Russian Tourism Logo Fail - Interview

Being called just one day before, I give my feelings (no mention about the fact that 70% of the interview was cut) about the new Russian Tourism logo on Russia Today - international Russian TV broadcasted all around the world. Few hints, a sense of thinking and a bit of stress to talk with two international hosts and surrounded by 6 people at least. Well, anyway, the logo is what it is - an epic fail - and I hope they will make it evolve in the right direction.

Who Wants to Live Forever

'Immortal Collection'. I just dicovered that in Respublika in Moscow (cultural items chain). Toys that will never die as they provide a super glue to repair them in case of a catastrophe. I think it's nice and the toys are really reminding my childhood.

Sound of Silence

Did you miss me? Not really. Internet offers so many sources of stupidities that one less is not changing much. I was really busy lately and I thought I would be dry concerning the city I still live in, Moscow. Nothing can surprise me anymore, nothing can upset me anymore, nothing can hurt me anymore...that's not true, more than ever this city is a punk circus, juggling between insanity and paradoxes. The world is upside down, Moscow is down upside. Nothing like others.

I did a lot of things during those last few months...few things actually. I've launched my first book 'Tranches de Mort' that you can order here http://www.amazon.fr/TRANCHES-MORT-VINCHON-Franck/dp/2748366689/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316863597&sr=8-1 (all countries available), I've launched a free art magazine unleash.pdf (discover more info and the way to download here http://www.facebook.com/pages/unleashpdf/251156931590783), I've developed my art collective Ipeka http://ipekacollective.wordpress.com/ and we still developing some projects and, all that, was captured on radio over here http://moscouactu.blogs.courrierinternational.com/archive/2011/09/15/la-vie-a-moscou-vue-par-un-publicitaire-parisien.html . And I don't tell you everything because you won't believe me but I run some other activities as well.

Could I do all that without the enrgy of Moscow? Probably not. The least I could do is to come back to this blog and celebrate the punk life I'm still living.

Police is Back

Today was announced that Militsya will be called Police - it does not seem to please a lot of people even if nothing will changed. But an association decided to say thank you to them. Just observe that they mainly kissed girls - they did not want to get shot. No joke over here.

Sunday Hit V

Expat Explanation: spring is about to come and with my mate, we spent the last 6 months to develop songs for that cool period. But we drunk a lot during the winter so we don't have much money to hire some girls for our clip (it's OK the director is going to be our neighbour Serguey) and for the outfits. It's going to be fine. With a bit of luck, we won't be even be chosen for MTV. We love spring so much.

Sunday Hit IV

Expat Explanation: When my old pager is ringing with its Pacman 8-bit ringtone, I know this is going to crazy. So crazy that some Russians will speak English, imitating Bon Jovi, playing in a supermarket. Obviously in the electronics department with TV everywhere. Some old phnes are also available and Halloween is obviously approaching.

Sunday Hit III

Expat Explanation: the fuckin' phone does not work fine...a bit oldish so you need to scream to be heard. Even if you don't have nothing to say

Brrrranding

Winter period is never perfect for brands' communication, mainly for their branding. The snow, the dirt, the ice are the enemies of efficient communication and you have to choose carefully your support. No surprise that, herer more than anywhere, the brands need very specific executional elements (color palette, imagery...). Always useful if you have a micro space to advertise.

(Photo: Dirrty Frank, just a good example that we know pretty well in BBDO)

Another Shit

Sunday Hit II

Expat Explanation - if you get drunk in a shitty bar, you'll be surrounded by very strange people and you'll listen to some music delivered by two over-made up look-a-like secretary style strange hairdo girls.

Last Action Heroes

We all remember the fantastic japanese commercials featuring a young and fresh Arnold. At that time, it was difficult to find the material and a lot of stars from Hollywood were running to far-away countries to pay their taxes. Now, unfortunately for them, it's not difficult for anybody to find their masterpieces. In Russia, we've got few of them. I've selected only the action actors but we have much more. Then the question, does it really make sense to spend all that money?

Sunday Hit I

Expat Explanation - We can see the composer at the beginning, struggling to write a shitty song but some birds and white roses falling from the ceiling are really inspiring. Then the young guy, really fashion, gets fame and women consideration by dancing on that song in a very edgy club. But he understands that love is more than that, even more in winter, so he's coming back by bus. Fuckin' birds...

Nano Medvedev

'We Are Different'

As much as the Russians claim it all the time, especially in advertising industry, I'm really sorry to say that Russians are not different. Or, in that case, each country, each culture, each history is different.

The only thing that may annoy them is the communication brought by international brands without any sense of local understanding (it may be the guilt of shitty agencies over here). Tell me if this brand of cigarette took the time to go on Internet to understand what Moscow looked like in the winter before posting that in the metro.

We are all different. Some of us are bloody stupid.

Green Washing

Who would believe that? Russia is becoming a first-class supporter of eco-friendly behaviours. Well, let's not be so fast but the same country that hosts SUV drivers with the sticker 'Fuck Fuel Economy' on their trunk is about to launch their first green vehicle http://inhabitat.com/first-russian-hybrid-car-coming-in-2012/ . And I'm sure that investigating a bit more Runet will give you some hints about a more responsible future. We're far to be living in Luxembourg but everything seems to go in a good direction. The supermarket chain Perekrostok is opening some 'green' stores and McDonald's does not see any problem to import their new concept on the Russian territory. Even Giant Gazprom is making an effort http://www.gazprom.com/press/news/2010/november/article105959/. Reality or manipulation. Russian style anyway.

No translation

Training for Sotchi 2014

Happy Soviet Year

It is official and very serious. For New Year's Eve, the Kremlin is organizing a party 'Back in USSR' (in English on the invitation). The ceremony will be held in an official residence of the government, outside Moscow, and will be presented by a look-alike from Brejnev. It will gather not less than 350 guests. Another look-alike from Alla Pugatchova (famous soviet star, still very famous and visible now) will be there - I've got one question, why not to pay the real one to come?

Apparently the main host, playing the ex-General Secretary of the Central Comitee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982, will inspire himself with some soviet speeches to spread some gifts to the winners of a kind of lottery during the evening.

Well, what to expect now for next year? Staline kissing the employees' children?

Mad Maxim

GTA � Moscou - Video

Riot Act

Revolutions used to occur in summer. Forget about it. A wave of violence took over Europe in the last few weeks, at the middle of a snowy winter, even coming to the center of Moscow. After (in random order) London and its hungry students, Italy and its hungry anti-Berlusconi or classic France with its hungry French, here comes Russia and its hungry everybody. In a country where the riots are rare and often violently controled by the police, the last week was quite a big deal for moscovites.

After the death of a Spartak fan last week, killed by Caucasian origins lads, a terrible street fighting started to be organized between Russian fascits and Caucasus natives. After last week-end fight on Manezhnaya Place (near the Kremlin, 30 injured people), we saw again a serie of provocative clashes between ethnic minorities and ultranationalists near the Kievsky Station.

Poutine, not far from a little word of propaganda, had tough talk about 'bacillus of nationalism' and wanted Russian people to thank the police to protect them so well. Funny...not really actually.