In a study published by Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) early this month. Internet advertising spending will double from $21 billion this year, to $42 billion in 2011. And that estimate only cover the U.S. market. Unfortunately, even with all these infusion of capital, web-based advertisements still lack the level of interactivity that it once promised. Most firms adopt to Internet advertisement simply converting their pre-existing ads into digital format.

However, few firms have understood the potential of Internet advertisement and testing the boundaries of what they can do, such as Japanese apparel label UNIQLO. The company created several notable interactive advertisements, including its UNIQLOCK, which has become one of the most viral marketing application to date. The firm recently launched another interactive application, the UNIQLO Grid. Essentially, it is a playful application with low learning curve. With simple gestures of a mouse, players can generate, combine, move, divide, rotate, or remove the UNIQLO logo. The system allows 50 people to manipulate the logos on the grid, each user can view the alterations in real time. Nonetheless, the application is not that dissimilar to other “time-wasting” mini-games found on the web. It is equally addictive as well. So far, 18222 individuals from 61 countries have manipulated the UNIQLO logo 978,801 times.

» UNIQLO Grid

Friday, November 16th, was a momentous occasion for Japanese retailer Muji as it opened its first retail location here in New York City’s SoHo district. The opening also marked the retailer, which already gained a loyal following for its “all value/quality, no frills” approach in its products, foray into the U.S. market for the first time. At about 3,200 square feet of retail space, the SoHo store will offer over 2,000 items of Muji products, including about 570 stationeries, 270 health & beauty products, 30 simple appliances, 330 apparels, and much more.

En Avant had the opportunity to chat briefly with Mr. Masanobu Furuta, the Senior Managing Director of Mujirushi Ryohin, about the retailer, its concept, and its future plans…

Muji SoHo
455 Broadway | Map
New York, NY 10013

» Muji

Works by British artist Damien Hirst, though often judged as controversial and macabre, serve a crucial function nevertheless. His works challenge the public to explore the questions of “what is death?”, “what is existence?”, “what of the afterlife?” and etc… within ourselves. It is in that continue exploration of those unanswered question that Hirst created his most ambitious works thus far. Titled School: The Archaeology Of Lost Desires, Comprehending Infinity And The Search For Knowledge, the work is currently on display at the lobby of the Lever House, the landmark office tower created by SOM. Commissioned by the building’s owner Aby Rosen, art dealer Alberto Mugrabi, and made possible by Gagosian Gallery, Hirst’s new work took 2 years to create and at a cost of $10 million dollars.

The exhibition dominated the entrance space of Lever House. With some decapitated 29 sheep carcass, 1 shark, two large sides of beef, all bathed in Hirst’s signature medium , formaldehyde. All presented on its own examination table, intravenous pack, and fluorescent light. In addition, the lobby is surrounded by 15 medicine cabinets filled with hundreds if not thousands of empty medication packaging as well as a series of clocks going backward. The layout is quite crucial in this installation. It plays a role in telling the story. The 2 sides of beef, encased in 12-foot galss tank, symbolize the authority figure. While, the 29 sheep and 1 shark (maybe the class clown?), all lined in perfect rows and columns, represent the youngsters in this surreal classroom. Like all other large works by Hirst, the experience is quite indescribable and full of paradox. Lever House’s glass curtain wall, aluminum fixtures, white-washed by fluorescent lighting, create aspace sterile and institution-like. However, the perfectly lined arrangements and soothing sounds made it all oddly familiar. Again, as of any works by Hirst, it pose more questions than answers. The installation will be on display until February 9th, 2008.

Lever House - Lobby Gallery
390 Park Avenue | Map
New York, NY 10022

Event Date: 11.12.2007 ~ 02.09.2008

» Gagosian Gallery

» Gagosian Gallery - Damien Hirst

Created in 1984, the invitation-only event known as TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) gathers some of the world’s greatest thinkers and allows them to engage one another with their ideas. A search in the recently made public archive came up with another interesting video. Taped during March of this year, it feature John Maeda, the renown professor at the prestigious MIT Media Lab, in his forth appearance at the conference. Much of a modern day Renaissance man, Maeda first touched briefly on the subject in his most recent book, Laws of Simplicity, then went off into various observations he made over the years, not only on design and his own works, but on various element in ones life. Thus, making the video humorous, informational, and most of all, personal.

» TED

» John Maeda

The Freitag brothers, Markus and Daniel, were in need of a messenger bag that only withstood the abuse but also repel the constant rain, when both notice the coverings on trucks going by their home. Not long after, their ingenuity kicked in. By sewing together old truck tarps and adding seat belts for shoulder strap, the brothers created the first Freitag prototype.

14 years later, Freitag bags are highly sought after not only for their colorful exterior, but also for their durable nature. The label has gone beyond messenger bags and now offers totes, backpacks, and accessories.

Recently, Freitag is going back to its roots and announced a contest with an unique premise - design-a-truck. The contest is open to professionals as well as students of design schools. Each submission will be judge by a panel, including the Freitag brothers and Stefan Sagmeister. The winning design will then adorn a truck for 5 years, going through the streets of Europe. The deadline for submission if January 31st, 2008. For more information, follow the link below.

» Freitag - Design-A-Truck Contest

Just a month after the implementation of new features to its Zune digital mediaplayer franchise, Microsoft is starting a brand new initiative. Tomorrow, Microsoft will open a new online store, Zune Originals. With this new interactive online retail point, not only customers can purchase their Zune player directly from the source, they transform their new player into works of art. In working with 18 world-renown artists such as Sam Flores, Kenzo Minami, :Phunk Studios, Tado, and more. Zune Originals will offer customization called Artist Series. Customer can now select 27 original graphics and have it laser-etched onto their new Zune. In addition to the graphics from the Aritst Series, the site also offers 20 other graphics from its Tattoo Series as well as up to 5 lines of text. The intuitive nature of the new site will allow buyer to customize their new player without a hitch.

> Zune

> Zune Originals

Photo: Quinze & Milan

They go by different names: massage parlor, tea house, bagnio, bordello, cathouse, and etc… And whether legal or not, almost every cities in the world have them. All shared a common purpose - where the oldest profession, prostitution, could take place. Brothels, however, are traditionally known to be squalid and seedy. Where the dirty deed changed hands quickly and unceremoniously. That was the case until 2004 when Villa Tinto opened.

Located at the red-light district in Antwerp, Belgium. Villa Tinto, owned by Franky De Coninck and designed by famed designer Arne Quinze, is a complex of pleasure whose interiors rivaled any top boutique hotels in the world. Aside for the stylish look, safety was also a key factor. The 51 rooms in it are all wired to a biometric security system. It will only permits the designated clients to enter. Within each room, a “panic” button can be activated to alert the on-site police force, if anything went awry. Because of these and other factors, a recent report showed that crimes involved prostitution in Antwerp have decreased. Any example how good design can improve lives.

» Quinze & Milan