:: The Chinese red army performing Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” No biggie. Bravo!  // AjS

:: i love this. Just watch.  // AjS

:: I was recently in Chengdu and picked up some “worshiping incense” outside a local temple. When I got back home and took a better look at the packaging, I was impressed with the all-in-one design. The box that holds the dhoop sticks has a metal ringlet that acts as a burner / holder. A simple detail, but significantly differentiating and very functional. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: I was recently gifted some cologne and was particularly impressed with the design of the bottle it came in. Firstly, the product just sits so nicely on its own, like a polished stone of sorts. Secondly, it’s just so easy to get a grip on. Thirdly, as soon you get a grip on it, the product ready to be sprayed / used. The scent is not bad either. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: this is an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in the future (and now) of human behavior or anything digital, particularly marketing, communications, and media. I don’t want to spoil it with any commentary / analysis that is already captured (more brilliantly and more compellingly than I would do it) in the below presentation. Slide 13 perhaps says it all though: “…the next generation Internet strategy has got nothing to do with the Internet…”

Okay, one more great combo-quote from the deck, from slides 140 and 153-155: “…having a presence on social media is not social media – talking, discovering, and building relationships are. It’s the nature of your activity that is important, not your choice of technology. We are moving from channels where brands are law enforcers, to arenas where brands are participants. This means that every screen, interface, and object is an opportunity for dialogue, interaction, response, and collaboration. Explore these opportunities rather than just tell your story.”

Last one, I promise, from slide 93: “…our job is not getting people from A to B to C, (our job) is creating value…” Bravo, well done Helge Tennø.  // AjS

:: this guy gets an A+ for effort as he reports on the recent typhoon in China. At about the 20 second mark he starts screaming about the how bad the raindrops hurt as they “smash” into his head and how he can’t even open his eyes. Amazing, and, despite the terrible destruction and loss of life, kinda humorous. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: I’m an animation and 3D / CG junkie. I recently watched Coraline. It’s excellent. I highly recommend taking the time to check it out. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

[UPDATE: Thanks to Xiao Du for pointing out that Coraline is available in full-length format on Youku, link here or watch below. However, it's of course much better on a big screen or in HD.]

:: I can’t help think this video is actually a Mentos viral. But I don’t mind. Notice the soft product placement in the background at the 0:55 mark, and the avoidance of other product logos / names throughout the video, namely the “wall mounted flat screen TV,” “DJ turntables,” etc. Either way, I think it’s a great clip. Very creative and a lot of fun. Does anyone know more about it? Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: a couple years ago I had dinner with a budding Beijing-based artist / illustrator Yan Wei and her now fiance (Blake Stonebanks). As I was poking around online today, I was re-introduced to Yan Wei via some of her latest work – all of which is superb. See below for some examples.

When I first saw Yan Wei’s work, I couldn’t help but recall my Garbage Pail Kid-dominated childhood. That same exaggerated / manga-esque style and “unnecessarily grotesque and disturbing images of children” aesthetic is definitely (probably unintentionally) apparent, and I think that’s great – such images were the cornerstone of my youth! See more of Yan Wei’s work on her blog, or here for older pieces. I have also uploaded these images to a Flickr album. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: an excellent documentary examining social media’s deconstruction / decentralization of institutions, decision-making, and organizations, and the impact the Internet is having (and potentially could have) on government, finance, collaboration / information sharing, and online / offline networking. Buy the DVD here (the video below is the full documentary). For more information, extra clips, and reviews, link here. To watch this documentary in other languages, link here. H/T Sean Leow. // AjS

:: anyone who reads 56minus1 regularly knows I love sneakers and that I’m a Ray Lei (雪磊) fanboy. So, there was no way I wasn’t going to like this collaboration. I’m just surprised it took me so long to find these. See below for two excellent productions by Ray, an extraordinarily talented multimedia designer based in Beijing.

The first one was for Nike’s Innov8 (创意沙龙) campaign and, I think, in support of the brand’s 706 interactive / multimedia exhibit last year in Beijing’s 798 art district. The 706 exhibit showcased – in a way only Nike can shamelessly pull off – 100 of the company’s most innovative accomplishments in footwear and apparel design. Pretty cool actually.

The second one, titled Moon Landing Plan, was shown at the Nike Dunk art exhibition in Shanghai last March. See Ray’s blog for some photos from the event, link here. Ou Ning, who also showed work at the exhibition, did a post on it too, link here.

Both works are great, and further examples of brands successfully engaging China’s creative community. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: Edinburgh-based Danny MacAskill is incredible and just plain inspires me. He’s perhaps the best street trials rider in the world. Watch below to find out why.

Can you say fakie tailwhip? What? Yeah, exactly. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: I recently came across this short “romantic comedy” film titled Signs by Sydney, Australia-based Patrick Hughes. It’s excellent. He produced it for the Schweppes Short Film Festival. Link here for more shorts from Hughes. This video is also on Youtube. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: I stumbled across this video from Huangxiang and I fell in love with it. It combines a few of the things I like most in Web shorts: reverse and slow motion effects, the process of stuff being broken, and 30 seconds. Very 过瘾. Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: I found a great place in Shanghai to get wanton and zongzi. On Huating Rd., very close to the Middle Huaihai Rd. intersection (north side, basically at the entrance way to the old Tang Hui), a new place opened up last week. It’s not really a restaurant, but rather just someone’s home. There are only two proper tables, one of which is in the family’s living room and doubles as a wanton-wrapping station – it’s also where I sat and had my breakfast this morning (see first photo below). The other table is a fold-out that can be setup for outside seating. Great food and Longjing tea (free, of course). Pardon the reddish effect with the photos, I was testing out a new iPhone app called Vint Red. Pretty neat result.  // AjS