Andrew J Kaplan

Gesture-controlled software is about to get cray.

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:49:02 -0700

Gesture-controlled software is about to get cray.

Porsche has sponsored a great collection of...

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:16:45 -0700

Porsche has sponsored a great collection of design-meets-technology product snapshots on The Atlantic. My personal favorite: the light-up bike that offers safety to nighttime riders.

I don’t often post music vids for the sheer hell of it,...

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:33:13 -0700

I don’t often post music vids for the sheer hell of it, but this new song from Foster the People just kills it. Particularly if you like ballads.

futurejournalismproject: The Internet’s Population Doubled Over...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:10:04 -0700

futurejournalismproject:

The Internet’s Population Doubled Over the Last Five Years

Royal Pingdom susses out some interesting trends about the world’s 2.27 billion Internet users:

Africa has gone from 34 million to 140 million, a 317% increase.

Asia has gone from 418 million to over 1 billion, a 143% increase.

Europe has gone from 322 million to 501 million, a 56% increase.

The Middle East has gone from 20 to 77 million, a 294% increase.

North America has gone from 233 to 273 million, a 17% increase.

Latin America (South & Central America) has gone from 110 to 236 million, a 114% increase.

Oceania (including Australia) has gone from 19 to 24 million, a 27% increase.

They also note that Asia’s Internet population is almost double the entire Internet population was in 2007.

Did you know that LinkedIn has a tumblog? It’s one of the...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:56:57 -0700

Did you know that LinkedIn has a tumblog? It’s one of the company’s main planks for recruiting new employees to its ranks. Click the image above to check it out.

This seems like a great supplement to the firm’s own branded pages on LinkedIn.com. I’m always stoked when I hear about social media companies that use other social platforms for their marketing. It demonstrates the interesting niches that these companies have carved out for themselves.

LinkedIn + Salesforce = Win. As a huge fan of both companies...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:43:18 -0700

LinkedIn + Salesforce = Win.

As a huge fan of both companies and a former sales rep, I am really excited to see such an innovative and sensible partnership take shape.

Starbucks redesigned its logo last year, in line with its 40th...

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 07:55:52 -0800

Starbucks redesigned its logo last year, in line with its 40th anniversary. But I never saw this great video where Howard Schultz talks about the reinvention of the siren icon and what it means for the brand’s future. Cool!

Of course, the redesign also signals that Starbucks has become so ubiquitous, so familiar, that there’s no need to include the words “Starbucks” and “Coffee” in the logo. Would you mistake a plain black swoosh for anything other than Nike?

"One study from Duke University estimated that habits, rather than conscious decision-making, shape..."

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:43:20 -0800

“One study from Duke University estimated that habits, rather than conscious decision-making, shape 45 percent of the choices we make every day…”

- The New York Times, “How Companies Learn Your Secrets”

Many of California’s state parks are closing, and...

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:53:21 -0800

Many of California’s state parks are closing, and it’s tragic. The First 70 is a forthcoming film whose producers want to change all of that. Just a mesmerizing trailer that brought tears to my eyes.

"Advertising isn’t like some coat that you pull on and off depending on the weather. It has to..."

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:00:00 -0800

“Advertising isn’t like some coat that you pull on and off depending on the weather. It has to be an integral part of a brand and stitched into the very heart of a product. It has to touch a nerve end of what makes a brand or product tick and what makes it resonate with the public.”

- John Hegarty, Worldwide Creative Director for BBH. Hegarty On Advertising

♥ Typography. ♥ PBS.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:00:06 -0800

♥ Typography. ♥ PBS.

There aren’t that many amazing tech ads out there. Apple,...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:16:04 -0800

There aren’t that many amazing tech ads out there. Apple, of course, is a leader. Google’s made a big splash with “Dear Sophie” (Chrome) and its “Search Stories”. But I just love this PlayStation spot. It tells a story with the style and narrative panache of a Hollywood film. It subtly references all the biggest PS3 games, which any hardcore gamer will love but even a non-gamer might appreciate. It takes you on a journey, wondering who these various characters are, why they’re together — and who is this Michael? The ultimate revelation is uplifting, intelligent and humorous.

It’s interesting to see a brand like PlayStation target hardcore gamers in a world that’s constantly abuzz about casual and social gaming. Shows that the folks at Sony are in touch with their brand’s values and that they love their users.

Perhaps taking a page from the Apple playbook, Sony wisely avoids talking about the raw technicals of its product. The PS managers know that consumers won’t swoon for their system because of product specs like graphics capabilities, processor speeds, etc. They love the titles. They love the characters. These are the things that have made gamers fall in love with PlayStation and remain loyal to it. Sony has capitalized on that affinity — that emotional bond — and given the people what they want: A commercial that truly pays homage to gamers and the product itself.

"The things we make, make us."

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:00:05 -0800

“The things we make, make us.”

- Sergio Marchionne, CEO Chrysler/FIAT. You can also find this language in the company’s commercials.

My new favorite company: visual.ly. We all have heard how Big...

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:00:00 -0800

My new favorite company: visual.ly.

We all have heard how Big Data will surely be one of the leading tech trends of 2012. Companies of all stripes are coping with oceans of data about user and customer behavior, which is partly the result of the proliferation of all manner of connected devices both mobile and in-home.

So the challenge becomes, how do we parse this data and make sense of it? Infographics are a great way to distill data into creative, visually appealing and comprehensible analysis. Visual.ly is developing a platform to let anyone create a high-quality infographic, even if you aren’t trained in Motion, After Effects or Flash. The company already showcases some of the best graphics across the Web and allows pros to upload and promote their work, connecting with peers and receiving valuable feedback in the process. This firm is well-positioned to capitalize on consumers’ and businesses’ hunger for data, as well as the ever-growing DIY creative culture in America.

Also, if you like data and design, you better start reading FlowingData.com. It will be interesting to see how the business model for Visual.ly evolves. For example, FD offers yearly subscriptions for which users receive source code and monthly tutorials about how to design pro-grade data visualizations.

The International Academy of Web Television is streaming its...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:46:00 -0800

The International Academy of Web Television is streaming its first awards program for excellence tonight at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Iawtvorg

Above are a few of the nominees.

From Fast Company: “Researchers say infographics can save...

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:04:34 -0800

From Fast Company: “Researchers say infographics can save morons from themselves. Really?” Click above to read the article.

I recently produced this video for my friend Amit, who’s...

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 11:47:00 -0800

I recently produced this video for my friend Amit, who’s getting his MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Amit is an engineer by trade and he needed a video to enter into a scholarship contest. The organization awarding the scholarship was looking for positive role models for children interested in science and engineering.

It’s been awhile since I shined the spotlight on good...

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:35:00 -0800

It’s been awhile since I shined the spotlight on good branded entertainment. This ski film, sponsored naturally by North Face (and featuring a ton of North Face gear) is worth watching 10 times. As the filmmaker says, it’s really the antithesis of a normal ski film, in that the story is really about how this band of athletes hiked 10 days to the summit of a 17,000’ peak in Alaska, only to ski down after their grueling expedition up the trail with boards and skis strapped to their backs. The film is about the struggle, not so much about epic rides and big air. Though there’s a little of that, too. Fantastic camera work and editing, particularly on the motion graphics.

"The most dangerous thing is to be successful. You then think every decision is the right one...."

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:33:57 -0800

“The most dangerous thing is to be successful. You then think every decision is the right one. That’s why you have to review what you do.”

- Wong Wai Ming, CFO, Lenovo

"In a recent regulatory finding, Google revealed that it had acquired 57 companies in the first three..."

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:02:00 -0800

“In a recent regulatory finding, Google revealed that it had acquired 57 companies in the first three quarters of 2011, breaking its yearly record of 48, set in 2010.”

- Mercury News. As an aside: Holy crap.