The 2012 Winner and Visionary Award Finalists from London's Alternative Hair Show.

above: This year's winner of the Alternative Hair Visionary Award

2012 marks the 30th anniversary of Alternative Hair, during which time many of the world’s greatest hairdressers and hairdressing teams have appeared across the globe at Alternative Hair events in the UK, USA, Austria, Korea, Italy and Russia.

The 2012 Alternative Hair Show was held on Sunday 14th October, 30 years after the first Alternative Hair Show was held at London’s Camden Palace and adding funds to the £8.5 Million already raised in support of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.



The vision of Alternative Hair is to recognize and honor creative talent as well as recognizing the future stars of tomorrow. The Visionary Award, has developed from the original concept of Alternative Hair President Anthony Mascolo, and has become an increasingly popular addition to the show. Now an international competition, this year the Visionary Award semi-finals will be held at the World Championships in Milan.

Here's a look at the 2012 Visionary Award Winner and all the finalists. (to see images from the show's presentation, LEGENDS, go here)

This year's Winner Helen Reavey's work graces the cover of the October/November 2012 issue of Irish Hairdresser Magazine :

in the London show:



The 2012 Visionary Award Finalists in alphabetical order:

Anthony Kilcoyne, (3rd place of VA Ireland):


Ceri Cushen, UK:


Cristiano Leuzzi, Italy:


Emmanuel Esteban, UK:


Evequoz Francois, Switzerland:


Deiter Ferschinger, Austria:


Freda Rossidis, Australia:


Joe Yves-Asmar, Sweden:


Koczka, Hungary:


Lina Shamoun, Canada:


Mauro Santurro, Italy:


Michelle McDermott, 2nd place in VA Ireland):


Misha Cadkova, Czech Republic:


Olexander Gryshko, Ukraine:


Olga Provotorova, Russia:


Pawel Babicz, Poland:


Pino Troncone, Italy:


Robert Masciave, UK:


Roger Persson, Sweden:


Ruslana Moroz, Ukraine:


Tom Connell, UK:


Tony DeLiddo, Italy:


Why Alternative Hair exists:
In 1983 Tony and Maggie Rizzo lost their small son Valentino to Leukaemia. To keep the memory of Valentino alive and try and make a change: to improve the chances of a child surviving this terrible disease, Tony organised a ‘one off’ charity show. The immediate popularity of the Show meant he just had to do a show the following year and 30 years on the following within the hairdressing industry remains strong.

Alternative Hair Show links creativity with charity and is everlastingly dedicated to the hairdressers and to supporting the life saving work of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

The Alternative Hair Shows have raised an astonishing £8.5 million thus far for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research in the UK and for leukaemia charities worldwide.

This vital work continues with the establishment of The Alternative’s very own charity, The Alternative Hair Charitable Foundation.

Plastic Fantastic. A Look At All Of Good Ol' Sailor Brand's Bottle Designs For Their 3 Vodkas, Beer and Now, Gin.

Good ol’ Sailor is Galatea's brand for traditional, organic and innovative vodka, classic beer and - launching this month, Gin. Besides being great-tasting, Sailor Vodka, Beer and Gin add two important dimensions: ecological thinking brought into liquor products, and the way to wrap them in playful, artistic designs by female illustrators, in a male dominated and often conservative niche.

Tailgating For The Sartorial Set. The Bulleit Woody Whiskey Trailer by Brad Ford and Moore & Giles - This Time For Neiman Marcus.

A specially designed Tailgate Trailer by New York interior designer Brad Ford in collaboration with leather goods brand Moore & Giles is being offered as one of this year's Christmas Fantasy Gifts from Neiman Marcus.






The first Woody tailgate trailer by Brad Ford and Moore & Giles was launched at the 2011 DINING BY DESIGN in New York and auctioned for charity as a part of DIFFA’s “30 for 30” auction featuring 30 exceptional, one-of-a-kind auction packages to commemorate 30 years of fighting HIV/AIDS.




Now, available through the catalog for $150,000, this version is made with aged oak wood (much from reclaimed Bulleit Bourbon casks) instead of the Sapele Mahogany and Ash in the original.



From the description in the 2012 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book:
A chorus of cheers rings out the minute you pull up. Tailgating will never be the same now that your Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Woody-Tailgate Trailer is on the scene. Designed by interior designer Brad Ford, it's impressive on the outside, but what's on the inside truly astounds: sleek leather furnishings and details from Moore & Giles, rich wood finishings (aged oak handcrafted from reclaimed Bulleit Bourbon casks), elegant glassware, and a top-notch entertainment system, including a flat-screen TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player, and a state-of-the-art sound system, plus a one-year supply of Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye*. You park, open the hatch, and slide out the bar—cocktails anyone?



details:







The details:

•Two limited-edition trailers available. (First available for immediate delivery; second available within six months of placing order.)

•Transportation and delivery of trailer is included within the continental United States.

•Created by designer Brad Ford, who has more than 10 years of experience in interior design and was named one of America's Top Young Designers by House Beautiful and recognized as one of the Rising Stars of Interior Design by the International Furnishings and Design Association.

•Moore & Giles, founded in 1933 in Lynchburg, Virginia, is dedicated to designing and developing the most luxurious natural leathers, working with tanneries worldwide and delivering unparalleled quality.

•Entertainment system by Sony® and includes: TV, sound-bar speakers, receiver with touch screen, and smartphone controls.



10% percent of the proceeds from the purchase of the Bulleit Woody Party Trailer will benefit amfAR™, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

*One-year supply of Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye not to exceed four cases of each, based on FDA average consumption.

BULLEIT WOODY TAILGATE TRAILER, Price $150,000

For more information, call 1-877-9NM-GIFT

Brad Ford talks about the making of the Bulleit Woody Tailgate Trailer:



BULLEIT TO GO (a second gift offering by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey)
Some of the best things in life are best savored in small doses. Case in point: Bulleit Bourbon. Available in a limited-edition of 25, this spirited gift includes a bottle of Bulleit Bourbon signed by founder Tom Bulleit, a Moore & Giles signed-and-numbered pewter flask with a handcrafted American crocodile cover, and a leather-bound edition of The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy, by Jim Meehan and Chris Gall. All of which come in a beautiful handcrafted box made from reclaimed Bulleit Bourbon casks.


BULLEIT TO GO, Price $1,500

For every purchase, 10% of the proceeds will go to amfAR™, The Foundation for AIDS Research. For more information, call 1-877-9NM-GIFT.

additional images courtesy of followthewoody and charitybuzz.

A New Spot For Europe's Revolutionarily Designed Ford B-MAX Dives Head-First Into Demonstration Land.

Using demonstrations to sell an automobile is nothing new. Largely pioneered by ad agency Team One for the Lexus brand in the late 80s and early 90s, we have since seen maybe hundreds of on stage and in situ demonstrations from various car manufacturers - most of them forgettable.


above: the unique door design of the Ford B-MAX is a perfect feature for a demonstration

But here's one you most likely will not forget. Agency Blue Hive of London has launched a pan-European campaign to promote the brand new Ford B-MAX, focusing on the car’s revolutionary design. This ground-breaking vehicle has removed the central b-pillars and seamlessly integrating them into the doors allowing unobstructed access through a 1.5m opening.


above: a still from "Life is an Open Door"

Beautifully shot at the Olympic Swimming Pool in Barcelona, the ad features a diver leaping from a 10m high board headlong through the open doors of a B-MAX that’s suspended above the pool water and down into the water below. The key being, of course, there's no central b-pillar to block his way.



To bring the concept to life, the agency commissioned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated movie director Martin Campbell (whose many directing credits include Casino Royale and Goldeneye). The team also enlisted one of the world’s best stunt coordinators Tom Struthers (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises).


above: The dive stunt itself was performed by stuntman Bobby Hanton, who has doubled for Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises and is currently shooting Thor 2 where he is Chris Hemsworth’s double.

This campaign also marks the first project under the new Executive Creative Director of Blue Hive, Karin Onsager-Birch, who arrived in May after spending 11 years at San Francisco hotshop agency Goodby Silverstein, to head up the creative department.

Gaetano Thorel, Vice President of Marketing at Ford of Europe, said: “I’m delighted with the new B-MAX campaign. Across every media, the work clearly highlights the car’s ingenious design. I also think the TV commercial is great and accurately portrays us as a bold and exciting brand. Both the B-MAX vehicle and the communications around it bring our Go Further principle powerfully to life.”

Karin Onsager-Birch, Executive Creative Director at Blue Hive, added: “The ‘Life is an Open Door’ campaign idea just sings out of this spot. It's the ultimate visual product demonstration. A simple stunt that celebrates the unique design of the car – in a ballsy way. Ford's motto is Go Further*, with this spot we took that quite literally."

"Behind the Scenes" video:


The 360-campaign will run across 28 markets and is spearheaded by a dramatic 40” cinema and 30” television commercial that airs on October, 22nd 2012 in the UK.

Full Credits:
Agency: Blue Hive
Client: Ford of Europe
Creative: Steve Clarke
Creative: Serge Pennings
Executive Creative Director: Karin Onsager-Birch
Producer: Lindsay Moyes
Business Director: Fabio Ruffet
Account Director: Dario Verrini
Senior Account Manager: Ina Foelster
Director: Martin Campbell, Black Label
Producer: Dom Freeman
Director of Photography: Roger Pratt
Stunt Coordinator: Tom Struthers
Stunt Performer: Bobby Hanton
Editor: Gareth McEwen. The WhiteHouse, London.
Post Production: Jay Bandlish (The Mill, London)
Sound Engineer: Munzie Thind (Grand Central Studios, London)
Music Consultants: Finger Music.
Original music: Hawkwind: 'Master of the Universe'.
Vice President, Marketing, Ford of Europe: Gaetano Thorel
Marketing Director, Ford of Europe: Maureen Graham
Manager, Creative Services, Ford of Europe: Usha Raghavachari
Small Car Communications Manager, Ford of Europe: Catherine Blee

* If the tagline "Go Further" sounds a bit familiar, you may recall that ad agency Goodby Berlin Silverstein coincidentally used the similar tagline "Go Farther" for the Isuzu brand years ago.

Movieclips Mocks Apple iPhone Maps in Three Movie Parodies: Hunger Games, The Dark Knight and The Shining.

Apple's iPhone (iOS 6) continues to receive grief over their highly criticized map app versus Google maps. The latest to skewer the highly criticized technology is Movieclips with their parodies of the iPhone 5 map app in The Hunger Games, Batman: The Dark Knight and The Shining.

See what happens when your favorite movie characters use their iPhone 5 and apple maps to achieve a goal.

Hunger Games:

Batman:

The Shining:

The Top 100 Global Brands of 2012. Who's Moving Up, Who's Dominating and Who's Declining.

Best Global Brands 2012
INTERBRAND RELEASES 13TH ANNUAL BEST GLOBAL BRANDS REPORT

Coca-Cola retains the #1 spot — Apple jumps to #2; Facebook enters Top 100 as Google overtakes Microsoft

NEW YORK, New York, October 2, 2012

Coca-Cola, Apple and IBM lead Interbrand’s 13th annual Best Global Brands report. While Coca-Cola retained its #1 position, Apple jumped to #2 with stellar sales in both developed and emerging markets over the last year. Social media giant, Facebook (#69), enters the report after making headlines as the third largest IPO in US history, and Google (#4) experienced a 26% increase in brand value over the last year, exceeding rival Microsoft’s (#5) brand value for the first time in the history of Interbrand’s report.

Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, publishes its Best Global Brands report of the world’s 100 most valuable brands on an annual basis. Interbrand’s methodology - the first of its kind to be ISO certified – analyzes the many ways a brand touches and benefits an organization, from driving bottom-line business results to delivering on customer expectations.

To develop its report, Interbrand examines the three key aspects that contribute to a brand’s value:

• The financial performance of the branded products or service
• The role the brand plays in influencing consumer choice
• The strength the brand has to command a premium price, or secure earnings for the company

2012 OVERVIEW: Delivering Meaningful Brand Experiences Across All Touchpoint

Against the backdrop of continued global economic uncertainty, this year’s top 100 brands excelled in securing their market position and delivering more personal and enriching experiences to consumers -- across geographies and platforms.

“As global competition increases and many competitive advantages, like technology, become more short-lived, a brand’s contribution to shareholder value will only increase,” noted Jez Frampton, Interbrand’s Global Chief Executive Officer. “The world’s 100 most valuable brands are leading the way by listening to consumers, employees, and investors alike and delivering a seamless and holistic brand experience across an ever-evolving range of touchpoints.

In a fast-moving world where consumers’ offline and online brand experiences constantly intertwine, the leading brands are staying actively engaged, tapping into the inexorable rise of data and information in order to drive innovation across all industries. They are spending the time and money required to understand the role their brand plays in consumers’ lives – and they are strategically weaving their brand proposition into every interaction.

2012 NEW ENTRANTS: Pampers, Facebook, Prada, Kia, Ralph Lauren, MasterCard

Pampers (#34): Pampers, the top-selling diaper brand in the US and P&G’s number one selling brand in the world, earned the highest ranking position among this year’s new entrants. Pampers has effectively used social media platforms and loyalty programs to connect to its consumer base. Such efforts (and increased financial transparency on P&G’s part) have earned Pampers a high-ranking spot in this year’s Best Global Brands report.

Facebook (#69): Facebook’s IPO in May enabled Interbrand to examine the social media behemoth’s financials for the first time. Despite its rocky start as a publicly listed stock and lingering uncertainty about its business model, Facebook’s growth as a brand, especially in developing markets, earns it a position in this year’s report.

Prada (#84): Prada returns to the Best Global Brands report this year. The brand’s continued growth in revenue is fueled largely by 250+ DOS (Directly Operated Stores) worldwide – a network that has expanded by keeping a careful eye on increasingly sophisticated customers in developing markets.

Kia (#87): For the past few years, Kia has been one of the fastest-growing global automotive brands. In the US, Kia’s market share has grown for 17 consecutive years and its sales numbers continue to rise, even in the troubled European marketplace.

Ralph Lauren (#91): Making its first appearance in the top 100 since 2009, Ralph Lauren’s notable brand growth in the past year can be attributed to highly innovative communication patterns and consistency across all touchpoints and formats

MasterCard (#94): MasterCard makes its debut in the 2012 Best Global Brands report after an impressive year. The company’s launch of its “Priceless Cities” campaign and a growing suite of solutions for business owners are steadily increasing consumer satisfaction – and contributing to its rise in brand value

2012 TOP RISING BRANDS: Apple, Amazon, Samsung, Nissan, Oracle

Apple (+129%): Despite Steve Jobs’ passing, consumers’ emotional connection to the Apple brand remains stronger than ever - this was made clear just recently with the launch of iPhone 5. Even in the face of increasing competition from rivals Google and Samsung, the company continues to demonstrate its commitment to protecting the Apple brand and its intellectual property. Such commitment enabled Apple to post quarterly revenue of USD $35 billion and quarterly net profit of $8.8 billion in July.

Amazon (+46%): Amazon has introduced the Kindle Touch and Kindle Fire in 175 countries, stretching the Kindle beyond its e-reader origins and turning it into a serious rival to the iPad. The Kindle Fire now enjoys the world’s second-largest tablet market share.

Samsung (+40%): Samsung became the global leader for smartphone shipments in 2011 ahead of Apple and Nokia. Samsung also generated a great deal of online buzz by integrating its Galaxy SIII and Note into the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. Despite its legal battle with Apple, Samsung’s global market share is 32.6% and its brand value increased by a meteoric 40% in the past year.

Nissan (+30%): Nissan recovered quickly from last year’s natural disasters in Japan and grew its market share by pushing the envelope on innovation and by creating bold vehicle designs like that of the Nissan Juke. Nissan’s ability to overcome challenges and continually innovate caught the attention of consumers and helped increase its brand value by 30%.

Oracle (+28%): Oracle has been branching out beyond database solutions in order to stay ahead of competitors. The company continues to make strategic acquisitions and grow its capabilities and offerings, especially in cloud computing. Oracle’s 28% increase in brand value this year proves that such strategies have impressed customers and investors alike.

TECHNOLOGY BRANDS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE
Technology brands continued their strong push of recent years, with four of the five top risers hailing from the sector (Apple, Amazon, Samsung, and Oracle). In addition, five of this year’s Top 10 brands come from within the technology sector (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Samsung). Apple, in particular, experienced record growth in brand value. While there is no question that products like the iPad and iPhone 5 are attractive to consumers around the world, Apple‘s values and unmistakable human touch are what set it apart from competitors in the end.

AUTOMOTIVE BRANDS MOVE BEYOND RECOVERY
Automotive brands are becoming more attuned to the emotional connection consumers have with their cars. This has caused many automakers to develop more effective, technologically savvy ways to reach target markets and help prospective buyers better relate to car brands.

Audi’s (#55) digital showroom, Audi City, is revolutionizing the future of retailing by combining digital product presentations and personal contact with dealers. Similarly, Ford (#45) is working hard to improve MyTouch, its in-car communications and entertainment system. Brands like BMW (#12) and Hyundai (#53) are investing in global brand campaigns and are becoming more digitally connected and tailored to narrower target groups.

For the most part, the entire industry appears to be focused on engaging customers and prospects in a more relevant and personalized manner throughout the entire purchase cycle.

LUXURY BRANDS PROVE RESILIENT
Despite the current economic landscape, all of the luxury brands in this year’s report increased their brand value. As the meaning of luxury shifts, this year’s top luxury brands reflect a changing global consciousness – with success dependent not only upon a portfolio of superior products and superb quality of service, but also a strong cohesive brand, a formidable digital presence, and reputation that is timeless, elevated, and refined.

The 2012 Best Global Brand report includes seven luxury brands: Louis Vuitton (#17), Gucci (#38), Hermès (#63), Cartier (#68), Tiffany & Co. (#70), Burberry (#82), and Prada (#84).

FMCG/CPG (FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS/CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS) BRANDS INCREASE IN BRAND VALUE AND EXPAND PRODUCT OFFERINGS
The rise in value of several FMCG/CPG brands -- Kellogg’s (#29), L’Oréal (#42), Heinz (#46), Colgate (#47), Danone (#52), Nestlé (#57), and Johnson & Johnson (#79) -- reflect successful growth, especially in the developing markets. Another growing trend observed this year was the increasing number of FMCG brands expanding into the healthcare space. Avon (#71) and Kleenex (#80) were the only two brands to lose brand value (-4% and -7% respectively).

FINANCIAL SERVICES
Financial services brands are continuing to feel the impact of 2008’s global economic downturn. Recent events, such as the notorious Libor scandal, have tarnished the reputation of leading brands like Credit Suisse - it declined 5% in brand value and ranked #95. There is reason to be optimistic about the future of this sector, however: Five of the 12 financial services brands in this year’s report increased in brand value, including American Express (#24), Morgan Stanley (#54), AXA (#58), Allianz (#62), and Visa (#74). 

MasterCard (#94) was a new entrant to this year’s report, an indication that its “Priceless” campaign continues to succeed in building a stronger connection between the brand and its growing customer base.

Interbrand’s 2012 Best Global Brands report, including detailed sector analyses, is available in full on interbrand.com and bestglobalbrands.com. The Best Global Brands website also includes in-depth CMO interviews and interactive charts & graphs.
Interbrand’s 2012 Best Global Brands



About Interbrand
Founded in 1974, Interbrand is one of the world’s largest branding consultancies. With nearly 40 offices in 27 countries, Interbrand’s combination of rigorous strategy, analytics, and world-class design enables it to assist clients in creating and managing brand value effectively, across all touchpoints, in all market dynamics. Interbrand is widely recognized for its annual Best Global Brands report, the definitive guide to the world’s most valuable brands, as well as its Best Global Green Brands report, which identifies the gap between customer perception and a brand’s performance relative to sustainability. It is also known for having created brandchannel.com, a Webby-award winning resource for brand marketing and branding. For more information on Interbrand, visit interbrand.com.