Uniqlo, “Pinstorms”
The brief was simple: use Pinterest and win in Cannes. Now, I'm not one to chase awards but it was, after all, in the brief. So we convinced Uniqlo to let us hack Pinterest after discovering an exploit. In the end, we created more than 100 shell accounts and unleashed a team of more than a dozen to simultaneously "pin" rows of long graphics in a five-category takeover. As users scrolled, the graphics appeared to animate in the style of an old film strip. It took the internet (and this industry) by storm.
Cannes, Gold Lion; ADC Awards, Silver; Ad Stars, Grand Prix; W3 Awards, Silver; One Show, Merit; Mashies, Winner; Clio Awards, Grand Prix; Webby, Nominee; HOW Interactive, MeritAIGA, “Justified” Feature; The Advertising Concept Book, Think Now, Design Later
AIGA “Justified.”
This was a selection from the 2013 “Justified” competition, for which an esteemed jury identified 14 submissions that demonstrate the value of design in a clear, compelling and accessible way.
What people said.
“This was definitely one of the most polarizing entries, but ultimately the effectiveness of the campaign was hard to deny. The scrolling animations were smart and beautiful, and I liked the DIY approach.”
— Jessica Hische
“No project elicited more passionate dialogue among the jurors than this one; no other submission was discussed at greater length. Few of us were ever convinced that the creative teams were “justified” in what they did, but what they did do epitomized the kind of irreverent, innovative thinking that makes interactive media interesting and keeps it rapidly evolving. The team figured out a way to exploit a medium (Pinterest) and turn it into a different kind of canvas than its creators ever imagined (or intended, or wanted). The concept, process and execution were brilliant.”
— Brad Johnson
“More than any other competition entry, this submission sparked a lively debate about its merits and a broader discussion about online ethics. I am personally in favor of disruption because without it, we have no innovation. Kudos to those who can override the algorithms, for soon the robots will be in charge. The solution was simply beautiful as well. Perhaps I would have felt differently had I experienced the hacking and not been a judge after the fact.”
— Alina Wheeler