out of the box :: The awesome world of digital

The Red Cross Blood Trade

Where is the one place in the world that you think about your life (and of course blood) the most? The clever guys over at ESPM School in São Paulo (Brazil) think they may just have the answer, and it’s glaringly simple - the world of video games. Their genius idea? Allow The Red Cross to partner with video game makers to reward those that give blood with extra in game ‘life’. It’s ‘blood for blood’ and a fantastic way to get the younger generation to think about giving blood. Top work guys. 

Digital Gum Goods

NFC technology is becoming more widely available in todays smart phones and it offers plenty of new ways for people to interact with real world objects. This new gumball machine takes something we all know and love from the past, and turn it into a way of delivering digital goods. It’s still a concept, but the idea is sound. Insert money, spin the wheel and get delivered a random gift - movie, game, voucher, whatever really. It’ll be nice to see where this leads to, as until it has a bit of a creative wrapping (be it brand, license, property or other) it may not have the appeal as it could have.

It’s a cool idea though. I imagine if we finally see NFC in the next iPhone, the install base of the technology will grow dramatically and we will see a lot more executions in this realm. What do you think? Have you seen any other great uses of NFC in the real world?

Death Bet raises awareness of the truth behind horse racing

Straight out of the Berghs School of Communication in Stockholm, this campaign idea shows a shocking, yet compelling way of generating awareness around the treatment of horses in the betting industry. By flipping the idea of betting on it’s head and getting people to actually gamble on which horse will die next, this concept for Peta really pulls on the heart strings. With some lovely social features, and some killer ads to drive home the message, the thinking behind this is great. What do you think? Clever idea or a step too far?

Free beer if you do your timesheets

There is one thing in an agency that grates on people every week, and that’s completing your timesheets. It’s tedious yes, but important to the business and has to be done. So, how do you get people to complete this tedium each week? JWT in Brazil have come up with a genius solution. An electronically locked fridge only opens once everyone in the agency has completed their timesheets. And who said bribery didn’t work? 

Is this the vending machine of the future?

Both Coke and Pepsi have shown us a glimpse of the future of vending machines, using both NFC and social aspects in order to drive sales. Now Japan have jumped on the bandwagon with the above bit of sexy tech. Using a large transparent HDTV instead of glass, the entire front of the display becomes a touch screen device. The camera above detects when people walk past (and interact) and allows bespoke messages and recommendations to be displayed based on gender and age.

I wonder how long it will be before we start to see this kind of thing down the local train station?

Rimino - A phone concept for the future

Amid Moradganjeh at the UMEA Institute of design has set out to visualise the mobile device of the future. How will it work look and function? Some really interesting concepts within, especially the ideas that humanize the mobile experience, making it more tangible and emotional for the user. Beautiful minimal interface too. Mobile phone manufacturers take note.

Find out more about this project on the microsite. 

Say it with Sartalics

Sometimes, when you type stuff, it gets misconstrued along the way. That word you thought would be read as sarcasm, wasn’t. How can you solve this so that your sarcastic comments online are never misunderstood again?

The interns over at BBH think they may have found a solution Sartalics, a new form of typeface that leans the opposite way. Nice idea guys.

Join the petition on their website to make this idea a reality.

I owe you a beer - Heineken concept

Fresh out of the Miami Ad School comes this innovative social media campaign concept. The idea came about from the simple premise that people overuse the age old line ‘I owe you a beer’, to the point where it has lost all meaning. Well, this app is going to change that for good. Now you have to stay true to your word, even when you can’t physically be there to part with your money.

Through the app, you add a beer to your mate. Next time they check into a Heineken pub, they can claim your beer (you get the final say though - just in case you’re a bit skint). It’s a very simple idea, so simple that you can really see people using it. The only thing that could potentially hamper it is not having the retailers on board to support it. But hey, great concept guys, keep rolling them out.

Thanks to SimplyZesty for picking up this little gem.

Facebook Russian Roulette (Concept)

This concept for a Facebook virtual ‘Russian Roullette’ game is great. Even though I’m sure it could never be made (Facebook surely would never allow the auto-deletion of an account… or would they?), it never the less is innovative and unique. Imagine the controversy something like this would get if released? Stand back Whopper Sacrifice, your time is up.

Straight from the guys at the Miami Ad School, it shows that the new talent coming through have a great grasp of what makes a great digital idea, as well as how to tie it into a brand. Top work.

The future of Camera design - A concept

A really sweet vision of what cameras will be like in the future. You really can’t see this being that far off. The clip off lens is inspired.

Link via curiositycounts