Flying isn't so hard. So proclaims the Museum of Ideas & Inventions in Barcelona - a recent addition to the city's rich creative landscape. Privately funded, the museum showcases inventive products and concepts from around the world. To say MIBA is just an invention museum is only half the story. More than anything, it's a celebration of ideas and the power they contain.

Upon entry the museum quickly establishes itself as an interactive journey where creating your own invention is encouraged. From the periscope that offers a glimpse of the action in the museum below, to the optional slide that delivers visitors to the basement, each experience helps to create an environment where creative thinking can flourish. Even a trip to the bathrooms provides a humorous and memorable experience.

What is really exciting is witnessing the enjoyment, wonder and amusement creative thinking can bring to people's lives. MIBA bundles it all up in a nice little package perfectly suited to the general public. From well known products like the Dyson vacuum to "the world's most useless machine" the intention is for the visitor to have fun.

There is growing acceptance that design and creativity can improve our lives as well as the products and services we come into contact with. This brings an interesting concept to the fore. What if mainstream business fostered environments of 'free thinking' where inventive ideas were entrenched in their culture. Brands could ensure a healthy 'lab' exists, where ideas can be shared, debated, moulded and maybe even realised. Free thinking sessions could be a way for businesses to engage and encourage employees to contribute to improving products or services. A fundamental shift to a new product or way of doing business could contain unlimited potential from a competitive and financial perspective. Or a trip to MIBA might just do the trick.

www.mibamuseum.com

-Glenn Kynnersley, Design Director

Typography is a bit like a decent breakfast – often overlooked, but actually massively important. It’s one of the most important choices of the day.

Without a good breakky, you can sacrifice the productivity of your whole day – and without good, considered, crafted typography you risk the productivity of your whole design, no matter how great the idea is.

This video by Off Book, made by PBS Arts, hits the nail on the head, and explains why it’s so important not to overlook typography.

Off Book: Type from PBS Arts on Vimeo.

We love working with Thurley. It’s so refreshing to work with a young label that’s making such beautiful, creative fashion.

Our latest spring/summer campaign - ‘Hybrid’ - is a study in the interaction and exchange of energy between two bodies.

This beautiful video is all about capturing that creativity in movement and light through dance.

The movement and flow of the garments was a nice way to make the most of the amazing detail and embellishment in Thurley’s designs. We also played with the room’s natural light, to pick up on the texture and transparency of the fabrics.

Have a look – get carried away with the romance of Thurley.

Life’s so much better with passion.

And the latest Olga Berg catalogue shows just how powerful that passion can be.

Olga Berg’s communications are always beautiful. But this season we wanted to do something different. We wanted to make something that causes not just an emotional, but a physical reaction as well.

We wanted a catalogue that would catch your eye, but catch your breath as well.

Fabulous photographer Jordan Graham shot our steamy superstar models Laura Gorun and Teco Arias. Styled by Sara Smith, and with hair and makeup by Max May, the shoot atmosphere was electric, and so were the shots that came out of it.

A little bit naughty and more than a just little bit nice – lingerie brand Bellechasse is poised to make quite an impression on Melbourne’s retail stage. It’s elegant luxury, scantily clad in a very sexy and provocative package.

Bellechasse translates tantalisingly to ‘Beautiful Hunt’ – a boutique of crème de la crème luxury lingerie and toys. Voluptuous European labels are coupled with Bellechasse’s own bespoke designs.

The challenge – how to sell sex and fantasy in a luxurious way?

PSS has worked alongside Bellechasse to create a thrillingly seductive communication suite. From the graceful identity, across a all packaging and collateral applications, to design collaboration in the new store, website and video. Every element is a wink to experiential communication - design that evokes a reaction and an emotion, encapsulated by alluring and highly seductive images.

Launching onto the Armadale scene with a flourish, the store opening set the tone of things to come with live models in the windows and one of Australias leading burlesque dancers.

So much more than just beautiful imagery, the Bellechasse offering and the PSS creative that represents it combines for a brand that is voluptuous and sensual, impeccably accomplished.

Let the hunt begin!

At PSS, we’ve always been proud as punch to work with Tupperware Australia.

We don’t have to tell you that this fabulous brand is the Louis Vuitton of kitchenware. But what you might not know is that Tupperware is constantly donating, contributing and collaborating with all kinds of charities – with a little help from PSS of course!

As part of this ongoing commitment, May 2011 saw Tupperware co-ordinate the World’s Biggest Tupperware Party. PSS helped out with an identity, posters and lots of signage.

1 day. 2,706 parties. 1,993 demonstrators. 20,000 people across Australia and New Zealand. And $65,000 raised for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

But it doesn’t stop at big events like this. $2 from every Tupperware Tote bag and 90 cents from every Enviro Bag sold is contributed to one of the two breast cancer charities above as well.

And of course their policy of generosity is at it’s strongest when the need is greatest – over the last few years Tupperware has donated generously to the Japanese Disaster relief fund, and closer to home the Christchurch earthquake, the Queensland floods, and the Victorian bushfires recovery funds.

For Paper Stone Scissors, collaborating with a brand so focused on social responsibility isn’t just inspiring and rewarding. It’s good for the soul.

Every year PSS musters its forces to submit some creative gold to the AGDA Poster Annual.

This year we let three of our designers – Larry, Milan and Wade – loose on ADGA’s 2011 theme: Inspired by Music.

They all came up with some pretty amazing posters. Wade’s ‘Musical Chair’ design (above) grabbed the attention of the AGDA judges, and you can check it out next time you’re in Sydney at The Gaffa Gallery, along with the other finalist posters.

Brilliant work Wade!

'Mix Tape' by Larry 'All you need is Love' by Milan

Calibre Red Hot Rio Video 1 from Paper Stone Scissors on Vimeo.

It might still be freezing here in Melbourne, but at Calibre it’s red hot like Rio!

We negotiated foreign currencies, languages, immunizations and all the temptations of Rio - the ultimate party city - to come up with a super hot result for Calibre’s spring/summer season.

This collection is vibrant and upbeat – a mix of crazy brights (such as the Flamingo Pink sports jacket) mixed back with neutrals. So it was a no brainer to take the Calibre man about town to a summer party city – where else but Rio!

And we didn’t just come home with a tan. Our South American sojourn resulted in some pretty amazing campaign imagery and films for Calibre. The campaign kicks off with this video and a press advertising campaign. We’re also supporting it with editorial content for the website, and more videos and imagery to come.

Also, watch this space for the launch of the Calibre ecommerce store, designed by us too and soon to be launched.

But this great work wasn’t all down to PSS. Photographer extraordinaire Andrew Woffinden shot the whole thing on location in beautiful Rio. The video is the work of the amazing Dominic Locher, who shot a series of four Calibre films that will be rolled out over the season.

And our big-deal international male model, New York based Brazilian Arthur Sales was such a good chap that he donated half of his fee back to a Brazilian charity.

Check out the video above, and stay tuned for more Calibre goodness.

On a recent trip to New York it struck me that we have a lot to learn about effective retailing in Australia. While we make good efforts to cater for the mass market here, our biggest issue is that we are just saturated with generic brands that have no point of view- both through product and experience. It’s during tough times like these that we must stand out, be brave and most of all, stand for something. While times are equally tough in the U.S. (perhaps even tougher) there are many brands that are really pushing boundaries, going out on a limb to cut through the clutter and offer a unique experience to their customers... all to stay alive.I just wanted to highlight a few examples that really stood out to me and perhaps Australian retailers should look to for some influence.

Jeffreys- New York’s answer to Collette in Paris, this store is all about the buyers edit. The pick of all the collections are available here for men and women including apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics and fragrances. It’s not about an abundance of choice but a very clear point of view of what the absolute picks of the season are. They also do their own house brand which is more affordable but still great quality and style. It’s located in a very ‘low key’ building in the Meatpacking district and was one of the first stores to move into this area. With no advertising, a very minimal website and no windows to showcase the latest trends, this store is a destination for those in the know.

J. Crew- Whether it’s the mens, womens, or kids store, or their new brand ‘Madewell’ this is ‘mass market’ done amazingly well. Gone are the days of cheap piles of polos, racks of chinos and endless rows of canvas espedrills presented in a bland, uninspiring space. J.Crew has reinvented and evolved to present itself as the ultimate affordable American brand that embodies all the values and aspirations of the American dream.Visual merchandising is simple and presented in clear stories. While the stores house a lot of product like most mass market brands, it’s still engaging and incredibly appealing - at no point do you feel overwhelmed by too much ‘stuff’. Books about the American way of life, travel and classic American albums adorn the wooden clad walls making them feel homely and comfortable. The new creative director, Jenna, has really managed to transform J.Crew into a remarkable shopping destination.

MiN New York- Situated in Crosby Street, Soho, this store is a modern day apothecary with fragrances, candles, oils, room sprays, mens grooming products and so on. Showcased in a beautiful building, stepping through the doors is like stepping back in time to when buying perfumes was a real art and a pleasure. Nowadays, the cosmetic floors of department stores are frantic places full of people shoving different smells under your nose trying their hardest to get that commission from your sale. At MiN, its all about personalised service where selecting a frangrance or cream is all about what’s right for you. With some of the most beautiful brands in the world available here, the consultants never overwhelm you with choice but hone in on what they believe is right for you, based on what ‘you’ like. Service like this is a rare thing these days and when you come across it, you want to embrace it, bottle it and spread the word to as many people as possible.

I could have written about hundreds of stores but these are a few that really stood out for various reasons.

Safe travels and happy shopping!

Andrew Majzner - Creative Director

Chadstone Qee Campaign from Paper Stone Scissors on Vimeo.

It’s great when a project that’s heaps of fun to work on produces a great result.

Earlier this year, Chadstone Shopping Centre commissioned PSS to promote their Qee campaign. We created a TVC, press, billboards and collateral and even decorated the Qee that featured in the campaign.

They came from all over Australia - or at least from all of Australia’s iconic fashion designers, for an exhibition of our country’s best dressed Qees. We actually designed one of those too, (dressed in a giant dog costume of course!) for Peter Alexander. Along with the exhibition and workshops in centre, the whole concept was a massive success.

The campaign has just been recognised by Colonial First State, who awarded it the first place in the sales promotion category and their very fancy ‘grand prix’ prize.

Happy days.

Melbourne lingerie brand Kayser have never been shy. But now, with a little help from PSS, they’re positively popping off the page to get their message across.

Working in collaboration with Kayser’s parent brand Simon De Winter, PSS designed, honed and perfected several large format outdoor advertisements for the new Bombshell bra – all viewable in crystal clear 3D.

The campaign kicked off in Sydney last week, and is just getting started in Melbourne this week.

In the heart of Sydney, bustling Martin Place was home to the largest of our mobile Bombshell billboards. Roving assistants offered 3D glasses to the crowd, whose positive reactions attracted even more foot traffic.

A convoy of mobile billboards on Vespas cruised the city streets as well, and once parked they provided another opportunity for passers by to collect their 3D glasses see the Bombshell come alive in 3D. Their positive reactions drove even more foot traffic.

With enviable media space secured at Federation Square, the Melbourne campaign was fortuitously timed to launch just as the Cadel Evans victory parade made its way down St Kilda Rd and through the famous Square.

Thousands of engaged viewers, a follow-up suite of press ads in weekly magazines, and the eye-catching thrill of well executed 3D mean that the Kayser Bombshell promises to be one of Simon De Winter’s most successful campaigns to date.