Refresh Everything

Interesting new social media experiment from Pepsi. Each month they give away millions of dollars in grants to sponsor ideas that will help improve local communities. People (in America) are invited to either upload their ideas on the campaign website or vote for the projects they think deserve to get funded. The grants range from $5.000 to $250.000 and the categories you can apply to are: Health, Arts and Culture, Food and Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education. The campaign is set to run for a whole year and every month the ideas with the most votes get rewarded with grants. Pepsi expects to have given more than $20 million away at the end of the year - money that was originally budgeted for a big commercial to run during this years Superbowl final. I think this will prove to be a clever move.

Via HelloKinsella

Inspiration Grid by Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels

I like this idea from Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels. On their website they invite people to upload pictures of the things that inspire them. When you flip one of the pictures on the grid there's a little explanation of why someone found it interesting. Nice way to share ideas and inspiration visually.

Skype Outside

I really like this new campaign from Skype. To celebrate the Skype mobile app they have hired 5 different artists from all over the world to turn Skype customers' experiences into art. On the Skype Outside site there is a presentation of each artist to help you decide which one of them would do the best job expressing your story. Ranging from shadow artists to avant garde, Japanese street theater, wood carving and circus performance there should be something for everyone. All you have to do is call up your favorite one via the Skype link and tell them what's on your mind and if you're lucky the conversation will be turned into an outdoor piece of art in the artist's home city. It will also be filmed and uploaded on the site.

By using outdoor art they cleverly articulate the fact that Skype now has become mobile and that you can use it when you're out and about. But for me, the really great thing about this campaign is the way it involves people and makes their stories the central idea and main source of content on the site. It gives people the opportunity to participate and it offers something in return.

My City vs. Your City

Interesting website if you, like me, occasionally wonder if people are singing along to the same tunes in New York and Ankara (based on Last FM).

My City vs Your City

Via PSFK

Light

Cool light drawings from Danish artist Armsrock. He's doing a show at Bispebuen in Copenhagen from February 10th, so check it out if you're around.

Via Wooster Collective

Interactive tower block

Belgian design and art studio Lab [au] are the creators behind this cool interactive illumination system that enlightened the 145 m high Dexia Tower in Brussels in 2007. Each of the 4200 windows were equipped with RGB LEDs that could be activated individually from the control station set up at the bottom of the tower.

The Touch installation allowed people to interact with the building in real time through a multi touch screen either individually or collectively. Touch and movement were translated into graphical elements playing off of the building's structure. the final result of each design session could be photographed and sent as an electronic postcard.

Check out their website, there are lots of other cool light and architecture projects.