Now that turkey day is over, it’s time to roll out the holiday spirit. Oftentimes, advertisements get us excited for the season and we think the ads below are some of this year’s best.  Watch and enjoy, because we can’t think of a better way to spread some cheer.

1.       Cartier, Winter Tale

Agency: Marcel Worldwide

Though Cartier’s spring 2012 L’Odyssée de Cartier left some consumers scratching their heads, the company’s 2012 holiday campaign is simply beautiful. Its animation of a tiny jaguar climbing through the snowy branches of a Christmas tree amid a variety of glittering Cartier gems is dreamlike, and we think, makes it a must-see.

http://youtu.be/9RZPmKC2c2o

2.       John Lewis, The Journey

Agency: Adam & Eve DDB

UK retailer John Lewis released its 2012 holiday commercial, and if you thought The Notebook was romantic, just wait until you see this. Following in the footsteps of the company’s widely praised 2011 ad, The Journey tells the tale of a snowman on an epic journey to get a new scarf and gloves for his snowy sweetheart. This one stirs up warm and fuzzy holiday feelings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N8axp9nHNU

3.       NBA, BIG Color

Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners

Some ads conjure warm feelings of nostalgia and this commercial does just that by adding a modern twist to a holiday classic. This NBA spot features basketball greats Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook and Joe Johnson. The bouncing balls may seem random at first, but you’ll quickly recognize a familiar tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isPm79xTzM4

4.       Gap, Love Comes in Every Shade

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather

Gap commercials are always cheery and bright, and this year’s holiday ad is no exception. Gap's 2012 print and commercial ads feature celebrities, such as rapper Nas and his father blues musician Olu Dara, actress Aubrey Plaza and musician Greg Rogove, to name a few. The various ads exemplify the different kinds of love, from father and son to soul mates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrpH2-gv8zM

5.       Morrisons, For Your Christmas

Agency: DLKW Lowe

The holidays are a time of love and joy; however, if you’re the one preparing the parties and feasts, it can also be stressful. Morrisons’ 2012 ad empathizes with a frustrated woman prepping for the holidays. She lists the things she has to do, from inviting guests to dinner and helping her son in the Christmas pageant, to preparing the turkey. The combination of light-hearted humor and an optimistic ending makes this one of the best holiday ads of the year.

http://youtu.be/Uk1F1uynims

It’s no secret we’re a society that loves the Smartphone. Given its prevalence in our day-to-day lives, there must be some decorum to follow, right? Here are a few habits we think an in-tune Smartphone user should avoid:

1.)    Walking &Texting

Nothing is more important than your safety. And, walking and texting can be distracting. If you must respond to a text: stop, move aside, text and move on. This will prevent you from causing harm by running into people or objects.

2.)    Driving & Texting

Like walking and texting, driving and texting can be dangerous. Put down the phone while in your car and wait to use it again until you have safely arrived at your destination.

3.)    Using Your Phone Around Company

While in the presence of others, and depending on the company, it could be considered rude to use your phone. Lack of eye contact can make others feel like you’re not listening. Consider your audience. If you are expecting an important call or email, inform the person first.

4.)    Whining For The World To See

Social media apps on our Smartphones allow us to share what’s on our mind at all times. Just because you have these apps, doesn’t mean you should always share all of life’s problems. Take a deep breath and move on. Most times, you’ll thank yourself later.

5.)    Forgetting The Art Of The Spoken Word

Yes, emails and texts are often a great way to deliver a message quickly. But, speaking is still an important form of communication. Don’t forget to pick up the phone and call the person from time-to-time instead of emailing or texting. Not only does this make an exchange feel more personal, you may find it will actually help you communicate a message clearer.

Smartphone users, can you think of other manners, rules or habits to avoid? What are some of your pet peeves regarding the use of our mobile devices?

Introducing the Ostrich Pillow: Designed for shorter periods of rest – a.k.a. the power nap – the pillow creates a private space for its user to relax and unwind, perfect (the company says) for comfortable napping at your desk.

Essentially, the pillow is a padded tube with a place for your hands and a hole for your mouth. The website says you can even use the pillow on a bench, on the train or at the airport. 

There has been talk for years about power naps at work; whether it’s appropriate or if they even help. The sales pitch for the Ostrich Pillow claims that a 20-minute power nap can increase productivity by 37%. If that is true, would you use it at your workplace?  

10 Suggestions on what to do with your old phone 

It happens every 6 months to a year, a new smartphone is released – and, you must have it. You anticipate, you wait and finally you become the owner of the latest-and-greatest device on the market. So, what do you do with your old phone? With the recent release of Apple’s iPhone5, many smartphone users have asked themselves the same question.  Here are a few suggestions:

1.       Donate it

Many non-profits recycle gently used phones for domestic violence victims for emergencies or for soldiers to call home. You can easily search the internet to find an organization near you accepting phones or, donate it to one of these reuse and recycle phone programs: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8818.html.

2.       Trade it in

Video game retailers often offer cash or store credit for gently used smartphones.  Take it to a local store and see if your phone is eligible for a trade in.

3.       Sell it

Post your phone on eBay, Craigslist or other personal selling websites for the opportunity to earn a little extra cash.

4.       Give it to your kids

Teach young kids how to use the device in emergencies. Have a teenager? A hand-me-down device makes for a good first phone. Or, you can download educational games for kids of all ages to play.

5.       New Alarm clock

For the heavy sleepers who need an extra budge to get out of bed in the morning, use your old phone as a second alarm clock. Place it somewhere different than your other alarm, we recommend somewhere far away.

6.       New mp3/iPod

Save space on your new phone by using your old phone as an iPod or MP3 player. You can even purchase a speaker dock to play and listen to music. 

7.       Use it as a camera

Take as many pictures as the phone can hold then transfer them to the computer. Viola! You have a new camera with plenty of storage space.

8.       Tiny tablet

With a Wi-Fi connection, you can use most smartphones for almost anything. Keep it charged and ready to use as a tiny tablet when your new smartphone is low on battery.

9.       Convert a friend

If you know someone who hasn’t taken the smartphone plunge but is interested, give them your old phone to use and test out.  If they like it, great – a provider can transfer the phone over. If not, then nothing is lost.  

10.   Keep it as a back up

Your new phone could break, have a defect or you could lose it! Keep your old phone as a back-up to use in case the unthinkable happens.

What are other ways you can use an old smartphone? Share them here. 

Last month, Apple kicked off its WWDC Keynote Address by introducing its newest addition to the Mac family, the MacBook Pro with Retina display. The technology company also announced multiple products and upgrades due out later this year.

The new MacBook Pro boasts a number of enhancements like Intel's latest Quad-Core i7 processor, all-flash storage and Nvidia's GeForce GT 650 graphics card. Simply put, the new Mac is fast. But what our creatives at 36i like most is the new display. The Retina display has more than 5 million pixels - more than a 60" HDTV - and, with a 2880 x 1800 resolution, text and images appear vibrant and sharp. In fact, retina-enabled apps for the MacBook Pro are already hitting the market. 

Additionally, the new notebook will be compatible with Mac OS X Mountain Lion, available in the App Store later this month. Mountain Lion will also integrate new features from the iPad and iPhone, including Notification Center and iMessage, meaning everything from emails to Facebook updates are organized for your convenience. With iMessage, you can also send photos, videos and messages to any Apple device right from your desktop.

While there was no mention of an iPhone 5, Apple hinted at its capabilities. This fall, users can expect a major revamp to its Maps application with the implementation of Flyover technology. Flyover renders vector-based views of cityscape making it easier to see and find your destination. Still having trouble? Its personal assistant, Siri, will direct you with turn-by-turn navigation.

Apple continues to innovate the marketplace. We look forward to its new products and applications. Which innovation are you most excited about?

Marking its “strongest iPad launch yet”, Apple recently announced that its third-generation tablet device sold more than three million units worldwide and in just four days. The latest iPad delivers a variety of new features including an enhanced camera and processor, 4G LTE compatiblity, and its most buzzed-about improvement -- its Retina Display.

But what is Retina Display and why is it getting so much attention?  Apple boasts that the new-and-improved iPad features a resolution that nearly doubles that of its predecessor producing four times the pixels of the iPad 2 and one million more pixels than an HDTV. Watch your favorite movie in crystal-clear quality. Read the fine-print of the New York Times’ best-seller. Or, play the internet’s latest game in High-Def. Consumers are raving that the iPad’s razor-sharp display provides an experience like never before.

At Res Publica Group and 36i, our services complement the full-scale of wireless technology; designing programs for and using handheld devices to advance a number of client projects. So, we are excited about the improved capabilities of the new iPad device. But, we want to hear from you. What do you think of the new iPad? Share your comments below. 

As Microsoft prepares to unveil its latest operating system Windows 8, the company is also preparing to unveil a new look for its internationally recognized brand. Windows has taken their logo back to its roots – a window. Originally introduced as panes of glass in Windows 1.0, the logo was designed to emblematize Microsoft’s new view on technology. Over the years, the logo evolved along with each new operating system.

With clean lines, shapes and typography paired with bold, flat colors, the new design is based on the principals of the Swiss International Style.

What do you think of Windows' new brand identity? Leave your comments below.

On your TV, the El, your Facebook feed, even the Wabash Ave. bridge – it seems everywhere you turn there’s an advertisement vying for your attention. In fact, it’s been said that the average American is exposed to as many as 3,000 ads each day.

Finding new and innovative marketing tactics can be challenging. To capture the attention of stakeholder audiences, marketers know they must be original and strategic. Take for example Plan UK, a not-for-profit organization that helps children in third-world countries. A first-of-its-kind, the company is currently trialing new outdoor digital ads that use high-definition cameras to determine the sex of its viewer before displaying a gender-specific ad.

The built-in system is 90 percent accurate in identifying its male and female onlookers. As a female passerby, you will see a 40-second spot promoting female education in developing countries. Males, however, are taken to the Plan UK website to convey how it feels “to have basic choices taken away.” The campaign runs for two weeks in the hopes of raising $40,000 in donations.

What do you think of gender-controlled advertising? Is it smart? Here to stay? What other ways will technology impact the marketing world? We know we’ll be watching. 

“What is that actor's name again? You know, the one from that movie?” More often than not, our response is, "I’ll Google it."

Today, we can find the answer to almost any question with only a few keystrokes. But, is this expediency helping or hurting us? A new study out of Columbia argues that, in the long-run, it may actually be a disabling convenience. 

According to the neuroscientist-led study, the world’s largest search engine has transformed the way we remember information – because we don’t. After four experiments testing participants’ memory of searchable information, the study found that we remember where to search for information but have forgotten the information itself.

“People actively do not make the effort to remember when they think they can look up information later,” the study’s authors write.

So how dependent on the internet are we really? The study went so far as to compare losing a SmartPhone and hence, our ability to easily access the internet, to the experience of losing a friend.

Do you suffer from the “Google effect?” Leave your comments below.

It’s that time of the year. The time when we take a moment to extend well-wishes to our friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances to let them know that they are important to us.

The postal service expects to handle about 16.5 billion cards, letters and packages between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. However, the USA Today estimates that one billion fewer holiday cards will be sent in the mail this year in favor of the popular e-cards, distributed via email or an online service. 

We’ve created all kinds of holiday greetings on behalf of our clients and our firm. Here’s a digital card we created last year for our client, Wirtz Beverage Group. And, below you will see how our firm spread holiday cheer to clients and friends this year.

Whether you’re a fan of traditional cards or e-cards, we can all agree that there’s something special about receiving a holiday greeting. So, from all of us at Res Publica Group and 36i – happy holidays and best wishes for a safe and happy New Year.