement process is often anger. Brand owners beware.

There’s nothing more beautiful than the human form. Welcome to this month’s Wonder Wall with our celebration of its symmetry.

As part of our Creative Quarter, we had a life drawing lesson and we’ve bared the results here, for all to see.

Something’s bound to tickle your fancy. It could be Tom’s curves, or Amanda’s left-handed loop. Or perhaps Habib’s ovals.

And if you wanted to take someone naked home, we’re selling these portraits. All proceeds will go towards our Ugandan charity appeal.

It’s amazing what a little nudity can do.

We have a had very good start to the year with 2 awards already under our belt . We won Gold Chicago Atheneum GOOD DESIGN Awards for our Inishturkbeg and Museum of London Corporate Brand Identities .

In the words of Lary Sommers of The Chicago Atheneum :

‘Founded in Chicago in 1950 by architects Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and Edgar Kaufmann, GOOD DESIGN bestows international recognition upon the worlds most prominent designers and manufacturers for advancing new, visionary, and innovative product concepts, invention and originality, and for stretching the envelope beyond what is considered ordinary product and consumer design’

Thank you to both the Inishturkbeg and the Museum of London client teams for helping us to create two beautiful identities that we are immensely proud of.

For Christmas we have found you five pieces of beautiful inspiration with a festive theme. We hope you enjoy them.

At Coley Porter Bell we believe in making brands beautiful. Beautiful brands are based on a beautiful truth. They stand out from the crowd, they play on your mind and leave a lasting impression.They are beautifully thought, beautifully realised and beautifully effective.

We hope you all have a beautiful Christmas and New Year.

With our best wishes for 2010

december 2009

beautifully dressed for christmas: Luella Bartley, Liberty’s

This year, the beautifully eclectic department store Liberty has teamed up
with British designer Luella Bartley to create a unique take on British
Christmas traditions. With a giant tinsel robin and traditional patriotic
scenes of living rooms over-decorated with paper chains, Christmas cards
and tacky decorations, this window display is guaranteed to get you in
the Christmas spirit… well worth a look if you can brave Regent Street
this year!

To get into the festive mood, what better way than to be greeted each morning this month by our joyous Wonder Wall at Coley Porter Bell. Kitsch, festive, bright and humorous, our Wonder Wall has been decorated with an army of blow-up santas and snowmen all dressed in red, green and white.

You can’t help but smile when you see 30 round faces smiling back at you! Happy Christmas one and all!

For those of you that missed our latest Visual Futures presentation ‘Bitesize’ earlier this month, we have made a 3 minute bitesized version which covers some of the key points from the full presentation.

Take a look and if you’re interested in having us present the full story to you, please don’t hesitate to contact me at vicky.bullen@cpb.co.uk.

Enjoy.