Waldemar Wegelin

72 hours for Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:37:00 +0000

In case you missed this initiative by CP+B and Hyper Island this video gives a great overview about this great project.

Denver Nuggets VS Boston Celtics

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:59:00 +0000

My first NBA game: embracing the culture, visiting a big sport event, enjoying crafted beer and popcorn, cheering for the home team, observing the fans, celebrating victory.

Oh, the Places You'll Go

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Burning Man, one day I'll be there.

Celebrating Applebee's

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:35:00 +0000

After last weeks announcement of winning the Arby's business, today CP+B announced another new client: Applebee's. A today's townhall (video conference between 6 offices and 4 countries) the agency celebrated this news. We're especially happy about this as we were part of the pitch team. Sweet!

Mt. Sanitas

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:32:00 +0000

Lately there hasn't been much spare time, but once there is we're trying to catch some air and enjoy the great outdoors of Boulder. Recently we went on a hike on the Mt. Sanitas trail. For seasoned hikers it's probably not more than a challenging afternoon walk, for me, it felt more like climbing Mt. Everest. Still, the view on the summit was well worth it.

This is freaky and I like it a lot

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:24:00 +0000

Fresh sounds from south africa: Die Antwoord is about to release their second album very soon. These guys are really something else, last year I visited a live gig in Hamburg – it was definitely the most extreme concert I've every had the pleasure to attend.

Colorterror

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

Turbans are transformed into fashionable headwear in this new collection created by Kazakh/German fashion designer (and my sister) Anna Wegelin. Dames who dare to cover their heads in style and color can acquire any of the five designs from her online shop. All turbans are handmade from quality Jersey and available in three sizes.

I assisted Anna on the photography for the lookbook, together with Minna Lund (Make Up) and the great models Anna F. and Anne B. from Modelwerk.

Disruptive Thinker Transport

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:37:00 +0000

If you work for Crispin you'll get to ride the DDT in the morning. That's the Disruptive Thinking Transport bus that picks up employees, drives them to work (and back) while preparing them mentally for the day ahead. The ride from our stop takes a while but it's time well spent by talking to people from different departments while cruising through Boulder. You can't see it in the photo but it gets quite full and lively.

First day at CP+B

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:54:00 +0000

Today, after fighting our way through a bunch of information and paperwork we've settled into a nice corner of 'the spine' (the creative department) to begin our new job.

New year. New job. New country. New life.

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:57:00 +0000

Tomorrow my creative partner Robbin and I will begin a new job at Cripsin Porter + Bogusky in their Boulder, Colorado office. We've been talking with them about a possible job for over a year now and have been visiting them for a round of interviews during summer. After some visa issues in the beginning of the year we finally signed a contract for a full time position as a creative team back in August. It took us and the agency a few months to get all paperwork in order to the H1B visa and the approval process. Now we're officially two foreign workers in a specialty occupation for three years in the United States of America. We already moved here in advance and are getting used to the chilly mountain climate before starting our new jobs tomorrow. The adventure continues, it's going to be a wicked year with big expectations and full of work. Bring on 2012. In America. At CP+B. With a great partner.

BaileyDuran.com

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:41:00 +0000

After around six weeks of work we’re happy to release our last freelance project before for the time being: a website for six year old talented snowboarder Bailey Duran. Robbin and I collaborated with her dad to create a snowy world just for her. We also had help from our friend Jonas with the coding. Check it out on www.BaileyDuran.com

Remix your city

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:34:00 +0000

Great new work from W+K Tokyo Lab featuring HIFANA and their sound app Fresh Push Play.

Winter grey

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 09:54:00 +0000

Shirt & Scarf by SILENT by Damir Doma

Pants by odeur

Photos by Anna

Junior Art Director Meme

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:31:00 +0000

This new meme about junior art directors is full of true, sad and fun stuff.

Website for tadaa

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:12:00 +0000

Fresh out of the freelance design oven comes a new website for tadaa. Earlier this year I helped this German startup with giving their brand a new look and user interface.

Lucky Panda – Refined drinking in Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:57:00 +0000

Tokyo is a paradise of many sorts – retail, fashion, cuteness and craziness – beside all this fabulousness it also excels in presenting a very cultivated drinking cultures in thousands of bars, probably the best ones in the whole world. But these bars are small, hosting only up to 6 or 8 people at a time. A cozy atmosphere that transforms strangers into friends easily. The good places are hard to find, don't go looking for them on a main street, unless there's one located on the 37th floor between two buildings. The darker the alley the better the bar.

The beauty about japanese bars is their sense of refinement, every single glass is carefully chosen and ice cubes are individually carved by hand into flawless round balls. There's even no need for conversations as your jaw usually is busy dropping every few minutes at yet another fine detail in a japanese drinking establishment.

My dearest bar in Tokyo is the Lucky Panda. It's hidden in a backstreet that served me for cutting my walk to work short and I passed this gem of a place countless times before I dared to enter. A lucky encounter indeed and on my first visit it felt more home than home. The man running this place is fully devoted to the cause of fine drinking. Besides caribbean women, this bar is his sole passion. Prices for drinks remain a mystery and the owner rather estimates each visit freely, probably taking into account how much fun the patrons had. A few hours in the Lucky Panda will open every pair of eyes to the beauty of Japans drinking culture. On a visit to Tokyo my multitalented friend Nico Nuzzaci agreed and took the fantastic shots below. "Sumimasen, Hibiki on the rocks please."

Pipka Pipka

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Pipka Pipka is both a fashion brand and a creative collective of five east-european influenced girls. Last week they got together and served up a brilliant show that was more art than fashion – in a good way. They've chosen the GOLEM bar as their location, it's a dark and smoke infused speak-easy in the harbor of Hamburg that serves a mean old fashion and has a dance cellar hiding behind a secret door. There was live piano music and chanson singing girls to set the right atmosphere for Pipka Pipka's crazy outfits. From Barbie doll garnished dresses to a sportswear collection for Nuns – the things on show were both conceptual and visually stunning. All together it was just about the most refreshing fashion show I've attended. Not that I've been to many though.

Herr von Eden store opening

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:33:00 +0000

Herr von Eden keeps rocking the world of well suited and booted gentleman by the opening their first bespoke tailoring atelier last night in a swanky location in Hamburg. I strolled down to sneak a peek and wasn't disappointed – it's the kind of place I'd love to buy a suit at. Yet, for an art director this is both curse and blessing as the amount of options and combinations is limitless. Bravo.

Avocado Bacon Flower Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:17:00 +0000

My sister has been posting about food & recipes for some time now, so here's me being inspired by her. Todays healthy lunch: Mixed salad, diced bacon, avocado, dill, tomatoes and edible flowers with simple olive oil dressing.

Another Robbin Waldemar Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:43:00 +0000

2010lab.tv asked Robbin and me a few questions for an interview. Here's one:
What is creativity for you?
RobbinWaldemar: For us creativity is about creating, doing and making stuff in ways that haven’t been done before. Often it’s about fusing existing components to create new combinations. And if you want to get the most out of it you need to get as much input as possible and take in everything that surrounds you. Exact for that reason we adore big cities like London and Tokyo, there’s always something new and exciting lurking around the corner that might spark off yet another thought. On the other hand technology changed all that, and any place no matter how big or small can ooze creativity and inspiration with the right people and mindset.

Read the whole interview here.

500 posts in 5 years

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:50:00 +0000

Exactly five years and 500 posts ago, on the 5th of October 2006 I started a blog and called it 'Creative in London'. I just moved to the English capital to pursue a career in advertising – an adventure in itself that together with this blog was (and still is) a great ride seasoned with ups and downs, exciting times and dry spells. From London to Hamburg to Stockholm to Tokyo this blog has seen me changing countries, jobs, creative partners, agencies, universities, interests and haircuts. Back then I didn't really have a clue what I was doing with this website – it was just for fun. Reflecting on everything now I can point out three themes that became dear to me and kept me blogging through good and bad:

The first thing is that this is a great way to document my journey and have a diary of sorts. The second thing is that I write here to keep myself thinking, questioning and reflecting, it's a collection of thoughts. The third reason is to share what I find moving or interesting and to connect with others through these thoughts and findings.

Every time I open this website I'm more than happy that I never stopped writing. I'm curious what the next 500 posts will be like. I hope they will be different as change is good. I will share more about culture, food, fashion and the bigger picture of creativity. But of course there will be advertising. It's still what I'm doing. Thanks for sticking around and reading this, I appreciate it. Comments and thoughts are always welcome. This blog is as much for me as it's for the ones reading it.

One final look in the rear mirror, eleven posts from the past that were defining, interesting, funny or random, enjoy:

Creativity in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:23:00 +0000

Two years ago I didn't know a thing about creativity in Japan. Asian advertising was something I'd watch on YouTube to be left wondering what randomness I just witnessed. This all changed on a Sunday afternoon in Stockholm when I stumbled across an online lecture from Naoki Ito in November 2009.

At that time I was studying at Hyper Island and considered myself up to date with all things interactive online. Yet I realized that I never saw the work from this video before and it struck me that there's much more to Japan than I thought. This lecture planted a seed in my head to explore Japan to get a perspective of creative advertising beyond the western part of the world. Months later Naoki Ito became the Executive Creative Director of Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo and I was lucky enough to be invited to their Tokyo office for an internship with my creative partner. During this internship and the following employment I had the chance to work daily with Naoki and learned a great deal from him. Communication wasn't always easy but he helped shaping a perspective on what makes Japanese creativity different from the rest of the world:

While Japans culture has a big desire for the always new and quirky their art in all forms is very conceptual and has many layers of meaning. Their everyday is cluttered with commercial messages and it's the toughest place on earth to stand out. That's why communication has to be as different as possible from usual advertising and at the same time it has to be meaningful and be able to become part of culture and influence it. This makes Japan a country where the bar for great creative work is higher than anywhere else.

I imagine that's one of the reasons why five of the most talented Japanese creatives joined forces to start up PARTY, a creative lab. The lineup: Naoki Ito, Morihiro Harano, Qanta Shimizu, Hiroki Nakamura and Masashi Kawamura. In just a few months they created work like the Toyota Backseat Driver and two music videos for androp: Bright Siren and Bell. It's an impressive indication for the things to come and I believe their approach to technology, collaboration and storytelling will lead to a new breed of creative work that will show the world the true potential of Japanese creativity.

The Robbin Waldemar song

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:50:00 +0000

Once upon a time a creative team discovered fiverr.com and the fact that you can order the silliest things for just 5 bucks. For example a song written and performed by a musician on a topic of your choice. Sing along if you like.

Suited up

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:57:00 +0000

It's only on rare occasion (such as a best friends wedding) that I slip into a suit. It's then when I'm thankful for having one of my favourite designers in Hamburg – Herr von Eden. Their suits remind me of long gone by Dandy times refreshed with modern materials and curiously patterned accessories. Photo by Anna.

London Advertising Monopoly

noreply@blogger.com (Waldemar Wegelin) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:26:00 +0000

Admonopoly is a fun take on the London advertising scene where most agency are represented as properties on a game-board. Follow them on twitter if you like these sort of things: @admonopoly