basketball-istic!

Damn! The atmosphere was hot and tense during our tv commercial shoot. For some reason, the cameraman couldn't keep a sharp focus on the basketball player who was doing dunk shots. After the nth take, the director got pissed, shouted expletives in the vernacular (?!*#??) then threw his microphone at the tv monitor!

What is it about basketball that makes men go ballistic? Fouls result in bad behavior. Wrong calls end in fist fights. And now, even shooting an action-packed basketball scene drives advertising directors crazy!

Must be the free flow of testosterone, the male hormone responsible for physical energy. The very substance that drives a man to 'lose it'.

Ironically, it's the same one that pushes him to win. :-)

(Left to right) Basketball players / advertising models Ram Sagad and Marx Topacio show us some hardcourt attitude.

The Basketball Be@rbrick (top, left) is from the Nike Bearforce One Series, a promotional set of 10 that was released in 2003. Through the years, Nike has been regularly producing Be@rbricks to boost sales. Fortunately, their designs are quite imaginative and clever, unlike some promoters who simply slap on their logo on the bear. Nice job, Nike! :-)

reinventing love

At JWT Manila, the advertising agency where I used to work back in '97, Art Directors took a test before they were hired. One of the test problems (sort of) went like this:

'The heart has been the symbol of love for as long as we can remember – aren't you bored with it? Go ahead, design a new icon to take its place.'

Interesting exercise, wasn't it?

Just yesterday, we shot a television advertisement where we featured newlyweds. Similarly, the challenge for us was how to portray these clichèd characters in a new way.

Check it out below: we went for a wedding couple with a hipper style. Long hair, canvas shoes and a Vespa for him. A hiked up skirt and a tomboyish straddle on the bike for her. No guests throwing rice. No wedding cake. No white doves.

In my opinion, the principles of advertising are like the laws of love –

One, you simply can't bore the consumer – you have to continually reinvent the product to keep it exciting.

Two, a strategy is mandatory – you must plan to make it work.

And three, creative execution is key – from the setting, to the music, to the script/conversation, to the costumes – everything must be perfect!

(Hmmm, come to think of it, there is life after advertising for me... marriage counseling! :-D)

The 2006 Valentine Be@rbrick (top, right) is one of the few that come with a 50% size bear. The heart symbol on its chest has been modified to include an @ symbol. Why? Here's my take on it.

Models: Century Tuna Superbods Runners-up JC Tiuseco & Mica Tuaño assisted by Make-up Artist Effie Go

the case of the bogus be@rbrick / part 2

I was leafing through a local fashion magazine when something familiar caught my eye. There it was, hanging across the bare chest of a young, sassy-looking model named Jake Cuenca was a bearbrick (see Bench Underwear print ad below)!

I knew, of course, that there existed no such bear on a chain, and closer scrutiny proved that it was a fake! The rounded hands and feet, the big ears, and the small ribcage were clear indications. Check out my earlier post, 'The Case of the Bogus Be@rbrick / Part 1', for other telltale signs.

Lately, bootleg bearbricks like these seem to be proliferating – I've seen quite a few attached to manbags, keychains and even mobile phone straps!

Don't get me wrong, I don't detest these little imitations. In fact, they're not at all bad-looking. But a fake is still a fake. There's no thrill in owning one, if you ask me. :-)

At the topmost left is the original Series 1 U.S. Flag Be@rbrick, which I shot against a map of the New York City subway system. It was one of the first bears I bought. Back then, I was still clueless about fakes – so I guess I was lucky it was for real.

plastics in paradise?!

I just arrived from an out-of-town photo shoot in Boracay. At first, I thought it would be a nice junket – the location being one of my favorite beaches – until I took a morning stroll along the shoreline.

My path was strewn with plastic waste, each piece half-embedded in the sand along with decaying organic debris, all washed ashore during the previous night. Everything from disposable lighters, rubber slippers, sunglasses, food wrappers, bags, water bottles and even hangers! See pics below, right.

From afar, the non- biodegradable pollutants of the pristine-looking beach weren't discernible (below). But they were there – repulsive replacements of calcified starfish and corals that once adorned the long stretch of white sand.

I believe that public ignorance, as well as apathy, are the culprits. In my own little way, I would like to help spread the word to the guilty:

"Eat your own f__king trash if you can't dispose of them properly, you morons!?! *#?!"

Sorry, but that was the nicest way I could put it. :-)

The WWF Panda Be@rbrick (top, left) was commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature, one of the world's largest and most effective independent organizations dedicated to the conservation of our natural habitat.

Today, WWF operates in approximately 100 countries, supported by nearly five million people worldwide. To find out how you can help, visit their website here.

v.i.p. for vuitton

" 'A journey brings us face to face with ourselves.' Berlin Wall. Returning from a conference."

These words are printed on the latest Louis Vuitton advertisement (below) which features Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union.

Coming from a series of luxurious but lifeless ads with actress Scarlett Johansson, Vuitton's advertising suddenly found a soul – one that did not dwell merely on the photoshopped bodies and empty stares of Hollywood ingenues – but on the inspiring life journey of a giant such as Gorbachev.

Some have criticized Gorbachev for 'peddling luggage' for the French luxury brand, even if they knew that Vuitton made huge donations to the environmental charity which Gorbachev founded, Green Cross International. For them, commercialization was beneath a V.I.P. of Gorbachev's level.

But personally, I loved the campaign.

I had never been a Vuitton fanatic... never bought any of those monogrammed canvas bags. In truth, I found them overly-copied and overpriced. But last week, when I opened the newspaper and saw Gorbachev peering out of a 50s Kremlin limo passing by the vestiges of the Berlin wall, I was immediately hooked! I loved the model, the setting, the photography, the colors, the mood, and the message. With a newfound respect for the ubiquitous Louis Vuitton (or LV) bag, I called the nearest store right away – haha! One of the staff informed me that Gorbachev's bag was called the 'Keepall' and that it was available. Like a hypnotized subject, I automatically had one reserved!

Seems like LV is going to 'bag' a lot of new customers (like me) with this ad. ;-)

The V.I.P. Bearbrick (top, right) from Series 4 is a rare bear, with only .52% availability. And it's the only one with gold glitter. Now, that's what I'd call V.I.P – Very Impressive Plastic!

Info from http://timescorrespondents.typepad.com/charles_bremner / Gorbachev pic by Annie Leibovitz from www.louisvuitton.com

blooms & be@rbricks

My brother Tony is a gastroenterologist. He spends his weekdays at the ultra-modern Asian Hospital examining people's intestines and stomach linings with a special camera called the endoscope.

However, his weekends are spent looking through another camera – his Nikon D80.

Just last week, I found out that his photographs are among the most popular in the Flicker community. Each pretty picture elicits up to 140 comments from viewers and admirers all over the globe! His favorite subject? Gerberas – one of the five most bought flowers in the world. Below are four of my favorite photographs from his collection.

Because he is a doctor, he is known on Flicker as Doctony. So if you need a prescription for stress, boredom, sadness, or are simply in need of a floral fix, just drop by his picture clinic here. No need for an appointment. :-)

Top left: The classic Marimekko flower appears on this Be@rbrick produced by Marimekko, the leading textile, fashion, accessories and home furnishings company in Finland. Created by Maija and Kristina Isola, this vintage 60s poppy pattern (called the Unikko) is still featured on many of Marimekko's products today. Check out Marimekko's latest bag collection below.

Gerbera pics from Doctony / Info and bag pics from www.marimekko.com

a couple of hotties

The scantily clad twosome (above) are Kegawazoku Be@rbricks. They are named after the Kegawazoku Theater Company, an all-female Japanese group that performs edgy song and dance numbers – musical revues that are spiked with unexpurgated violence, sex, nudity and political commentary. The male is named 'Junlie'; the female is called 'Marie.' Notice how their nipples are covered only by stars. Heehee.

Speaking of sexy couples, I just worked with two Brazilian models (Michele and Gui) for a television ad last month. (Yup, I am from the feverishly fun world of advertising.) You can tell from the picture below that we came up with one helluva commercial. Don't they look terrific?

Brazilian hotties like these two are raising temperatures in Manila and the rest of Asia. For some reason, they are suddenly all over! Even Vanity Fair magazine's latest issue features the sexy party boys and girls of Brazil. Photographed by stylish photographer Mario Testino, supermodel Gisele Bundchen and the young 'it' crowd from Ipanema cram the pages with earthy glamour and exuberance.

Doesn't that make you want to come to the next Carnival in Rio?

Info from Michael K. Bourdaghs' Blog / Michele and Gui's pic by yours truly

ecstasy on the dancefloor

The Be@rbrick on the right is a lookalike of Tomoyuki Tanaka (a.k.a. the Fantastic Plastic Machine), the hot & hip Japanese DJ who is a proponent of the Shibuya-Kei sound, a variety of Japanese pop music that combines bossa nova, lounge/house music with 60s movie soundtracks. His music has been featured in movies like 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me', in albums of other famous DJs like Stephane Pompougnac (Hotel Costes), and in TV commercials created by artist Takashi Murakami for Louis Vuitton.

Club DJs like Tanaka (below, at a Tokyo club) are movers of the night life and shakers of the dance floor. Like puppets, people sway, gyrate, hop, wave, bump and grind to their groove.

In my view, if the club DJ is as good as The Fantastic Plastic Machine, there'll be no need for mood-enhancing drugs. Dancing alone will be a spellbinding trance... a natural high. More ecstasy than Ecstasy. :-)

Info from Wikipedia / Pic from Tanaka's Blog at honeyee.com / Find Tanaka's music at amazon.com or thru Limewire

skeletons in the closet

Right now, I am reading the New York Times' number 2 bestseller entitled 'The Quickie', a novel by suspense writer James Patterson (with Michael Ledwidge.)

The premise is gripping. A woman catches her husband having an affair. She decides to get even by having a one night stand with a cute hunk from her office. But even before that evening is over, she witnesses her short-time lover get brutally killed – by her husband (who shows up unexpectedly)!

The twist? She is a police officer – and so is her murdered boy toy. To make matters worse, she is assigned by her boss to catch the so-called 'cop killer'.

Talk about skeletons in the closet! You'll find sex, betrayal and homicide in just one chapter! Unlike most guilt-ridden individuals with dirty secrets, this woman's shame is beyond consolation, especially when she finds out that her dead lover has a wife and 3 kids! Imagine her curse, her torment, her hell – how can she possibly hide the truth which she is entrusted to seek?

Yes, it does sound like a sordid tabloid tale, the stuff scandals are made of. Go ahead and borrow a copy – no need to buy something you'll finish in one sitting.

(Top, left) The Balzac Be@rbrick, with its signature skeleton design, is a 'secret' bear from Series 13. It was issued in collaboration with Balzac, the Japanese Horror Punk Band (left). While the group was inspired by The Misfits, it was named after the 1800s French novelist and playwright Honore de Balzac.

Info from www.misfitsrecords.com / Band pic from www.balzac308.com

creatures of the imagination

This Series 13 Secret Be@rbrick (right) was designed by Parisian illustrator, Genevieve Gauckler. She is known for creating lovable graphic creatures and incorporating them into photos of real life situations.

Below is her artwork from thisisamagazine.com which features two of her famous characters, Patacorp (the fat one) and Thermokukus (the tall one). The rest of this series depict the lovable twosome in funny situations around her apartment. Check them out here.

Guackler's pic (below) for lounge72.com shows her posing beside Patacorp. Cute, aren't they?

I am reminded of imaginary friends that a great number of kids (65%) develop between the ages of 3 and 5. While some parents regard these 'playmates' with alarm, psychologists reassure them that having such a 'pal' is normal. They say that an imaginary friend is thought of as a child's way of coping with difficult emotions; it is also a way for him/her to explore the issues of control, discipline and power without interacting with real authority figures (which may cause some degree of anxiety.) The best news is that kids with imaginary playmates tend to develop better verbal, social and creative skills, according to studies.

Creativity in children and adults manifest in many ways, sometimes in the form of cute little fantasy creatures – just like Gauckler's.

Info from NYU Child Study Center & Seattle Post Intelligencer / Balloon pic from g2works.com

of tearjerkers and crybabies

Sometimes a good cry at the movies is like a great workout. You come out of the cinema feeling tired and spent yet strangely purged of stress – like you just finished a 60-minute aerobic session. For me, the five best Kleenex movies of all time are:
1. Terms of Endearment
2. Schindler's List
3. Dead Poets Society
4. Brokeback Mountain
5. Bridges of Madison County

Terms of Endearment tops my list because of Shirley MacLaine's unforgettable comic relief. Downright hilarious though never contrived, it is reminiscent of real life dramedy as I've experienced it – peppered with pain, sweetened with laughter.

The Crybaby Bearbrick of Series 8 (above, left) was designed by Umino Chica, an award- winning mangaka (comic book artist) from Tokyo. Her most famous work to date is Honey and Clover, a manga and anime series about the intertwined lives and loves of five art students (above, right). Before this series, anime catered mostly to male viewers and featured action-packed story lines with beautiful young heroines. Female fans soon increased due to this animated version of a modern day soap opera.

Info from Wikipedia. Honey and Clover pic from www.genco.co.jp

designer toy/pop art/collectible bear

Series 5's green/white TV Club Be@rbrick (right) was designed by a famous Japanese TV host/ actor/ comedian/ singer/ writer/ illustrator/ digital animation star/ bike & car collector.

He is known as George Tokoro/ Tokoro Jyoji/ Tokoro Joji – a fun/ intelligent/ stylish guy whose real name is Haga Takayuki. One of NHK's Top 10 Most Popular Male Stars for years, he became a Mr. Donuts/ Kirin Beer/ Toyota Commercial Endorser.

The 'slash' career of Tokoro (the bespectacled guy on the left) is remarkable, given his successful crossover from the music industry to television/ movies/ graphic arts.

Today, more people are discovering/ experiencing/ loving the joy of having multiple jobs/ interests/ specialties. With the world/ society/ life becoming more complex, the need to diversify/ adapt/ expand seems inevitable.

I, myself, am an advertising creative director/ graphic designer/ photographer/ songwriter/ toy collector/ blogger. Sometimes, my problem is how to cram everything I want/ have/ need to do into 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week/ 365 days a year.

One person/ multiple passions. It's an exciting/ unpredictable/ wonderful life!

(Info from www.japan-zone.com / Tokoro pic from www.buddycom.com)

a sex lesson & a sexy show

When my brother and I were kids, our mother enrolled us in piano class. It was a dreaded weekly ritual – our teacher was an evil woman who held fang-sharp pencils under our palms while we did the drills. "That's it, THAT'S it!," she would yell. "Keep your hands ABOVE the keys! KEEP THEM UP! UP! UP!"

Mother said with a laugh, "Don't mind her, boys, she's just a bit grouchy 'cause she's a spinster. You'll get used to her."

That's how I learned of the theory that spinsterhood = grumpiness. So when I got to college, I then made it a point to enroll in classes taught only by married teachers. My best friend during freshman year explained it to me: People get cranky when they don't get enough sex!

Thus the equation became: sexlessness = grumpiness.

Haha! I snickered then, though today I consider that pronouncement as wisdom. Whenever I realize that I've been mean to people, I tell myself: Get. Some. Sex! :-)

Unfortunately, the subject of sex is often regarded as taboo by many, and much of its portrayal in the media aggravates this perception. Sexual acts are sanitized or censored. Porn is viewed as cheap. Prurient literature or movies are dismissed as lacking artistry. Good thing, there are those who continue to elevate the status of erotica. The trick is to inject a certain amount of artistic value – oftentimes an intellectual concept – to the erotic material or work.

I'm taking part in such an endeavor. From July 24 to September 22, I will join 14 other artists in an exhibition entitled 'ARS EROTICA'. It will be at the Sison Art Gallery on Taft Avenue corner Remedios Street in Manila, Philippines. I've included some samples of the works here: 'Strap-On' mohair penis by Riza Manalo (above, right), 'Vu-l-va' by Gerardo Tan (left) and one of my own photoworks entitled 'Flaccid' (below, right).

Gallery hours are from 2pm to 6pm, Thursdays and Saturdays. If you find yourself in the area, drop by for some sex. It'll do you good. :-)

The Sun Sex Be@rbrick is by Madsaki, a Japanese artist who graduated from the Parsons School of Design in New York City. After 25 years in the US, he moved back to Tokyo and now is part of the artist group, Barnstormers. He has exhibited in New York City, Paris and Tokyo, and has made films, worked for publications, and collaborated with brands such as Levis, Clot, Isetan, XBox, and Commes De Garcons.

Info from www.madsaki.com

bears, bricks & unwanted babies

A long time ago, a friend came to me to borrow some money. He said his girlfriend (who had been pregnant for only a month) had a miscarriage, and he was going to bring her to a hospital for a 'D and C' procedure. (In layman's terms, that meant a surgical clean-up of the uterus). I felt obliged to help him because he was a friend. And because his girl's condition could very well lead to a fatal infection.

It did cross my mind, however, that he was lying to me and was actually going to use the money for an abortion. Perhaps they were both scared shitless that their parents would find out she was pregnant.

Imagine my dilemma at the time: by lending him the money, would I be helping his girlfriend get immediate medical attention or would I be financing a pro-choice decision? In short, would I be saving a life or ending another?

Looking back, the song 'Brick' by Ben Folds Five (left) came to mind. It was an autobiographical song about how Folds and his girl had their unborn child aborted. In the end, they were left with an emptiness that even their love for one another couldn't fill. (Watch the YouTube video here.) The chorus went, 'She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly' over and over. How horrible it must have been – to be unable to swim back to the surface and gasp for air after a tragedy like that.

Did I lend my friend the money? Yes, I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

The BWWT 5 Brick Bearbrick is by Kam Tang (right), a London-based graphic designer and illustrator who has worked for many editorial publications such as The Guardian, Wired, Arena, and Wallpaper. He was also involved in advertising campaigns for Adidas, Nike and Sony. Recently, Tam's designs were applied to the commercial spaces of Quick restaurants (France), Burberry (Milan) and London's Design Museum.

(Ben Folds pic by Erin Russell at soundaffects.net / Info & Kam Tang pic from www.getitlouder.com)

keiichi tanaami's playful art

I love surrealism, the school of art dedicated to expressing the imagination – free of reason and convention – like in a dream.

I marvel at how the artist can piece together unrelated images, and in the end, create a picture so beautifully absurd that every element seems to be in the right place.

While surrealists Salvador Dali and Giorgio de Chirico come to mind first, I am featuring the works of the contemporary Japanese artist Keiichi Tanaami.

Tanaami is well-known in the field of graphic design and publishing, and is popularly referred to as the Asian Peter Max. In 1975, he became artistic director of Playboy Japan and was responsible for infusing it with fresh and daring artistic content. His art is characterized by sexy and colorful pop art combined with an exuberant, avant-garde slant.

The surrealistic influence is apparent in his toy designs featured here – from his BWWT 5 Bearbrick (top, left) to his Rolling 60s bust collection (left & above, right).

Surrealistic toys – what a playful idea!

(Info from Anipages Daily. Tanaami toy busts available at Paul Smith UK)

tigrrrrrrrrrr!

"The tiger of the mind is more fierce than the tiger of the jungle."
– Spanish saying

When you are soooo mad at someone that you want to plunge a knife down his heart or use a fork to gouge out his eyes, remember these 3 useful tips:


1. When discussing the issue or problem, use "I feel" sentences. Example: Say "I feel upset that you lied to me" instead of "You're a f*cking liar!" To do otherwise will surely draw a negative reaction from the other party that will only make you angrier.

2. Find a quiet spot where you can vent your rage. Lock yourself in the toilet and scream your head off! Take a (cheap) figurine to your basement and throw it on the floor. Remember to sweep up.

3. “When angry, count to ten before you speak; if very angry, count to one hundred,” according to Thomas Jefferson. The more you delay your reaction, the more sane it's bound to be.

The next time someone makes your blood boil, be warned: 'Anger is one letter short of DANGER.'

(Top, right) The Tiger 'Animal' Bearbrick from Series 6, the most calm-looking tiger I've seen.

Tips from angermanagementtips.com and mayoclinic.com / Angry baby pic from lonestartimes.com

the asuka be@rbrick & other anime babes

This Series 13 Be@rbrick on the left was based on the character of Asuka Langley Soryu, an emotionally scarred child prodigy who became the pilot of the giant robot '02' in the anime and manga series entitled Evangelion.

With a curvaceous figure, fiery red hair and a temper to match, Asuka's popularity brought the character to sex symbol status. She has been portrayed as a sex object in several media – photos, illustrations, toys, and collectible figurines. Check out her provocative poses and outfits below!






















Fans of anime and manga are not limited to kids. In fact, many of them are teenage and adult males. That's why in countries like Japan, sexy anime figurines – plaster or plastic playmates with sweet faces, swinging hair, and cup D breasts (below) – sell like anything!

I guess men like to play with dolls, too. LOL














(Sexy figurines available at tokyotoys.com)

suckers for shine

What's in a flashy silver bag that drives women to obsession?

When Louis Vuitton launched the Miroir Line, bag lovers went crazy. Below are some of the things they said about it in a discussion board. (Note that the average price of such a bag is US$1,000+.)

"Love them all! I have three and they're compliment magnets for sure."

"I love this bag!! Everyone tries to buy it from me on the streets!"

"I adore this bag. (Love the idea of using it to touch up my lipstick!!)"

"I have to have one of these. Now, I need to figure out how to buy it without my husband knowing..."

"I called LV... the waiting list was closed..."

"When I got home today I picked up the phone and called all over the United States and actually found one! A store in Colorado is shipping my silver Inventeur Pochette on Tuesday. I CAN'T WAIT!"

Funny, but come to think of it, toy collectors like myself are not any different. Visit any toy forum on the Net and you're bound to read comments as fascinatingly shallow and fanatical as the ones you've just read. Non-collectors will never understand us. But do we care what anyone thinks? Nah.

As one of those Louis Vuitton addicts might say, 'Life's too short – give me one of those silver thingies, please!"

(Above, left) The Silver BWWT Bearbrick was conceptualized by Hajime Sorayama, an award-winning Japanese artist who is well-known for his hyper-realistic illustrations of 'sexy robots' (right). He started out as a visualizer in an ad agency and to date has published numerous books, worked on several movies, and designed the famous Sony AIBO pet dog robot.

(LV bag pic & commentaries from forum.purseblog.com)

when superheroes fall

In the Philippine entertainment scene, scandals involving superstar celebrities have become daily fare.

Not too long ago, the country's most popular tv show host became tabloid material – when her basketball hero husband got involved with a sexy receptionist. It was followed by the bloody estrangement of a beauty queen and her rich husband, the son of an alleged crime lord. The latest shock surfaced on the Internet: incriminating pictures of a hunky actor kissing the actress wife of one of the country's richest men.

The public was shocked, to say the least. Judgment was passed easily from one gossip blog to another. After all, these were people of extraordinary lives and status – supermen and superwomen in their own rights.

There was only one thought in everyone's mind: How the hell could they ruin their lives like that?

Think Superman, and then think kryptonite.

Like the rest of us, these so-called super beings are only human, and deep in their minds and hearts lie weaknesses that surface even with just a minuscule amount of kryptonite.

Money, beauty, love, sex, pride, power... What's your kryptonite?

(Top, right: Superman Returns Be@rbrick. Comes with a 400% size version. The red cape is printed at the back. Original Superman costume created by Joe Shuster.)

(Pic of Hot Toys' Superman Returns / Clark Kent 12-inch figure from Toy Square Canada. Pic of Lex Luthor holding green kryptonite from Action Comics Annual #10, 2007. Info from Wikipedia.)