…and it does not look like it will be any time soon. Not with such a sad smiley face.

The music biz is in the slump, as we all know. The ever so accessible, sharable and convenient, yet often illegal, and prior to official release leaking MP3 created a new and challenging environment for bands and their marketers. One that is mainly fought by shutting down music sharing sites and fan posts as well as promoting live acts and merchandise while upping ticket prices. Not an option if you are the ‘it’ band of the moment, like the – maybe as of today still Indie rockers – ‘Of Montreal‘, who launched their new release titled ‘Skeletal Lamping Collection’ 4 days ago in several innovative ways. Next to the digital download, the (extremely ‘cutting edge’ packaged) CD, as well as the LP, the ‘album’ can be purchased in these four formats: Wall Decals, Button-set, Tote Bags & T-Shirts.

All these unconventional items include a cool car-freshener-lookalike that features a download code of the MP3′s. A smart way to get fans to collect one – or all – and to offer merchandise before actual live dates. Also an innovative way of creating a more personal and artistic ‘brand atmosphere’ for the band, as well as making a statement of re-inventing how music can be published, packaged and monetized, while making fans ecstatic and creating a buzz.
Thanks to our ex subleasee and current client (we are currently working on a re-design of their web site), the ever so wonderful pals at blik, for sending over samples of the wall decals, which you can, among other items from the series, view below.

For another in-depth write up, as well as the band’s thoughts and imagery of all pieces of the release-bundle, go to pitchfork, where I found the photos.

A great viral promotion for a font software.

Thanks to Bobby for the heads-up.

Always inspired by seeing designers come up with new and unique solutions to age-old tasks, which are often labeled as being boring or mundane, like designing a lamp. Some might say ‘It’s all been done before’ and some opt out to just try a bit harder. This blog post my designer Julia found today shall serve as inspiration to all young designers to try harder and invent, or at least to re-invent.

(11.17 Addition: Just had to add this series of ‘dog lamps’ I found today to the mix.)

…via my super design team in Germany. They made me super. Super viral idea, mainly because of the added benefit: A point of sale is included. A special Kodak moment indeed.

Today in the morning, in a conference call with my german design-team, I learned that the ladies went to see a live performance by some circuit bending kids Saturday night. Priding myself in being up to speed on popular music, I was baffled, but Stella quickly brought me up to date on the art of circuit bending. As described in this entertaining little YouTube offering: ‘These things exist that aren’t supposed to exist that you can bring into existence just by touching it, putting some switches on it and attaching some wires.’ Minimal electro just got Micro-electro i suppose. Quite inspiring. But for now I’ll keep my neighbors sane and the house from burning down…

“Is it legal in California to marry an iPhone?”, I asked my girlfriend today in the morning. She answered that this won’t be an option for me so I should not even pose the question, which I digested and happily filed under ‘good news’.

Yet it is amazing how much the iPhone has actually positively affected my life and once again the way I see Apple as an overall inventor of the simple, the useful, and the obvious. I started my iPhone purchasing process online by handing over all the critical data such as social security and mobile numbers, made an appointment at an Apple store (for 30 minutes later), received directions to the store on the confirmation screen, drove to the store, purchased and activated the phone within 10 minutes while never having to stand in line or wait at any register. Even my credit card was charged remotely, on the floor. After that I have never read a manual, immediately knew how to operate it, and I now gradually get to know more features and applications, while I watch how love at first sight turns into a harmonic relationship, even dependency of sorts.

What is more interesting to you as a reader though is the notion of how the release of the iPhone, the HP Touchscreen monitor as well as endless touch-screen cameras are rapidly affecting and shaping everyday users’ behaviour. After decades of handling tiny buttons and switches, we can touch and feel again, hands on. Users can rely on intuition and functionality without having to read manuals or call 800-numbers.

Now that these fairly old technologies are finally hitting mass consumer markets, Geyrhalter Design is taking note and I feel that our clients will soon demand web sites with larger photos, larger type, and most importantly huge buttons. And rightfully so, as it becomes everyday business to look up web sites on iPhones and Touch Screens. Coincidentally a logical next step after Web 2.0. Doing this gracefully, with beautiful and intuitive design solutions, will be something that I think we will have ‘at hand’.

Exciting times, and – for once – not only in a negative way.

Eventhough I am not a big Starbucks fan, the convenience of its locations makes me, like most of us, sometimes stop by for a cappucino on my way to, or from meetings. I have done so the past two weeks when I drove to teach a class at Art Center College Of Design. I was surprised to find a free mini-version of GOOD magazine at the counter where consumers patiently wait for their beverage to arrive – a great place to serve me some easy to digest information since it is one of the rare moments in my day where I am not busy. As I am a great fan of the design and the message of GOOD, and often the editorial, I took ‘the Good Sheet’ with me. It’s a conversation starter. A socially charged, non-partisan (or so they try) fold-out dedicated to a larger election issue at hand. Click here to view and read the GOOD Sheets so far. The topics are successfully communicated by use of extremely easy to gasp, yet modern, information graphics targeted towards the vast Starbucks audience. Apparently fully sponsored by a weekly advertisor, it is of little expense to Starbucks (obviously struggling to sell its $3.50 lattés after opening too many stores too quickly in this economy and therefor must have little room for additional advertising budget), while it is a fantastic way to spread the word of GOOD magazine. A great example of 3 companies coming together for the greater good – and the greater profits, with only the advertiser paying dollars he would end up spending anyways. Good to great is my prognosis for this campaign…

To read an opposite opinion head over to Creativity Magazine.