Linkage: Plastering Over Kids and Avoiding Gorilla Gazes

Freaky ads make a powerful statement about neglected children. (image shown)

A clever way to get people to see an art exhibition... pay them!

One zoo's solution to gorillas who don't like to be watched? Literal eye glasses. (image shown) via

Roughstock Studios helps you choose the right Green Certification.

New Japanese vending machines are dispensing free snacks during disasters. Thanks Carlos!

FEMA is no longer distributing their disaster coloring book (but you can still download it from the Smoking Gun).

The always dependable Onion explains how corporations are going green. via

Type is for the birds...literally. (image by swardraws shown) Thanks Juliette!

Spotted in Seattle: Space Travel Supply Co.

I was delighted to discover another of the 826 stores, which house youth writing programs behind fun alternate reality store fronts, in Seattle. The Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. sells everything the budding space tourist needs for comfortable travel (like the Black Hole Starter Kit) and even sports "rocket parking" on the roof. Behind the scenes 826 Seattle offers writing workshops and tutoring. Find out more about the 826 organization (created by author and McSweeney's founder Dave Eggers) and the six other chapters/stores HERE.

Unicef Campaign in China

This is the new campaign of the UNŸƒCEF association concerning China.
A strong baseline "Don't ignore me" and a touching creation by the Ogilvy & Mather Shanghai Agency.

The sign says : Don’Äôt ignore me.
China has over 1.5 million underprivileged children.
To help, call 020 82266673.












































via commercial-archive.com

Do you have Change For A Ten?

ART 180 is a Richmond, Virginia based non-profit that works to connect children in difficult circumstances to the self-expressive power of art. As part of their ongoing fundraising efforts they have created the Change For A Ten campaign. They are encouraging folks to create a ten dollar bill that expresses their vision for positive change in their community and send it along with an actual $10 donation. The resulting pieces are being displayed on their blog and will be eventually show in an exhibition at Virginia Commonwealth University's advertising department Brand Center. There's even a competition specifically for creative students/professionals (PDF).

Find out more about Change For A Ten and get a template to make your own submission HERE.

Free Wayfinding Graphics

I recently discovered that the classic wayfinding graphics, seen in most American airports and other transportation hubs, are available as free vector art from the AIGA.

The icons were developed by the AIGA in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation and were originally released in 1974 and added to in 1979. The entire set of symbols are Copyright Free(!) and can be downloaded HERE.

The link between low self-esteem and materialism.

A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research finds a direct relationship between self-esteem and materialism in children and adolescents. From a recent Science Daily article:

Lan Nguyen Chaplin (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Deborah Roedder John (University of Minnesota) show that the relationship appears to more than just a correlation, but a causal relationship -- low self esteem causes increased materialism and raising self esteem decreases materialism.

They found that even a simple gesture to raise self esteem dramatically decreased materialism, which provides a way to cope with insecurity: "By the time children reach early adolescence, and experience a decline in self-esteem, the stage is set for the use of material possessions as a coping strategy for feelings of low self-worth," they write.

Read more HERE.

Thanks Stephanie!

Stay Free: Baby Vids Make You Dumber

A recent Stay Free article discusses a new study(PDF) that shows that the educational merits of videos like Baby Einstein are dubious at best and possibly bad for mental development at worst. Also interesting is the debate that continues in the comments section between the author and a supporter(representative?) of the chidren's media industry. Read the entire post with comments here.

This Side Up: Simple Effective Design

This onesie created and sold by the This Side Up Campaign is a great example of simple effective design. The campaign raises awareness of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which is the number one cause of death for children under age one. While the cause of SIDS is unknown, one of the most effective ways to prevent it is to make sure babies sleep on their backs. Their onesie with "This Side Up" printed on it is an easy way for tired, new parents to remember what to do when it comes to bedtime, plus sales of the onesie benefit the campaign. Find out more here.

11 US Food Companies agree to limit advertising to kids

In an ongoing shift in the way corporations market to kids, 11 major US food and drink companies have agreed to adopt new rules restricting the use of cartoon/TV/movie characters to sell their products to children. The businesses, which represent 2/3rds of kids TV food advertising will only use popular characters on their "healthier options". This change comes just ahead of a Federal Trade Commission hearing, which was to focus on increased pressure on corporations to address growing obesity problems among children.

Get more details in the AP article here.

Tsunami Orphan Music Video?

Actually these are the credits for a new documentary AmmA, about orphans in Sri Lanka, which is in its final stages. To find out more at Simba Share.