(mouse over an image)

The Writing Is On The Wall

Benjamin Morgan, a former graffiti artist and break dancer, has made a film that seeks to expose what he regards as the absurdity of so-called "Quality of Life" laws that arbitrarily lump graffiti in with drugs, prostitution and general urban blight. Chen Design Associates developed the film's branding, identity, press kit and marketing collateral, including movie posters, guerrilla marketing, wearable items and a 200-page behind-the-scenes book. DVD and soundtrack packaging, and a tabloid magazine, are also on the agenda.

Brush With History

Using just a bamboo brush, Rocco Piscatello, founder of the Piscatello Design Centre, created these posters celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Visiting Artist Program at FIT in New York. Milton Glaser, David Carson, Steff Geissbuhler, Chip Kidd, Louise Fili, Ed Benguiat, Steven Heller, Ken Carbone, Donny Deutsch, Kenneth Cooke, Julia Hastings, Bridget de Socio, Lisa Strausfeld, Gail Anderson, Marshall Arisman, Richard Poulin, Scott Stowell, Michael Rock and Willi Kunz have all been past speakers. Jan Wilker and Hjalti Karlsson, who started their U.S. careers at Sagmeister Inc. and recently opened their own studio, KarlssonWilker, recently kicked off the program's 2006 season.

Holiday Cookie

A gingerbread cookie gets crazy at an office holiday party, jumping onto a cookie tray and disrobing, while a more sober baked good wishes for a Sprint camera phone to capture the moment. Alex Weil, executive creative director at Charlex, created these spots in CG but made them look like Claymation pieces. Another agency TBWA/Chiat Day participated in the process from start to finish. Creative credits go to CD Tony Soares, AD Rebecca Fargnoli and Producer Lilian Lopez at TBWA, and Weil, CG Supervisor Keith McCabe and Animation Director Anthony Tabtong at Charlex.

Hollywood Goes South

Southern-fried poster parodies of famous films — such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Moonstruck, The Hunt For Red October and Scarface — are showing up throughout the Charlotte area. Created by BooneOakley for the Cackalacky Film Festival, the pieces appear in wildpostings, movie theaters, regional magazines and newspapers and a website. Creative Directors are John Boone and David Oakley, and Art Directors/ Copywriters are Don Marshall Wilhelmi and Rory Odani.