Tool of North America, a creative production partner to brands and agencies, has signed the creative technologist team nøcomputer to its innovation roster.
nøcomputer is behind a new wave of advertising projects, bringing to bear such specialties as building interactive installations and experiences, using code to design art, creating branded content and generative identities, as well as prototyping new types of software.
nøcomputer is no stranger to Tool, having collaborated with the company on varied projects prior to now becoming part of its lineup. nøcomputer’s most recent experiences and activations with Tool include the Grammys “Play The City” AR project, Pandora’s “Sounds Like You” activation at SXSW and Infiniti’s “Soul of the Machine” experience, which launched at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Among other nøcomputer projects not involving Tool are Volvo’s HR90, the first-ever AI-driven car, and an interactive installation for the IBM Art with Watson: Hidden Portraits Gallery Exhibit at the Cadillac House.
“nøcomputer have been amazing collaborators with our team over the last couple of years. What I’ve always admired is their passion for making exceptional advertising utilizing technology. Every client that works with them walks away knowing that nøcomputer went over and above to deliver on the project and wants to work with them again. That really means something in this business,” said Dustin Callif, managing partner at Tool. “This is a natural evolution in our relationship. We’re looking forward to continuing to create and deliver revolutionary projects to our clients with their team in order to push the boundaries of what advertising can become for agencies, brands and consumers.”
A statement from nøcomputer read: “Tool is known for pushing the boundaries of the technological landscape within advertising, so we knew from our very first project with them that they would be great partners in bringing some of the most innovative work to clients. We’re looking forward to building on our momentum and experience with Tool, and continuing to test new boundaries within the evolving innovation and experiential spaces in advertising.”
The team has also been recognized by D&AD, Webby’s, and the FWA Awards, and have worked with top global brands, including Intel, IBM, Volvo, Microsoft, Samsung and TEDx.
Review: Director Morgan Neville’s “Piece by Piece”
A movie documentary that uses only Lego pieces might seem an unconventional choice. When that documentary is about renowned musician-producer Pharrell Williams, it's actually sort of on-brand.
"Piece by Piece" is a bright, clever song-filled biopic that pretends it's a behind-the-scenes documentary using small plastic bricks, angles and curves to celebrate an artist known for his quirky soul. It is deep and surreal and often adorable. Is it high concept or low? Like Williams, it's a bit of both.
Director Morgan Neville — who has gotten more and more experimental exploring other celebrity lives like Fred Rogers in "Won't You Be My Neighbor?,""Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain" and "Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in Two Pieces" — this time uses real interviews but masks them under little Lego figurines with animated faces. Call this one a documentary in a million pieces.
The filmmakers try to explain their device — "What if nothing is real? What if life is like a Lego set?" Williams says at the beginning — but it's very tenuous. Just submit and enjoy the ride of a poor kid from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who rose to dominate music and become a creative director at Louis Vuitton.
Williams, by his own admission, is a little detached, a little odd. Music triggers colors in his brain — he has synesthesia, beautifully portrayed here — and it's his forward-looking musical brain that will make him a star, first as part of the producing team The Neptunes and then as an in-demand solo producer and songwriter.
There are highs and lows and then highs again. A verse Williams wrote for "Rump Shaker" by Wreckx-N-Effect when he was making a living selling beats would lead to superstars demanding to work with him and partner... Read More