What is Flipboard? An Introduction

Part of my responsibilities here at Flipboard is to help position the brand to new audiences. I was so excited when I was asked to script this video designed to help new and potential users understand and get the most out of an app that I love! 



It was also fantastic to work closely with Flipboard's stellar creative team to pull this one off. Special thanks to Byron and Ashleigh who killed it.

Merc Madness

Growing up, I had a handful of Mercedes Benz Hot Wheels cars—and I always used them as the bad guys. They were either the bank robbers' getaway cars or an evil spy networks' chase cars. However I imagined them they weren't the good guys and I've honestly never been into Mercs—until now. There are currently three beyond bada$$ Benz's right now that I'd be stoked to drive. 

Mercedes-AMG GT S

This maybe the obvious choice for most, but if you know me, it's actually the least obvious choice. I'm usually not big into supercars, but when I saw Randy Probst and the Motor Trend team put this one through the paces, I got excited. 

Mercedes-AMG A 45 

Now this is more like it. A Mercedes Benz hot hatch? Yes. I'll take it! This little beasty can crush anything in its class and do it with style and finesse.

Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Estate

You thought a Mercedes hatchback was a bit of a sleeper? Imagine a full-size family wagon that can not only smoke anything in its class, but pretty much anything on the road. If you told me I could have any car I wanted as long as it was a brand new vehicle—I'd, without hesitation—take this 5.5-Liter Biturbo V8 that makes 585 horsepower in a station wagon! Check this out.

Maroon Moodboarding

Lasting night I did a little #keynoteandchill and came up with this maroon moodboarding madness.

Patina Perfection

You'll never care about a dent or scratch again after watching this rust bucket rally! 

The Force Awakens Trailer 3: Soundtrack Only

This music only edit of the third The Force Awakens trailer is a mind-blowing masterpiece. It's instant feels across the board and is hard evidence in hand—much like Soderbergh's silent film Raiders of the Lost Ark experiment—that JJ's accomplished something special here. Thanks to One Perfect Shot for uncovering this gem.

And just a quick note on the marketing perfection that's happening around Episode 7. Disney nailing it so hard. And though some would like to forget it, I think they really figured this out with the marketing of TRON: Legacy. If you remember, that film was seeded extremely well in the community without them giving too much away. Just the way a film should be marketed.

Celebrate Back to the Future Day with Supercuts!

First, catch every "Doc" and "Marty" ever uttered on screen from the fine folks at Screen Junkies.
 

Then go deep into the sound effects and close-ups that made me wanna go to film school.

Bespoke BMW

Loving this amazing little BMW 2002 build, especially the idea that a car like this needs to be driven. The wear and tear that happens along the way is all part of the experience.

Norway Longboarding

So yeah, everything about this Ishtar X Tussilago video makes you feel completely lazy and super uncool—everything except the hipster Amish kid. I think I got the jump on him at least.

Lake House Moodboard

These Nike kicks and this Topo Designs shirt randomly popped up right next to each other in my feeds the other day and I couldn't resist the chance to get my moodboarding on.

Benji Wagner vs. TEDxPortland

The man behind Poler Outdoor Stuff—one of my fave brands at the moment—recently dropped a potent and poignant TEDxPortland Talk. Give this one a serious listen! He does a fantastic job of breaking down how technology can either paralyze us in our tracks or become a vehicle to incite us into outdoor action. 

I love, love, love it. And let's face it, that beard is rawesome.

Bat-Tac Moodboard

So unless you've been living in a cave for the last couple of weeks, you already know that new trailers for both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad recently dropped. I thought the Suicide Squad trailer was pretty perfect (although I think Jared Leto would be a better Riddler). And I have tons of issues with the Batman v Superman trailer, but I was excited by the corresponding picture of him in a duster with these rad goggles. That bat-image inspired this bat-tactical gear moodboard.

Strato Style

I stumbled onto a slew of images from this Japanese retailer called Strato. I seriously can't get enough of their aesthetic. I love the simplicity of this classic urban-meets-outdoor vibe. It's a look that's defined by a based of real staples enhanced by one or two pieces of uniqueness that pushes the boundaries just a little. Love it.

And some lovely looks for the ladies too...

Mad Max: Center Framed

Well, apparently Wes Anderson and Stanley Kubrick aren't the only directors obsessed with centering their cinematic compositions. I love how George Miller's technique allows you to track with the high-paced action in a way that feels right. Compare this scene to the mess of an opening sequence in Age of Ultron, and there's just no doubt what's more enjoyable to watch. 

Morning Moodboard

Netflix Picks of the Month Club

The team at my agency Tribal Worldwide recently started a Netflix Picks of the Month Club. Well, this is my month and just for fun, I thought I'd share my picks.

Better Off Ted, 2009

Okay, Let’s start off with a great little TV series that’s totally binge-able over the course of a single weekend. This show only lasted two seasons, but that’s a good thing… because it’s nearly perfect. If you dig Arrested Development, you’ll absolutely love this quirky satire on climbing the corporate America ladder. 

Shut Up and Play The Hits, 2012

Even if you aren’t a fan of the electronic beats of LCD Soundsystem, this beautifully shot rockumentary chronicling their final concert at Madison Garden is simply infectious. Put it on the big screen, crank the volume, and this one pulls you in like a tractor beam. If you don’t believe me, watch its epic trailer like right now.

Unbreakable, 2000

Since someone already swiped my first pick of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, I’ll just go with straight up Unbreakable… M. Night’s best and ONLY re-watchable movie. This is easily one of the greatest superhero movies ever made and features a pre-Avengers, pre-Capital One Samuel L. Jackson in one of his coolest roles. And after you finish it, check out Patton Oswalt’s in-depth pitch for the sequel.

The Trip, 2010

This dramedy is a very English take on the classic roadtrip-buddy flick genre. Think of it as Tommy Boy with British-trained theatre actors who consume fine foods, traverse the rolling hills of Northern England, and enjoy educated conversation, all the while making you fall on the floor laughing. 

Harold & Maude, 1971

Alright, now for the coup de gras. This is one of those movies that from time to time will make you the smartest person in the room. It’s a beyond quirky cult-classic love story between equally strange peeps who are generations apart from one another in age. See a young Bud Cort (a.k.a. the bond company stooge in The Life Aquatic) drive one of the most iconic cars on film (a Jaguar hearse) to the best soundtrack ever… completely scored by none other than Cat Stevens himself.

Rendezvous Moodboard x2

I thought for my next moodboard it'd be interesting to build a story around a meeting with an indeterminate ending. Would this rendezvous result in someone getting lucky? Or would it wrap with someone getting full-on murdered? Jury's still out. But the real mystery is, which car is the dude driving? A vintage Porsche or this tuned touring? I still can't decide!

400th Post = Porsche Collaborations

Yes, that's right. This is the 400th post on Kyality! It's crazy to see how this blog has evolved over the years (and devolved in some cases). I started off posting some relatively long pieces as a way to keep my writing skills alive and well. Nowadays, I catch myself more often than not simply posting videos and the moodboards I conjure up from time to time. I just want to sincerely say thank you to all those who've even occasionally stopped by for a post or two over the past 9 years.

To celebrate, I'm posting two new Porsche vids I stumbled on back to back, with two doods who on the surface couldn't seem more different. The first is a collaboration between Porsche and classic street style photographer, Scott Schuman a.k.a. The Sartorialist. 



It's a nice branded piece featuring one of my fave fashion bloggers and the all-new 911 Targa 4 GTS. Check it:

Next is, of course, the latest Porsche collaboration with everyone's favorite 911 nut, Magnus Walker. Here he compares one of the very first 911 Turbos and the most recent iteration. And for some awesome reason all the cars featured in these two vids are a beautiful, bloody red. Thanks again to all my readers and enjoy:

I don't know about you, but I'm inspired by each of these guys—both completely driven by their passions.

BMW + Instagram Video

Sure, you can't change the weather. But your BMW knows where it's best. The all-new #BMW #1Series with #ConnectedDrive Services.

So BMW just posted an Instagram video that I think I've now watched like 45 times. What sells me on this is not just the car—which is the stunning Euro-spec forbidden fruit known as the 1er hatch—it's also the vibe and editing. The music's pretty meh, but I'll admit that I'm looking at video on Instagram in a different light thanks to this one. Nicely done BMW.

Vossen Rims: Better than the Big Brands

It's kinda crazy how sometimes the smaller companies that revolve around the bigger brands seem to 'get it' much more than the big boys. High-end rim manufacturer Vossen recently released a nicely produced piece of branded content featuring skater Joey Brezinski and his stunning Audi A7. 



The interesting thing about this is that it's a great piece of promotion for Audi and it's done in a way that genuinely attracts me to the car. I think it works so well because it's not the brand itself, so they don't feel the need to shove the product down my throat.

Big brands should definitely take note. This is the way to produce slick, sticky branded content. Don't make it so much about your product, make it about the lifestyle you facilitate.

Just a Dude on Pinterest

So I've been on Pinterest for a few years now and I coincidentally reached some milestones this week... eight thousand pins and three thousand followers! What the what?!? Thank you for all the support. I'll do my best to keep the good stuff coming. 

Here's a quick rundown of the most repinned, greatest hits that I've discovered and pinned to my boards over the last little bit. It's so interesting to see which pins got some traction out here. Lemme know what you think! 

Avocado Awesomeness Moodboard

Stumbled on the image of the New Balance hiking boot (top left) and it instantly sparked the need to get my avocado on. Hope you like!

The Dodos Just Made My Day

Feeling a little down in the dumps today? This latest vid from The Dodos will instantly snap you out of it. The shoulders are the best.

Love from Land Rover

I stumbled on this video by Land Rover yesterday, along with many of you... I'm sure. I love that a brand would go to this degree of awesomeness. It's a lesson to all autobrands (and all brands in general for that matter) on the type of content we want you to create.

No joke... I got choked up watching this one. And wow, what a fantastic follow up to The Vanishing Game.

Spacin' Wagon

You may or may not have heard that I recently said bye-bye to my GTI. I'm now starting the hunt for the right kind of rod to tool around in on the weekend. I'm currently geeking out on BMW E39 5 Series wagons and this particular example is pretty close to perfect. Great job on this one Swagon.

2014: A Year in Review

Top 3 Favorite Albums

3. Bleachers - Strange Desire

Bringing the ’80s back one synth track at a time. Standout track: Reckless Love

2. Taylor Swift - 1989

Also bringing the ’80s back another synth track at a time. Standout track: Bad Blood

1. Beck - Morning Phase

Trust me. Pop this one in first thing every Monday morning. Standout track: Blue Moon

Top 3 Favorite Movies

3. Interstellar

Yes, this one just might be Nolan's M. Night moment, but I've thought about it everyday since seeing it. Standout features: CASE, KIPP, and TARS

2. The Lego Movie

Mind melding the Lego, Batman and Star Wars geeks in us all. Standout moment: Spaceship, Spaceship, Spaceship!!!

1. Live. Die. Repeat.: Edge of Tomorrow

Shoulda been called Live. Die. Repeat. from day one; it's the most underrated movie of the year. Standout feature: Emily Blunt wielding a helicopter blade sword.

Top 3 Favorite TV Shows

3. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Seinfeld. Fine autos. Cool restaurants. Yes. Yes. And yes. Standout episode: Sarah Jessica Parker

2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Consistently bringing comedic heat to the heat! Standout episode: Stakeout

1. Gracepoint

This outta nowhere 'merican remake of a British show makes me wanna have more miniseries marathons. Standout performance: David Tennant as Detective Emmett Carver

Top 3 Favorite Cars

3. BMW i8

Easily the most exciting car to come along in decades. Welcome to the future. Standout feature: i is the new ///M

2. BMW ///M235i

This was so close to my number one pick, it’s not even funny. Standout feature: It’s a drift mob monster.

1. Volkswagen GTI

Sheesh. Wolfsburg nailed it. Standout feature: No other five seater under $30K on the planet has this perfect balance of fun, style, economy and character.

Top 3 Favorite Designs

3. Poler - The Rolltop

So digging the aesthetic of the classic rolltop backpack. Standout colorway: Holiday Yellow

2. Quell & Co. - The Spool Dock

My phone always seems to have juice now. Standout feature: Industrial grade felt FTW.

1. Canopy.co

If only Amazon’s main interface was nearly as cool as its curated cousin’s. Standout feature: Sweet little iOS app.

And a new category this year since officially making the leap to Madison Avenue...

Top 3 Favorite Ads

3. Land Rover - The Vanishing Game

Never thought an ad would be the trigger to make me want to start reading again. Standout feature: Multimedia awesomeness.

2. Honda - The Other Side

This is really hard for me to say, but this guy could give Jason Statham a run for his money. Standout feature: Cinema-grade production design.

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Official Teaser

I don’t care how many blades that lightsaber has, I started choking up the moment I saw the Falcon doing those maneuvers. Standout feature: Impossible to choose just one.