RIP Nelson Mandela

Thank you Nelson Mandela. Your light touched the whole world. May we take that light and continue what you have taught us; equality, forgiveness and compassion for all.

I read a recent comment on this video I'm posting that summed things up well for me.  The comment says, "He was among the last and least I know whom humanity can trust with closed eyes. I am sad to learn such a good and great person is no more."

"Yeah bitch, Meteorites!"

Aaron Paul has teamed up with Bushmills Irish Whiskey again.  The latest short is called "The Sting - Cooking up Meteors".  This is fun content, it had me hooked from beginning to end.  Basically it opens with Paul sitting around a table with his buddies, drinking Bushmills and telling stories.  The story we come in on is about a prank (whether it's real or fiction doesn't matter) Paul and his buddy played on another friend.

Paul is a good storyteller and the animation provided fits perfectly with the story.  Bushmills does a great job of creating an atmosphere people want to see themselves in.  I hope there's more to come.

Top 10 Clothing Retailers Making Branded Video

By Megen Musegades |  Branded Filmworks

Many clothing retailers are hopping on board the branded video community.  Most retailers feature videos of models showcasing their clothes. We went in search of retailers that offered a more thorough look at their company culture and also those who had an easy communication with their subscribers, making everyone feel like they're part of the same community.

This list is based on YouTube and Facebook subscribers, as well as interaction with subscribers. We also looked at the variety and creativity of their videos.


1. LEVI'S

Levi's has a good amount of YouTube subscribers with strong interaction.  Their page is organized well, offering videos on Levi's Culture, Women's Style, Men's Style, Collaborations and Events Videos.  Levi's videos do a great job of making you want to be a part of their cool club.



2.  MR PORTER 

As an online store, Mr Porter has got it down.  The culture they share on their youtube page alone makes you want to order everything on their site.  The epitomy of cool, their videos make you feel like if you follow their rules, you will be a successful artist/banker/writer/you name it.







3. PRADA

Prada's latest short is directed by Wes Anderson (director of such quirky films as Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums,  Fantastic Mr. Fox). Need I say more?  Their videos show a classy brand that doesn't take itself too seriously.  At least it shows that they like to have fun, serious fun, and their subscribers and fans love it.





4. MODCLOTH

Modcloth knows their fans well.  It shows in their youtube and instagram videos.  Their videos are not just models wearing their clothes. There are Make-up tutorials, DIY crafty videos and of course styling tips for every decade.  They are also doing a great job of keeping the videos coming every week, making you come back for more.




5. H&M

H&M has a lot of subscribers to both their youtube and facebook pages, however they've disabled the comments section on their youtube videos which makes it easier for the company to manage, but it takes away the community it's trying to create.  This is one of the reasons that, although they have the most subscribers of the ten listed, they're fifth on the list.  H&M does a good job of keeping the videos rolling out with interviews and events and fashion shows.




6. HUGO BOSS

Hugo Boss' youtube homepage is nicely organized and easy to use.  You get a clear idea of the fashion shows and the videos do a good job of connecting elegance with the brand.  They also have a webseries of a "behind the scenes" fictional love story called "Shanghai Affairs".  You can shop the outfits from the "movie".





7. J. CREW

J. Crew calls their youtube page jcrewinsider.  It makes you feel like you get to be part of the jcrew club.  They have a great variety of films.  They seem to post a series of films in waves.  Hopefully they'll start adding videos more frequently because they're fun to watch and offer a good glimpse of what it means to be a part of the J. Crew community.



8. GAP

GAP is another company that is starting to offer a more well-rounded youtube channel.  You can get style advice from costume designer Jenn Rogien, listen to musicians in their Back to Blue series and watch their latest documentary short series with Tony Bennett and a group of NYC students, supporting Arts Education.





9. ANTHROPOLOGIE

Anthropologie is doing a great job of creating a variety of videos that show the vibe their brand wants to create.  The videos make you want to leave your regular life behind and start cooking everything from scratch and live in a beautiful old farm house where you spend your time writing your novel.  Their latest video features window designer Ashley Nardone showing all the care and detailed attention she's put into her latest installation.




10. STYLEMINT

StyleMint has slowed down making videos unfortunately, but the ones they have made are fun. They have videos showing a variety of outfits for individual pieces, style advice from different people in the fashion industry, or my favorite, funny short and sometimes interactive videos staring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson.  Maybe StyleMint could take some advice from Mr Porter and start shooting mini documentaries of fashion-forward individuals wearing their items.





What are your favorite clothing channels and/or videos?

Unilever Project Sunlight

Unilever has launched a new campaign and the video has generated over 2 million views already on youtube, it has the makings to be quite successful.  It's called Project Sunlight.  Here's the info from their website:

"We believe there has never been a better time to create a better future for our children; a world where everyone has enough food to eat and no child goes to bed hungry.
Where every child lives to their fifth birthday and has the right to a happy childhood.
Where every home has enough water to drink and to wash, cook and clean.
And where everybody can enjoy life today while protecting the planet for future generations.
Project Sunlight is a movement that has already started.
It’s made up of a growing community of people who believe it is possible to build a world where everyone lives well and lives sustainably.
Who recognise we can only achieve this if we all work together to do small actions every day that make a real difference.
And who inspire others to join us in making this the way everyone chooses to live."

In this short documentary, Unilever interviews prospective parents about their fears for their child and then shows them a short film about what they hope to achieve with Project Sunlight.  The strength of this video lies in the words and actions of the parents.  It's beautifully done, if I could make one critique it would be to include more of the parents, their thoughts, hopes and fears and less of the video.