http://www.psfk.com Your Go-To Source For New Ideas And Inspiration Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.psfk.com/2012/01/yoga-benefits-challenged.html Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:10:56 +0000 A $5bn industry is outraged over a New York Times article saying that the keep fit regime could actually be harmful to your body.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/12/linkedin-expands-global-reach-headlines.html Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:30:34 +0000 The social networking site is opening offices in Brazil, creating new communication channels in Portuguese, and encouraging growth in Spanish speaking countries.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/11/what-is-black-friday-headlines.html Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:21:14 +0000 The discount shopping day follows Thanksgiving and is expected to lure millions of US shoppers.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/11/social-networking-picks-up-speed-in-latin-america-headlines.html Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:02:33 +0000 Facebook leads the way in an explosion of social network use across the continent.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/11/record-number-of-americans-live-in-poverty-headlines.html Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:30:55 +0000 New data reveals that nearly 16% of the country's population is among the poor, thanks to rises in healthcare, among other costs. ]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/07/coca-cola-profit-sales-jumps-18-in-latin-america-and-asia-headlines.html Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:51:27 +0000 World's largest soda distributor has seen an advanced in net income of $2.8 billion, according to Bloomberg.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/06/starbucks-to-sell-beans-roasted-specifially-for-iced-coffee.html Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:00:51 +0000 The beverage and retail corporation describes the product as cold, crisp and energizing.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2011/05/monocolumn-new-drama-looks-to-crack-the-us-%e2%80%98spanglish%e2%80%99-market.html Mon, 02 May 2011 14:20:08 +0000 Nothing is more quintessentially “Latin American” than telenovelas: those swoon-inducing, drama-filled, Spanish-language soap operas found everywhere from Patagonia to the Rio Grande.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/10/2d-barcodes-to-be-implemented-in-latin-america.html Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:01:31 +0000 Focusing at the brand marketing and advertising sectors, Bems has partnered with NeoMedia Technologies to distribute 2D barcode solutions throughout Latin America.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/09/soul-sampa-unique-custom-tours-of-sao-paulo.html Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:19:57 +0000 Soul Sampa creates fresh, customized “urban experiences” related to sustainability in terms of design, fashion, street art and music.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/08/asboasnovas-constructive-journalism-focused-on-good-news.html Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:45:27 +0000 It’s no secret that we are all suffering from information overload. How much of this information we can actually process effectively is a great question, yet another point worth noting is the negative impact that recurring bad news can have on mental well-being. Concerned with this phenomenon, a group of young entrepreneurs in Brazil decided to follow the steps of GNN (Good News Network) and many others worldwide and inject some positive vibes into the Brazilian digital news feed. And so AsBoasNovas (The Good News) came to life. AsBoasNovas goes beyond aggregating news from other channels – it has itsRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/08/transforming-sao-paulo-one-building-at-a-time.html Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:33:59 +0000 Probably the most prominent name among Brazilian architects today, Isay Weinfeld, is transforming São Paulo – one building at a time. A son of Polish immigrants, Weinfeld was born and raised in the city that now hosts most of his world-acclaimed projects, such as the Fasano Hotel and the 360o Building, which has recently received the MIPIM Architecture Review Future Project Award for best residential and overall project. Famous for his contemporary style, he believes that architecture must cause some emotion, whether it’s fear, comfort or even a big laugh. His projects are not about the monumental dimensions that madeRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/08/rios-museum-of-image-and-sound.html Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:17:08 +0000 Diller Scofidio + Renfro, an interdisciplinary architectural firm based in New York, was recently awarded the winning design for the new Museum of Image and Sound in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  The museum will be situated on Rio’s famous Copacabana Beach and use the iconic boulevard as inspiration for the exposed walkways up the facade of the building. The designers, who were behind New York’s High Line, hope to capture the idea of a public in motion and include them in the range of galleries, entertainment and educational spaces available inside the building.  The museum includes a piano bar, aRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/07/rest-relax-slow-down-art-or-uban-spam.html Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:25:03 +0000 On Monday, 13th of July, some landmarks of the city of São Paulo were decorated with giant letters that spelled words such as “Descanse” (Rest), “Relaxe” (Relax) and “Calma” (Slow Down). The purpose of this artistic intervention, created by the Coletivo BijaRi, was to encourage some reflection in the midst of the urban chaos that is São Paulo and offer a feeling of peace and tranquility to the population. But on the very next day, the Mayor of the city had the words removed alleging it was not an artistic intervention, but subliminal advertisement and therefore against the law. TheRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/07/clean-public-transport.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:22:35 +0000 At first sight, it looks like an ordinary bus. The difference is only noticed when it comes nearer and one hears no sound, and doesn´t see the usual black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. Latin America´s first hydrogen powered public transport bus took the streets of São Paulo on July 1st. The project has been under development since 2004 and is the result of different partnerships, including with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP Brazil. The hydrogen bus will be tested during two months before being incorporated into the regular fleet. The goal is to have 4 hydrogenRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/07/an-emotional-advertising-campaign-that-succeeded.html Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:51:49 +0000 Creative Social points us to a campaign run by MasOportunidades.com, an Argentinian e-commerce website that is a great example of a challenger brand as made popular by Adam Morgan. Challenger brands are brands that are not necessarily market leaders but have the ambition to get there, making best use of their limited resources – an analogy often used is that of David vs. Goliath. MasOportunidades.com acknowledged that Mercado Libre (eBay’s Latin American partner) was way ahead of them, but slowly and steadily embarked on a campaign to wrest them of their lead. Challenger brands have a range of strategies includingRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/06/brazilian-summer-in-rotterdam.html Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:49:37 +0000 Brazilian art is experiencing a period of solid growth in the international scene, both in terms of presence and reputation. The best example of this recent exposure is in the street art world, where Brazil has been represented worldwide by names like osgemeos and Nunca. But to show that Brazilian art is more than that, the Dutch city of Rotterdam is currently hosting a series of events focused on different aspects of Brazilian contemporary art production. Three exhibitions in three different museums take the visitor on a journey across art, architecture, visual culture and design. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen exhibitsRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/06/pic-raphaels-flowers-of-cans.html Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:32:16 +0000 Wooster Collective points us to this street-art piece installed in São Paulo by Raphael. The artist has covered a dumpster with colorful flowers made from old cans.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/05/public-living-room.html Wed, 27 May 2009 16:55:33 +0000 Formed in 1996 by architects and artists, BijaRi is a collective focused on visual arts and multimedia creation. Through the use of different resources and technologies, and both analog and digital media, they propose artistic experimentations that attempt to challenge the way we think about our surroundings and the relation between humans and the urban environment in which we live in. Urban interventions, video art, performances, design and web design are the mediums used to provoke such reflections. Their latest intervention took place on Paulista Avenue, one of the city´s busiest streets, which is often compared to New York’s 5thRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/05/the-native-green-project.html Tue, 26 May 2009 15:14:45 +0000 Pele Verde (Green Skin) is a branded content project developed by digital advertisement agency age./ISOBAR for Banco do Planeta (Bank of the Planet), an initiative that brings together all the socio-environmental actions of the bank Bradesco. The preservation of the Amazon is on everybody’s mind, but what does that mean to the peoples of the forest? Pele Verde is a native-generated documentary: ribeirinhos (people who live on the margins of rivers), caboclos (those with mixed Brazilian Indigenous and European descent who generally-speaking live in the forest) and other forest peoples were given the challenge of showing the rest of theRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/05/slum-walls.html Tue, 19 May 2009 11:00:00 +0000 The government of Rio de Janeiro, has determined that walls be built around 13 slums located within the city. The building of the first one, surrounding the Dona Marta slum, has already begun. This is a theme that has been discussed in Rio de Janeiro since 2004, but what has changed since then is the reasoning behind the discussion. When announced in 2004, the walls were allegedly going to be an attempt to prevent the violence of the slums from spilling over to the rest of the city. The government´s proposal was considered a violation of human rights and aRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/05/contemporary-take-on-traditional-mexican-crafts.html Mon, 04 May 2009 14:20:56 +0000 Tony Moxham and Mauricio Paniagua are the creative heads behind DFCasa, a Mexican-based design studio reworking the traditional styles and techniques of Mexican crafts into contemporary home furnishings.  Moxham, an Australian art director / journalist, and Guatemalan painter Paniagua first met whilst living in New York.  Working with local Mexican artisans, DFCasa creates products from a range of materials including aluminium, hand-blown glass, traditionally-cast ceramics, silver and fur. The sculptures pictured above were inspired by the traditional hand-applied beading of the Huichol, an indigenous ethnic group of western central Mexico. [via Lost at E Minor]]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/04/the-future-of-environmental-responsibility-in-brazil.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:10:45 +0000 From the financial crisis to the environmental one, there is no doubt that the world is experiencing a period of drastic changes. While most of the countries are devising their policies based on green considerations, Brazil seems to be going in the opposite direction. The government has recently approved a 10-year plan for the Brazilian energy matrix that not only ignores renewable and clean energy sources where hydroelectric plants are not feasible, but also favors the increase of thermal plants based on coal and oil. In a speech made in the south of Brazil shortly after the approval of theRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/03/the-soccer-project-pick-up-soccer-around-the-globe.html Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:24:26 +0000 “The Soccer Project” is the story of two soccer players who quit their 9-to-5 jobs and take off around the globe exploring the less glorified side of soccer: pick up games and impromptu contests. In Bolivia, the duo plays with inmates in a prison courtyard; in Palestine, they play with a sixteen-year-old girl who defies tradition and plays on the streets with the local boys; and in Kenya, with moonshine brewers in the slums of Nairobi.  The team travels to over twenty countries and tells the stories of the people they meet through the game.  Below is a 15 minuteRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/03/brazils-unique-graff-pixao.html Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:41:21 +0000 CoolHunting have a new video about Pixação graffiti in Brazil. The angular style that seems to cover the city of Sao Paulo was first used in the early 80s and was inspired by heavy metal typography which in turn was inspired by viking type-style. The narrator Joao Wainer says that the style isn’t exactly appreciated by the locals – but it is a unique street art style that has developed in Brazil. Further video on Pixação by Joao Wainer]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/03/sugarcane-bagasse-a-profitable-residue.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:08:00 +0000 Brazil continues to develop its “natural knowledge economy” by investing in opportunities for innovation based on the country’s natural resources. Sugarcane bagasse, once a worthless residue is now an important co-product used for the generation of energy and production of ethanol, among other things. The use of the bagasse for energy begins in the sugar cane processing plants, which have become self-sufficient by using the residue. Last year, over 140 million tons of the residue were used for power generation, as opposed to packing the plants’ courtyards waiting to be disposed of. Bagasse is also being used for the productionRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/02/ads-targeting-food-waste-in-brazil.html Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:21:47 +0000 According to the Akatu Institute for Conscious Consumption, one third of all that is consumed in Brazil goes straight to the trash. This means that 39,000 tons of food are thrown away everyday. In the meantime, a reported 14 million Brazilians are starving. In order to combat this waste of food, and various other issues directly related to it, the Akatu Institute has launched a campaign to promote conscious consumption. To encourage real change, the campaign focuses on what affects consumers more directly: their pockets. Using a non-aggressive tone, the campaign not only explains how consumption affects the planet butRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/02/toai-makes-offline-socializing-an-online-experience.html Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:59:36 +0000 New social network Toaí (Portuguese for “I’m Around”) goes beyond what is offered by well known networks such as Orkut, Facebook and MySpace by promoting not only virtual interactions, but also face-to-face meetings. At first glance, it is a social network like any other: you sign up; you fill out a profile. But it also goes a few steps further: it asks you for your mobile number and uses it to text you with relevant music, art, and stores near where you are (even when you’re on the go) that the system predicts you will like, based on your profileRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/01/campus-party-brazils-massive-technology-campout.html Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:30:15 +0000 The 11th edition of Campus Party, the biggest event in the world catered to people interested in technology, internet and innovation, was held in São Paulo, Brazil, during the last week of January. More than 6,000 people camped out in the pavilion where the conference was held with laptops and tents. Attendees participated in workshops and seminars, while exchanging knowledge and tips around topics such as open source software, games, music, robotics, blogs, modding, and even astronomy. Amongst the various stations at Campus Party, one stood out: the “Virtual Baptism” space consisting of 200 computers that allowed people who hadRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2009/01/madrid-re-thinks-their-urban-spaces.html Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:35:22 +0000 The latest project from Spanish design company Luzinterruptus, Personal reading in public sites attempts to make passers-by rethink the usability of typically uninviting and hidden urban spaces.  Luzinterruptus’ ‘intervention’ was carried out on the particularly freezing night of January 5, installing twelve lamp and detective book combos throughout Madrid. Hidden places in scaffoldings, a homeless sleeping-place, a box office of an old cinema which closed years ago, the emergency exit of a theater under construction, the interior of a small concrete container, a bus stop in a commercial street at night, a condom machine after it has been looted, anRead more...]]>