They Were There: Errol Morris Spotlights Computer Pioneers

We tend to think of the evolution of technology as this disembodied force that changes, for better or for worse, the way we live. But, in fact, it’s the product of individual innovators and the companies who unite them. Among the most monumental tech innovators of our time is International Business Machines, known today simply as IBM. Founded in 1911, IBM is responsible for inventions such as the first school time control system, the first electronic keypunch and the first large-scale electro-mechanical calculator. For its centennial this year, the company has released a duo of documentaries exploring its legacy and the history of seminal technologies that shaped the course of contemporary computing.

They Were There by legendary documentary director Errol Morris spotlights the pioneers who “changed the way the world works,” quite literally, with music by none other than Philip Glass.

100 X 100 chronicles a century of technological achievements, presented by 100 people, each recounting the IBM achievement recorded in the year he or she was born, moving from the oldest to the youngest — a refreshingly innovative storytelling device, layered on top of some fascinating historical trivia.

For more on the history of IBM, one of the most wide-reaching innovators of our time, we highly recommend The Maverick and His Machine: Thomas Watson, Sr. and the Making of IBM — the remarkable story of America’s first celebrity CEO told through rare, never-before-explored documents and riveting tales of optimism amidst chaos.

HT Coudal

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Masters of Photography: The Story of Whisky Casks

From Spain to Scotland, or what sherry-seasoned oak has to do with transmedia storytelling.

Two years ago, iconic Scottish whisky brand The Macallan recruited celebrity photographer Rankin in an ambitious project — to capture The Macallan story in 1,000 black-and-white Polaroids over the course of six days, which were to be turned into 1,000 limited-edition bottle labels. Dubbed Masters of Photography, the effort turned the whiskey bottles into prized collector’s items around the world, each of which came with the original Rankin Polaroid and set the owner back by $1,695.

This year, The Macallan is back with Masters of Photography 2, this time enlisting world-famous photographer Albert Watson (yes, he of Kate Moss nudes fame) to create artful storytelling inspired by the wood The Macallan uses to make the precious casks in which the Scottish Single Malt is matured.

There needs to be some art of photography here. And that’s…that’s what you need to look for. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack. It’s the art of photography that you’re looking for and that’s always a mystery. It’s always under a leaf somewhere.” ~ Albert Watson

The casks originate in Spain, so Watson is following their journey from tree to distillery over the course of ten days, from the South of Spain to the North of Scotland, documenting the people and landscapes behind the elaborate production process.

You can catch the full journey on The Macallan YouTube channel. The images from Masters of Photography 2 are to once again be turned into a limited-edition bottle series at the end of this year.

The project offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of the creative craftsmanship of a brand’s story, a captivating marriage of art and commerce in the age of transmedia storytelling.

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Robin of Shoreditch: The 100 Brands Project

Robinhooding Subway, or how to make those doing well do good.

Despite the recession, the global economy is a massive force of commerce, shuffling billions of dollars around its ecosystem of goods and services. By comparison, the nonprofit sector — and humanitarian aid in particular — is microscopic. So what if could take a fraction of that fat commmercial mega-budget and allocate it to underfunded good causes? That’s what Robin of Shoreditch, a group of anonymous creative outlaws, is doing with The 100 Brands Project — an effort to take from the rich and give to the poor, or in this case, to the people of Haiti.

It’s a simple, brilliant idea — the team, composed of various ad industry creatives, do what they do best: They offer each company on BrandZ’s 100 brands index a creative idea that could help their business and, in return, they ask for 1/10000000 — that’s one ten-millionth — of the value of that brand as a fee, 100% of which goes to relief efforts in Haiti.

Every Monday morning, the crew released a new idea for one of these A-list brands, including FedEx, Nike and American Express. They then send the brand an actual invoice and hope for the best.

Why go anonymous?

The truth is we’d rather keep our identities secret so not to compromise our ‘normal life’ jobs at various advertising and marketing agencies. We’re creating ideas for the top 100 brands and some of these bring us into conflict with the brands we work on day-in, day-out through our jobs.” ~ “Little John”

None of the 12 companies approached so far have actually paid up, but we think this is a brilliantly innovative take on “corporate social responsibility” and any brand that embraces its incredible potential — to do good but also, perhaps cynically, to generate some solid buzz — would be deserving of an epic hat tip.

You can follow the project’s progress on the team’s blog and keep an eye on Vimeo channel for fresh videos every Monday.

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