Think Global, Act Local - How to communicate global brands locally

Communicating global brands in different cultural contexts is a real challenge. There are numerous global brands, however, that are doing it just perfect.
Now let's see some commercial spots in which are used music, body motion and dance like a communication system to make intercultural connections for different brands:

One of my favorites - Snikers/Don't Stop spot (Dubai)
Successful spot based on the KungFu Panda movie - MacDonalds for Beijing Olympics
One of the MTV local commercials - MTV Arabia

For more, search for videos in the right column YouTube search engine in this blog.

Fashion designer improvisation with Dance

In the end of 2009, Hedi Slimane, a fashion designer, made his Improvisation 1 - a short black and white video with the classic balletist from Danish Royal Ballet Oscar Nilsson.

The result: outstanding style, beautiful vision and mix of classical ballet and improvisation under the drums rhythm of a mysterious dancer with bear head... Don't forget that it's winter time - even the snow is falling over Oscar while he is dancing... This is one more example of how design and dance can work together to cross the know limits of creativity.
Enjoy the original video here!

Social messages through dance

Today I would like to point out the Social Role of Dance and the power of its messages.
The popular dance shows lately are becoming not only a place for a spectacular dance show but also a tribune for the choreographers and dancers and for their social appeals.

Let's remember these exceptionally strong performances:

Addiction - choreography by Miah Michaels for So You Think You Can Dance, Season 5
Addiction remake - VIP Dance (Bulgaria)
Home violence - VIP Dance (Bulgaria) - choreography by Milen Dankov

The Dance TV Shows Attack

During the past few years dance became more popular thanks to the Dance Reality Shows that appeared all over the world. "So You Think You Can Dance" is probably most rated and well-known, but the list of that kind of TV shows is long - Super Stars of Dance, America's Best Dance Crew, Dancing with the Stars, VIP Dance and more.

Just search on YouTube and you will find surprisingly big number of videos from these shows.
Now, I would like to share one of my favorites:
Kherington Payne & Stephen 'Twitch' Boss dance a Contemporary routine (better known as the 'Bed Routine') choreographed by Mia MIchaels, to Dreaming With a Broken Heart by John Mayer performed in So You Think You Can Dance 2009

The World of Mia Michaels

Mia Michaels is probably the most successful choreographer of today. Her unique style brings dance as communication system at new level.

Her dances are a sensual revelation of Mia's universe that was rewarded with recognition all around the world and with Amy award for choreography.

Her talent is manifested in projects for Celine Dion, Madonna, Cirque du Soleil, in advertising spots and many more. She is also choreographer and jury in the world famous TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

Watch a short presentation of the choreographer Mia Michaels and enjoy her dancing messages!

More Dance from T-Mobile

T-Mobile seems to be one of the world-known brands which uses the dance communication system for its commercial strategy during year 2009.

After the special T-Mobile Dance, which says "Life's for sharing" and was realized more like online campaign, in August 2009 appeared new TV spot for the T-Mobile presentation of Sidekick LX with 3G. It shows street dancers whose extraordinary moves are compared to the new phone model Sidekick.

The main idea is represented pretty well in two versions:
- long 60 sec. spot
- short 30 sec. spot

Realization: Agency Publicis Seattle
Country: USA

First spectacle of Sofia Dance Week 2009 - Official Rebranding Event for the General Sponsor

On 10th of September was presented the first show from the Official program of Sofia Dance Week festival. It was free for public and happened in the city center, in front of the Telecommunications Palace of Sofia. In fact, the artists from Compagnie Les Passagers used as a scene the walls of the building.

The event was also representing the Official Rebranding of the General Sponsor of the festival - the Bulgarian telecommunications operator merged its two brands BTK (Fixed Telephone Services for Home) and Vivatel (Mobile Services) into one - Vivacom.

Short report:
Sucessful and original event, worthy for the public.
Watch the show, called "Look Up!" here:
Look Up! - part 1
Look Up! - part 2

As far as the rebranding strategy of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Operator is concerned, it is quite controversial. What is more, the name and the logo of the new brand is shokingly similar to another one... find out the true by comparing this two corporate pages:
Vivacom - the Bulgarian Telecommunication Operator
Vivacom - Italian Web Design Company

Dancing in the rain - flash mob for Sofia Dance Week

The cultural dance festival Sofia Dance Week 2009 was officially promoted with the first flash mob dance in Sofia. The idea was to call the attention to the culture of dance and its place in the modern way of life in a big city.

The event was sponsored by "One" magazine, choreography and organization - Studio Dance Zone.

Watch the Official Video!

Making of Dance Studio Commercial Spot - first attempt

Developing the idea for Dance as Communication system and in the contest of the Advertising communication, I would like to share my first attempt for Commercial spot production. It was made November 2008 for Studio Dance Zone and is called "Express Yourself".

Main idea: Studio Dance Zone - a place to express yourself in a way better than words, to communicate with others and to discover your personality through the powerful system of movements called dance.

Starring: Petia Dimitrova, Sashka Dimitrova, Milen Dankov (main choreographers at Studio Dance Zone).

Idea and realization: Rositsa Paunova

Your comments are welcomed!

Dance and Design in Nike Spring 2009 Campaign

 Nike is one of the pioneers who use dance in their Advertising strategy.
All started with the powerful campaign for Nike Women 2006 where world's greatest women street dancers introduced Dance as a sport, culture and way of life with Nike shoes and clothes (check out the video at "Dance in Advertising Communication" section of this blog).

 This year Nike represented a concept from new level: Mix of  Dance and Design in two directions:


1. Nike Free Your Style - a contest for street dancers. And the big price is...custom designed Nike Air shoes. This initiative was a great success with participants from all over the world - all of them wanting to be the best free style dancer with a pair of  Nike shoes dedicated to his style. Check out some of the candidates at Nike's official You Tube Channel - FreeYourStyleEurope.

2. Nike Air Troupe Design Battle - a competition for dance shoes design, based on the same idea of Nike Free Your Style. This time Nike is calling not only the street dancers, but all new&old school design maniacs.
The campaign is Online based and 100% User Friendly. It has a big success as well. You also have the opportunity to make your personal shoe design - try at http://niketroupebattle.com/

Dance/Design/Architecture for the culture life in Sofia

The connection between Dance and Design is emerging in an interesting project developed by the team of Bulgarian "One" magazine.

In 2008, they started to organize one-week festivals in Sofia with the ambition to enrich the cultural life of the city as a European cultural capital equivalent to cultural centers such as Milan, Paris, London and Barcelona.

Till now, the festival program includes 3 general divisions:

Sofia Dance Week (2008 and 2009)

Sofia Design Week (2009)

Sofia Arcitecture Week (2008)

Take a look and see that the festival programs are rich enough to accomplish the final aim - to Pin Sofia on the European Culture Map!

P.S.: Expect more hot news from Sofia Dance Week 2009 soon!

Michael Jackson's memoriam - a dancing world

Speaking about better world where everybody is a dancer, we just can't miss to remember the dancing and singing phenomenon Michael Jackson.
Leaving apart his complicated personal life, this man has dedicated his creative work to a Better world without pain, hunger and wars and this World was a Singing and Dancing World.
In Michael Jackson's World humans are Moon walkers. With his music, he preached to save the Earth. He was singing "We are the World, We are the children, We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving..." And he gave to the World his Wonderland, and the World liked it and started to share it...
Michael Jackson's message is so powerful and everlasting, that after his sudden death the World celebrated his heritage with Tributes in the big cities all over the Planet. Everybody danced for the King of Pop:
Hollywood
New York
Stockholm
Amsterdam
Paris
Montreal
Seattle
Hong Kong
Saint Petersburg
Sofia