Let There Be Light

What's this then? This is the new look Dispatches. This site, will be the not-so-secret, but kind of on the downlow travel blog for my summer trip. I've been blogging at The Vancouverite and don't think that everyone will care about hearing about the trip I will only half-jokingly call: "A Cold War Vacation to visit Mr. Ho, Chairman Mao, and Uncle Joe " More on this soon. Stay tuned.

Where are the Posts Dispatches Buddies?

Obviously posting has come to a near stand still here at Dispatches. Why?

Well, I'm currently launching a new city blog about Vancouver called "The Vancouverite". Once we get that up and running past the beta stage (even though it is scarily live already we're working out some small improvements, and getting into a new groove) we'll get back to semi-regular posting here. Actually, we'll probably be updating this site and migrating off of this URL in the new year, so stay tuned. But for now, check out "The Vancouverite" and tell us what you think.

The New Flatiron Building

I can't believe that there is a new 21st century "Flatiron" building going up in Vancouver on Pender St, 1277 Melville to be exact. I also simply can't believe that it is basically the same as every other building going up in this city. This contemporary style, whatever they are calling it, makes every building seem exactly the same from the outside.

I like windows and glass as much as the next guy - it just a shame that the buildings them become empty looking glass houses. If you are going to pay all that money for your space it shouldn't just be a couple of glass walls should it? The building's only character is associating itself with one of the greatest buildings in New York. We get it. You think you're being clever. But you aren't actually. No, you aren't clever at all, you shouldn't even be able to call it Flatiron. Daniel Burnham is probably rolling over in his grave hearing about this. Seriously this homage more like a really bad, unsatisfying meal or movie. Think of it like CSI: NY to the original, right.

Ad Talk: It's a bird, It's a plane, it's Danger Doom?

I enjoyed reading this month's copy of Vice and really got a kick out of ads for Death Cab for Cutie a few pages away from a pretty scathing review of the new album. WWSC do anyway? Interesting:

Summer: This is a nightmare. I'm sweating to death, driving ten miles an hour on, like, a rickshaw, listening to this... music.
Seth: Hey, do not insult Death Cab.
Summer: It's like one guitar and a whole lot of complaining.

• I doubt that I could listen to this stuff, but I'm sure my friend Bruce and Seth Cohen on The OC would be all over this Danger Doom crap. It's Modest Mouse meets really creepy cartoon network stuff. The print ad and design were enough for me to click, so there you go.
  
• I know baseball is over. Yes, the World Series was completely disapointing. The Johnny Walker campaign featuring basically the sequel to Casey at the Bat looked interesting.
  
• Almost a year ago I was at Ad Tech and I watched an intersting session about Song - Delta's brand cool female airline. Well, about a year later. Song is dead. All brand and no business. [Brand Autopsy]
• Speaking of brand, sometimes a brand just won't die. The New York Times Magazine writes about communism in the hills of Nepal that just won't throw up a white flag.
  
• Saw a short teaser for November sweeps giant "The Poseidon Adventure" on NBC. Somehow Steve Gutenberg is still alive. Amazing.
  
• For no reason what so ever, Travolta.com. A really poorly executed, quite possibly smug, website.
  

Smoking with Cuban

There was so much smoke in the movie I saw yesterday that it makes you want to start:

• "Good Night, And Good Luck". I really liked this movie. But what is really good about it was all the: smoking, the old phones and film projectors, the amazing elevator lobby at CBS, the smoke, typewriters, terrible picture quality, black and white, the old promos and ads during the shows, the jazz, and did I mention the smoke. It is a well crafted piece of cinema. Keep your eyes on this George Clooney kid. [Good Night, And Good Luck Official site]
• Speaking of that movie, I really like this whole 2929 Entertainment business model for Truly Indie. And of course Marc Cuban is deeply involved. Basically 2929 will be doing things like, oh, releasing 6 Steven Soderbergh films simuntaneously in theatres, TV, and DVD which is awesome. [More: Indie Wire and Wired]
• And last but certainly not least the trailre for Albert Brooks next film is up. "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World" looks like it could be pretty cool. And Fred Thompson is in it. Double Fun.
  

Media & Ad Notes: From the Hoff to the King

Today is just one of those crazy advertising and media days where everything is coming up Milhouse:

• It's good to be square. So says this insane and creepy Wendy's site and campaign.
  
• Wax The Hoff. This site makes the Wendy's site look downright normal. This is amazingly creepy.
  
• Now that those are out of the way. Can you even imagine how amazing this new NIKE Basketball site is? Amazing. Stunning. Beautiful creative. And I'm an Adidas guy.
  
• Meanwhile Budget Rental is doing a nicely coordinated brand/creative/viral/word of mouth campaign with Up Your Budget.
  
• Hello Marketing. Slate investigates the Burger King mask site phenomenon.
  
• I'm not entirely sure about these new Lexus spots. But can you really go wrong with Francois Vogel? Worth the looky. Enjoy the cooky.
  
• Niel French you are a crazy bastard. Hart+Larsson, you guys are crackpots. I love what's going on with you. [Ad Rants]
• Right time. Right place. Right message. Starbucks new ad in the puzzle section of a paper is bang on creatively and strategically. It's a puzzle ad on thier coffee. [Ad Jab]
• And then, of course, Apple does a very classy ad to remember and pay tribute to the late, great, Rosa Parks. [Apple]
  
  

Orange Shirt, Green Shorts

Let me just say for the record: These posts are about as good as it gets tonight.

• Anyone else feel that the new incarnation of Aquaman, currenly on Smallville (don't ask) is a jerk? Whatever fanboys he's basically a tree hugging eco-terrorist. Just a thought. Lois is still really cute though.
  
• The photography of Gregory Crewdson - featured in last month's Esquire - is unbelievable. Seriously.
  
• Wake up with the Captain. This is a pretty amazingly goofy take on CP+B's Burger King creepyness. [Via Adrants]
• I can't believe this story about some insanity at my favorite hotel in New York. And I thought the Hudson was a classy joint. [Gothamist]
  
• Poker craze limping into 2006 as ratings slip. It was bound to happen. [TV Week]
• New Gothamist city launches during Hurricane Wilma. Nicely done. Meet Miamist.
  
• Cool Capitals. Very cool site.
  

Magazine Cover Wars

This is absolutely awesome. I totally heart how the designers of Canada's magazine The Walrus have made the cover remarkably - sorry exactly - like the design of The New Yorker. No wonder I have only read it twice. In fact if you looked at these two magazines and The Atlantic issue currently on newstands you might get confused. They all have the same cover flap designer it appears.

It's not like the content is even remotely the same. But what can explain how these two magazines make their cover teaser flaps look exactly the same. The New Yorker has looked like this as long as I can remember, so The Walrus really is just licking at the grand magazine's table scraps. So I suppose if you are aiming at being the Canadian New Yorker, this is just a tactic. But still, it is quite creepy.

Media Pit Stop

Here are few quick links to keep you going until next week:

• I am no fan of the White Sox after that 9th inning homer by Podsednik, but reading about Manager Ozzie Guillen and his literary writing helps to ease the pain a little. A very little sadly. [Slate]
• Ad Rants doesn't think much about Wieden + Kennedy's website. It's not far off the truth either.
  
• The New BBDO campaign for eBay is getting rave reviews. Check it out at Whatis-it.com.
  

Victory or Death: Trafalgar at 200

It was the 200th Anniversary of The Battle of Trafalgar this weekend. Celebrating the rise of British dominance of the seas in 1805 and the begining of the end of France as a real power is a pretty amazing day if you ask me.

It is even cooler that 200-years on people are still making a huge deal out of this major battle. Navies from around the world attended and celebrated the victory, including the officers of the USS Bulkeley named for a WWII hero and descendent of a seaman wounded on the HMS Victory during the sea battle. [Andrew Stuttaford, National Review Online] I'm toasting the occasion now with a most delicious glass of Argyle Pinot Noir from Oregon - which is excellent.

This National Geographic article is a good place to start on this historically hot subject as a new group of books gain popularity. But then again, so is the pinot.

Sunday Night Live

Nothing beats an October night that is nicely crisp and very autumn-y and stuff.

The World Series is on, Andy Petitte just picked someone off for the 9th time in post season and this is good. Although this grand slam by Paul Konerko which followed a strange - did it hit Jermaine Dye's bat - call, isn't making me feel very good. Now it's 6-4 Sox. I suppose this will make my friend Cavan happy, which is nice for him.

• I was looking around the TV dial and heard an ABC promo for thier Halloween episode of George Lopez. Is signing off the promo as "A - Boo - C" really a good idea. Just asking.
  
• Mark Steyn finds a little good in the United Nations. It's all about bombing those no good blue Smurfs. "If I were Papa Smurf, I wouldn't want Baby Smurf to grow up in Saddam's Iraq. I don't mean just because we'd be the beleaguered minority of Smurfistan, to be gassed and shoveled into mass graves." Did that just happen? Really. Love it.
  
• It's really too bad The West Wing had to detour back to the, well, West Wing. The show about what's happening in a lame duck presidency, with a leaker just isn't as good as the campaign trail of Santos and Vinick. TV Squad called it simply, "booooooooorrrrrrring."
• The website and poster creative for the new film "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" looks pretty cool.
• Joy. Kate Beckinsale is back in "Underworld: Evolution". The trailer is up. It looks about the same as the last one but with more Kate. [Official Underworld Evolution site]

Monkey Business

Sorry for the complete lack of blogging. Projects near and far are taking up my time. Chew on some ad blogging for now, back later:

• I really like the creative for 10 Cane Rum. The ads, done by Mother, New York are simple, elegant, and cool. The website is insane, it works by typing in words, one word at a time. Then it gives you content based on that. Very cool brand, period. [10 Cane Rum]
• David Fincher's new ad for the Moto Pebl. What's the deal with ads featuring evolution so much recently.
  
• Very odd AMF pension ad with a man confronting his own creepy destiny. Get your hands off me you filthy ape.
  
• Serenity Now. This is why the word 'viral' is dead. Well, maybe it is the advertisation of viral. Whatevs.
• Meanwhile, this Nike piece seems, well, just wierd. [Via Ad Jab]