*NOTCOT in food+drink - 01.04.10 -

Adorable Aladdin Sake Bottles

alladinsake0.jpg As delicious as certain liquors are… you all know that spontaneous packaging based impulse buys are how the weird stuff often ends up here. Well recently at Mitsuwa, the adorable little sakes were calling out to me and i couldn’t resist. I also couldn’t resist shaking up the nigori ones… which of course meant i then had to let them sit for a day or so in my fridge so they’d fully settle (all that unfiltered sediment sinking to the bottom) so i could show you the difference when i took pics! But how amazingly cute are these Aladdin Sake bottles? They’d make the prettiest little vases for your desk… And the way the top opens is fascinating as well. So take a peek at them all on the next page! (And no, i haven’t tasted any of them yet ~ too tired tonight, but wanted to show you the packaging first!)

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*NOTCOT in design -

V Magazine Object Font

vmag6.jpg Flipping through the last issue of V magazine, and as fun as the issue itself was, i couldn’t help but fixate on this recurring object filled font! So, naturally i snapped a bunch of pics to share it with you… it’s filled with iphones and purses and masks and champagne glasses and mittens and snow flakes and trees and sunglasses and rings and shoes and airplanes and more! See more close ups of this font and its various instances on the next page…

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 01.02.10 -

Magners Pear Cider Exclusive for Bungalow 8

magners.jpg On more things i’ve been meaning to post for a while. Here’s a brilliantly fun idea… how do you take a normally boring average looking bottled Magners Pear Cider and elevate (or catapult) its status instantly? Give the awesome Bungalow 8 in London an exclusive stunning bottle that is only available there, and only 500 bottles are produced. The new design was created for Magners by their brand entertainment agency, Cake. They were even kind enough to send one over so i could take a look at it in person - and its lovely! Its a sleek black bottle with 5 gloss silver sticker stripes wrapping the bottle and the Bungalow 8 ‘8’ etched in the silver pear. Honestly, it’s hard to look at the original bottle the same way after seeing and holding this. Actually, it’s hard to look at any cider or beer the same. Why don’t they all look this stunningly designed? See more pics on the next page…

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*NOTCOT in food+drink -

Cregg - Egg Decapitator/Holder

cregg0.jpg Black and White. Angel and Devil. Fun illustrations. Hilarious how to on the back, showing how this egg topper (with the three little blades inside) can even double as a napkin ring (won’t it slice up your napkin possibly? if used right?)… and brain sperm logo. And it’s both the egg decapitator AND the holder. Genius. So of course you understand that i couldn’t resist this adorable german pair of Brain Stream Cregg & Cregg while in Stockholm… and i only just got around to testing them out ~ pictures of the experience and details on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in tech - 01.01.10 -

Liquid Image Freestyle/Summit Camera Goggles

freestyle0.jpg On exciting CES launches to poke at in person next week ~ Liquid Image (who started with the scuba goggles with integrated digital still/HD vid cameras) ~ is announcing the Freestyle Series Swim Camera Goggle and the Summit Series Snow Camera Goggle. So now you can use their handsfree wide angle still/video cameras in the pool or in the snow… and actually with the goggles, you can use them anywhere as a wearable handsfree camera since you won’t have to breathe through your mouth if using them out of the water! See more images and details on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 12.30.09 -

Absolut Packaging THEN & NOW

absolutthen.jpg Apologies for going a little quiet on you. Tried to take a little bit of a break this week ~ reassess the amazing year that passed, trying again to hit inbox 0 before 2010 officially arrives… and in doing so, also finding some gems i’ve been meaning to post that sadly got buried in the chaos of my inbox. SO, here’s one of my favorites!

As we slip in to the new decade ~ here are two of my favorite slides from the presentation given by Absolut at the Absolut Art Collection anniversary event in Stockholm a few months ago. On the top you see the state of vodka packaging design when Absolut first entered the market with its shockingly apothecary styled bottle (which i adore!)… Below you see the state of things today. Yes yes, sure it may be a little biased in how things were picked, but you can’t deny that the overall trend is true, and that the it’s a great illustration of the shift in vodka packaging design over the decades! As 2010 comes upon us, i wonder how things will shift next…

absolutnow.jpg

*NOTCOT in design - 12.24.09 -

White Rabbit Inc - Fallon/Syfy

rabbitbox0.jpg Merry Christmas ~ it’s been quite the branded animal holiday season for crazy packages here at NOTCOT this year, and as that “last day before christmas” delivery chaos kicked in, the most beautiful and mysterious box arrived from White Rabbit Inc. (via Fallon and Syfy) ~ you know, that special recon team that the Queen of Hearts has? With the fun microsites and awesome Alice mini series? So now i can BE part of that crazy team, and run around as a White Rabbit too!!! Check out my new latex rabbit head? I must admit its a little freaky up close, but i can’t stop poking at it. Also what better gift to receive than vials of Clear Conscience, Hope, Reassurance, Flying High, Desire, and Serenity to ring in the new decade? One can only dream that they’d perform as labeled if sipped ~ but the fun little legal note warns me otherwise. Just in case. Imagine if it were as easy as it is in Wonderland? Where the Queen lures (ok, traps) humans from our world into her casino, only to pull raw emotions out of them and through their feet to create essences for bottling by the Wonderland Tea Shop ~ they are afterall “Tea for the soul, from the soul.” So take a peek on the next page for a full unboxing as well as some Rabbit-Penguin shots…

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 12.21.09 -

Wine Tasting by Mail Sample Tubes

winetube1.jpg Love of wine + packaging + test tubes? When i spotted these wine tasters over at Springwise. This example of Tryvertising (i must admit that word pains me quite a bit)… comes from Brixr in San Francisco. These 50mL vials are adorable ~ though some people seem to be debating whether 2ozs are enough to know which one you like best… see a few more packaging pics on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in gratis -

Holiday Giveaway! StrangeCo Goody Bags

strangeco.jpg HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Can you believe we’re in the final stretch of 2009? 2010 is right around the corner already! So here’s a fun playful giveaway ~ lets do it on twitter this time! StrangeCo ~ one of my favorite toy companies ever ~ has sent over 5 adorable goody bags filled with blind boxed fun (and more!). For a chance to win one of these 5… here’s the plan.

This one is for all you amazing TWITTER followers!!! (And if you’re not on twitter yet, no worries, its free. Feel free to sign up!) Follow @NOTCOT, and tweet what you think the ultimate party favor is. and use the hashtag #notcotPF. I’ll go through the #notcotPF tweets on Dec 28th and D message 5 of you, so make sure you’re following @NOTCOT, or else i can’t contact you! (Oh, and one entry per twitter handle please!)

As for the Party Favor - think small, fun, something you could buy/make a bunch of, etc. And it doesn’t have to be just for kids… can’t wait to see what you come up with! See more pics on the next page of the surprises waiting for you…

TO ” Holiday Giveaway! StrangeCo Goody Bags”! ——->

*NOTCOT in design - 12.19.09 -

Worth Magazine: Redesign

worthmain.jpg Worth: The Evolution of Financial Intelligence. There are two aspects to this article. Firstly the design - which was actually enticing enough to make me not only grab a copy and flip through it, but to then purchase it at its pricey 20$ price tag to further dive into its Monocle sized uncoated/matte velum glossy covered magazine and take pictures to share its interesting layout/design choices with you. So on the next page you’ll find many examples of some of my favorite visual details of this recently updated magazine.

The second aspect is the business of it ~ as you’ll see in the video and press releases from just a few months ago, this 18 year old magazine title was acquired by Sandow Media (of LUXE and New Beauty) in 2008 ~ and only 2 issues ago completely redesigned. Not only in look and feel, but also focus and revenue model. In a time where we are watching magazines close monthly, print dinosaurs falter, and online advertising still finding its legs (at least conceptually!) ~ Worth magazine has taken on an interesting concept lead by publisher Patrick Williams (from the Economist and Conde Nast’s Portfolio - which while also beautiful and infographic heavy, didn’t last long): “The Worth Leading Wealth Advisor Program” where essentially they have wealth advisors underwriting the profits of the magazine by having them thoroughly vetted, and if accepted they pay for an opportunity to write articles for the magazine and have 100 copies to distribute (to their clients and potential Worth future readers?). This is in addition to their advertisements as a revenue stream… and their bold move not to allow subscriptions (unless you are considered a high net worth reader and happen upon a free subscription), the only way to acquire Worth is to pay their $18.95 cover price. And Patrick even says in the Bloomberg interview that “We want to be known as the 20 buck magazine, which makes us the most expensive magazine in America.” Funny thing is when i first landed on their site, the most surprising usability issue i encountered was not being able to find a subscribe button, usually they are huge, flashing, or begging you to click them on magazine sites. I guess not being allowed to subscribe will make some want it even more…?

Business aside. Its a gorgeous magazine, and i am quite intrigued by their layouts and typographic decisions. The paper also feels stunning to hold in your hand, and it’s quite an interesting read… awaiting future issues to see if it holds up. Oh, and i’m smitten by the fact that they have lovely Object of Desire pages. See pics on the next page ~ as well as the Bloomberg video.

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*NOTCOT in playful - 12.18.09 -

Holiday Feature! O-No Sushi Giveaway

greensushimain.jpg Andy Bell is probably one of the awesomest people i’ve met in 2009 (yay, sdcc?) ~ and his red and blue sushi’s sit sadly in their boxes by my desk inspiring me daily. So you can only imagine how ridiculously giddy i’ve been photoshopping the behind the scenes pics for this feature where he gives us a look into not only how they came to be, but also a chance to giveaway one of the much coveted GREEN O-NO SUSHIs!!! Before they are even available (you can buy one in january, but you’d better be quick!)…

So if you’re ready ~ go see the making of feature as well as details on how to win one of these awesome little guys + some stickers too on the feature page!

p.s. we got a sneak peek at the green ones at SDCC

TO “Holiday Feature! O-No Sushi Giveaway “! ——->

*NOTCOT in travel -

Daily Candy Print Guide to LA

dailycandy1.jpg I’m a bit obsessed with print recently. I mean, i always love/d print, but extra aware of it and all its design nuances at the moment. Beyond that, i can’t seem to help fixating on the way digital/online medias can translate back out to print in the real world well ~ and how integrated ads can be beautiful and/or enhance the content. Ran into this little booklet for the first time at a hotel and love not only the concept and execution, but also the design!

Daily Candy has a beautiful Los Angeles pocket sized city guide that is perhaps one of the most thorough (SO many of my favorites and many more are included!) guides to places to eat, sleep, shop, and more in LA! Design is fun and readable, adorable little icons and extra notes and illustrations tucked away in each page. It’s also light on the branding/advertisements Only a few Jet Blue ads inside with fun creative and copy of course! On the front it mentions it is in partnership with the Viceroy Group and Urban Retreats. As far as positioning, seems like great positioning to get Daily Candy in front of boutique hotel guests ~ particularly those who may not know the mailing list yet. Lovely idea, beautifully executed, i’d rather grab one of these than a Wallpaper guide, etc. if i’m sending a friend off to explore LA ~ now i’m curious what other cities exist! And how to find them! Take a peek inside this LA guide on the next page…

UPDATE: Just in from Daily Candy - there are NYC and LA guides. the NYC guides were made last year and can be found at the 5 W hotels in NYC. The LA ones just arrived in the Viceroy and Urban Retreat hotels last month! “They were penned by the NYC and LA editors respectively. It’s the first time we’ve printed our favorites in such a fashion and they are being well-received in both markets. The great thing is it’s everything we love — Not just the “latest and greatest” but they also include mention our tried and true favorites.”

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*NOTCOT in tech - 12.17.09 -

Holiday Feature! Joey Roth Ceramic Speakers Giveaway

speakermain.jpgJoey Roth takes us behind the scenes of his new Ceramic Speakers! 4 years in the making, these beauties started as an idea in college, only to be further developed in 2008, and now they are a reality! While i have yet to hear these myself, Gizmodo and Wired are already commending their “audiophile-worthy sound” ~ and personally i’m smitten by the combination of ceramic, wood, and cork ~ yes CORK! the way the plugs go into the cork before the ceramic is my favorite detail of all. Take a peek at the feature on the next page, including a super cute stop motion video ~ and he’s also giving away a set of these lovely speakers to one lucky reader! Giveaway details are here.

TO “Holiday Feature! Joey Roth Ceramic Speakers Giveaway”! ——->

*NOTCOT in playful -

Puma Penguin Army Arrives

penguin0.jpg They’re heeeeeeere!!! Meet the Puma Penguin Army that arrived yesterday. Sorry i lost a few hours of my day yesterday to unpacking the fort of 20 massive boxes that showed up. And then carefully pulling out each of its foamy filled box… only a few casualties. 1 poor orange guy totally shattered (we’ll consider him a sacrifice in the name of science to see what’s inside a Puma Penguin)… one green guy lost a foot (don’t worry he’s being superglued as you read)… another orange guy has a special sunburst like color fade with a cracked neck (watching him carefully to make sure not to snap his head off!).

Need a little background story? Haven’t walked by a Puma store this season? Well Puma’s window and instore displays internationally have these incredible life size plastic penguins around. And they are simple beautifully designed glossy little statues. For those of you who , you know I’ve been obsessing over them since Stockholm. And then every time i walk past the Santa Monica store. They are truly one of the awesomest window displays i’ve ever seen. Awesome enough that i couldn’t help reaching out to Puma in hopes of telling their story and begging to buy one. And then 20 showed up.

PUMA - i just have to say, you guys are amazing. Like, best christmas present ever amazing. THANK YOU! Now that being said ~ go see the many photos of where i first spotted these guys, how they arrived, and just how fun they are en masse. Now the question is, what to do with them???

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*NOTCOT in gratis - 12.15.09 -

Holiday Feature! wejetset giveaway!

main.jpg Ready to take off for the holidays? Well wejetset wants to hook you up.

What can you win? + 1 Hideo Bean 19 (Green) Luggage + 6 Wallpaper City Guides + 1 Arkitip x Incase Curated Laptop Sleeve for (15” Macbook Pro) Steven Harrington + 1 WeSC Bongo Blue Headphones + 1 pair of Sunglasses by Super See pics of it all in the feature as well as details on what to do for your chance to win!

TO “Holiday Giveaway! wejetset bundle”! ——->

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