Keeping busy

I need a daily project to keep myself busy.
Today's project I assign myself is to design a birthday card. 
It shall be due tomorrow. 

I want that donut!

Yes, that's right, I've fallen in love with a donut. I didn't get its name but it is absolutely the cutest donut I've ever seen. I want it! I'm talking about that pink glazed donut starring in the Excel commercials which were first released, what feels like late last year. I was left wanting to see more, so you can understand my excitement when I saw the second Canadian commercial last night as I was watching The Simpsons. 

I just think they're pretty brilliant. What more can you ask for in a commercial? There are really great characters, an easy to follow message with possible universality (by this I mean you could understand what's going on even if your first language isn't english, pretty important especially in Canada), and though it may have been directed to a specific demographic, being young adults, I'd be surprised if it didn't appeal to many outside that age group. 

Out of the three foodlings; coffee, donut, red onion and garlic, most people will be able to find at least one that they can personally relate to. At the very least there's coffee. Even if you're not a coffee lover, I'm almost certain that the majority of the North American population has at least tried it and can distictly remember the horrible after taste that will not die not matter how many times you attack it with mints, water and other foods. Even gum often only provides temporary relief. In my experience the only thing I've been able to eliminate the aftertaste with is by drinking more coffee. The commercial cleverly targets a common weakness; the lack of ability to stay awake without the help of caffeine, and then exploits the natural embarrassment of the bad breath that follows. We love the dark stuff so much there's a Tim Horton's within a 10 minute walking radius of anywhere in Toronto, sometimes, even two. So why not turn the table a bit and transform what we might normally be seen as bad breath villains into simple characters making them easier to defeat. It's excellent (no pun intended) that they were able to create lovable, memorable characters that pull on the cutestrings of many girls and turns an otherwise invinceable situation into one that they're gum can help you overcome.

Featured here are the two Canadian commercials:

Here are a couple more I found that look like they're from the UK. 

In these ones there are even more characters whose personifications are just awesome. For example, the cigarette butt: although the cig butt is proportionally smaller than the other foodlings, it's aftertaste is significantly more present. I even love the characterizations and physical features, with its large gorilla-like arms and its James Dean, tough yet cool demeanor.  

All notes aside, if bad breath was actually as cute as these guys,  I'd love to have them following me around and I'd probably never chew gum.

Just saying. 

How shinister

Shinister design; a product of my passion.

Stephanie Shin, is not in (haha that rhymes) leave a message at the tone.

I am a graphic designer, aspiring to inspire. Inspired to create. I graduated from OCAD in Toronto, the school me and my friends often referred to as the cow building or the crayon box. I have since interned and am working freelance in the field. It has been an amazing experience thus far, meeting unforgettable friends, some who have become mentors along the way. I never want to stop learning and I hope to use this as a space to express and record my thoughts and what I learn. 

Panther from Driven; professional lunch inspector, 

foot warmer and sun bather with special skills in panting.

From my desk at Parcel Design.

Peace :)