Viva Las Vegas!!

We stayed in the big pyramid!

Last weekend we went to Las Vegas for the second time in three weeks. I know, I know, you're thinking "Isn't that a little excessive??"...but it is just so close (we can drive there), and trust me, there is nothing to do in Palmdale. We probably wont be continuing this trend though, I think we have now seen all of the major casinos and attractions (not to mention, my wallet gets emptied each time we go).

There was so much to look at, I knew I had to do a blog on Vegas advertising when I got back to California...so here are some ads that I liked:

I saw ads for this place EVERYwhere...but I never actually saw the store. I like how the colors of the letters in "factory" echo the colors of the balls (gum balls???), but I don't understand the use of the rubber ducky... What does that have to do with candy?

They used celebrities as spokespeople for their rhinestone encrusted lollypops (here's Whitney Port). There is a series of pictures on the side of a construction walkway depicting various celebs eating the suckers, can you guess which person was the only one who was defaced with a Sharpie? It was Britney Spears, poor Britney :( However, it was washed off the second time we went, so Vegas does care about the Pop Princess.

This display really caught my eye. It is a Statue of Liberty made entirely of jelly beans!

I saw a bunch of these billboards advertising the Monte Carlo along Highway 15. They use phonetic spelling in a very clever way. I reminds me of this game.

Another rubber ducky...must be a Vegas thing...

The ads for Cirque du Soleil's "Zumanity" were my favorite. They featured stock photos of everyday boring items and situations on the top/left and crazy Zumanity images on the bottom/right. The contrast of the colors, content and typefaces was really cool. The show was also very entertaining!

Robot Logos!

Check out this collection of cool robot logos! All were obtained via logopond.

I like the combination of the hand-drawn typeface, sans serif font and the robot sketch. Does anyone else read this as "First One"?

Clueless robot...?...?...?

Mad robot!!! This logo has a retro feel, and it reminds me of Nick at Night.

I like this one a lot...especially the corresponding dots.

This one is really cute. I like how the investment arrow is subtle and not in your face.

This one is my favorite! I love the robo-cow, the colors, and the typography!!!

Is the red background square tilted, or is that just an optical illusion? Either way, it makes me look twice.

I probably would've used the second "o" for the body of the robot, it would make the word easier to read.

Thumbs up! This one is great! I love it when designers omit spaces in words, but also make it easier to read.

The Girl Scouts Logo get a Haircut

The Girl Scouts logo recently was upgraded. It got a new brighter color and a haircut, she has bangs! I like the change...it looks fresh and updated. I'm glad they didn't alter it too much, the original message of unity and friendship still stands. Good job! Now...if they could only do something about those uniforms...

So that's how they got their names...

Ever wonder where companies get their names? Where did companies like Adobe, Pepsi and Google come up with those catchy names that we remember in an instant? Well, the answers might surprise you...

The name "Adobe" came from "Adobe Creek" which was located behind the house of one of the founders.

It is rumored that Steve Jobs named his company after a farm in Oregon or a record company. Either way, I couldn't picture any other logo on the back of my laptop. This fruit is now synonymous with technology.

Did you know that Google used to be called "BackRub"? Can you imagine getting into an argument with your friends about a meaningless piece of trivia (like Arnold Schwarzenegger's age, for example, yes...my friends had an argument about this) and then having someone say "I'll figure it out, I'll just BackRub it". Haha, that would be hilarious. :)

Intel is short for "Integrated Electronics". I always thought it was an abbreviated form of the word "Intelligent".

Pepsi was crated under the name "Brad's Drink", named after the pharmacist, Caleb Bradham, who invented it in 1893. Five years later, it was renamed Pepsi-Cola after two of the ingredients: "pepsin" and "kola" nuts. Pepsi is WAY better name than Brad's Drink, which would only be cool if you were named Brad.

Did you find these interesting?

Check out more back stories here.

Missing Missy

If you are a graphic designer (or just someone who apreciates design humor), you should read this email exchange written by David Thorne:

http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html

It is hilarious!!! :D

Traveler

If you have noticed my lack of posts lately, it is probably because I have been busy moving and traveling around the country. I used to live in Fort Worth, and now my husband and I have moved to Palmdale, CA. I do miss Fort Worth...hanging out at The Saucer, going to dinner at all of the tasty restaurants, walking my dog on Trinity Trail, and my favorite frozen yogurt place, Yogolait (The espresso yogurt with oreo cookie pieces and choc chips is to die for!) nothing else even compares!

However, I think I am fully adjusted to my new home, but I did have my reservations at first...

Where are all of the trees?

What!?! It is going to be 107 degrees tomorrow???

It takes how long to get to LA? But it is just over the mountains!

I just saw a real tumble weed...I guess we do really live in the desert!

Just as I was getting used to my new home, this happens less than 2 miles from my house:

Thankfully the fires were out in a few days. After the stress and all of the smoke inhalation, I needed a vacation. It was perfect timing that we had already planned a trip to Canada with my family. We spent a week in the North Channel, which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Just check out this pic of a secluded mountain lake, aptly named Lake Topaz after its brilliant blue color:

Lake Topaz, Ontario, Canada

I am now back in California. The fires are gone, the temperatures are down, and I am busy with freelance jobs. Look for future posts on my recent work!

Inception: It's a must see movie!

Last weekend my husband and I went to a matinee to escape the 100+ degree temperatures. Which movie did we choose? Inception - directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

This was one of the BEST movies I have seen in months (maybe even years). Everything came together perfectly, as a result, the audience was entertained throughout the whole movie. The cast did an exceptional job, the direction was awesome, and the creative storyline blew my mind. My husband and I discussed the plot on the car ride home, and then later with friends over dinner, and I'm still thinking about the ending. I would highly recommend seeing it!

On a different note, the publicity for the movie was equally as impressive. Just check out these cool New York City billboards: