Gabriella Rackoff | 88creative.ca/blog

Baby Gift Guide: High Design for the Under-One Set

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Over the last few years I’ve witnessed more and more friends becoming parents. While they were going through this intense and deeply meaningful life transition, I was shopping for lots of baby gifts. One of the many things I’ve learned is that once you have a baby you often cease to care that something was handmade by traditional artisans in Denmark from fair-trade organic pine; any piece of colourful plastic that entertains your baby for a few minutes will do. As a non-mom and design geek, I like to choose gifts that look great, even when they’re covered in drool or you’re stubbing your toe on them in the dark. Here are eight of my favourites to consider the next time you get invited to a baby shower. Enjoy!

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The Brand Whore’s Good Twin

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Urban Dictionary defines a brand whore as “s omeone who buys and prominently displays name brand products…under the belief that such loyalty to a label or corporation adds cachet and brings prestige to their otherwise lack of taste…”

While the term has often been used to refer to all kinds of brand snobbery, I think the brand whore is really just an evil twin. This article is about the good twin and w hy I’m not ashamed of being into brands. CONTINUE READING

The Kelsey’s Rebrand: Can Hipsterdom be Manufactured in a Movie Theatre Parking Lot?

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I recently found myself with just over an hour to kill at the Queensway Cineplex in Etobicoke. With few beverage-and-snack options beyond Cara-owned chain restaurants, my companion and I were intrigued to discover a new establishment at the entrance to the movie theatre parking lot. It was big, bright, and covered in hipster typography. It was only as we got closer to the building that we saw the name Kelsey’s stencilled above the door. CONTINUE READING

Please Stop Saying that Social Media Has Ruined X

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Yes, we know. Social media has ruined school . It has ruined workplaces and it has ruined the experience of dining out . Before social media, television and video games were ruining young minds. In 1450 Gutenberg’s printing press revolutionized Europe and not everyone was happy about it. CONTINUE READING

Startups we love: The Goods

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As someone who works for a startup, I’m naturally drawn to other startups. Yesterday I got the chance to sit down with Lisa Labute and Cat Parker, the two ladies behind The Goods , a vegan lunch delivery service. I also got a great lunch out of it that I’m still thinking about today. CONTINUE READING