NO.LIFE 002
Welcome to our way of life. Here's a curated list of what we’ve loved and hated over the last seven days, straight from Callux and Rocky.
CALLUX'S PICKS >
£10k Hole-In-One Business Idea?
Plant a floating green 120 yards out on a lake.
Charge £35 for 30 balls or £50 for 50.
Nail the ace? Collect £10 K on the spot.
Why isn’t anyone running this in the UK yet?
U.S. spots are making about ~$300k annually - pure carnival economics: tiny odds, monster prize, maximum brag-rights content. Overheads? A pontoon, a ball-shag boat, and a GoPro.
Business plan drafted, who’s in for tee boxes and TikToks?
Ronaldo - Father Time? Never heard of it.
At 40 years old and still rock-cut, CR7 dragged Portugal to yet another trophy on Sunday.
Slotting the equaliser, wearing the armband, and ice-cold-smiling through a 5-3 shoot-out to lift the Nations League. Three major international titles after turning 35, and he’s still logging 90-minute sprints like it’s 2013. Longevity > hype; discipline beats algorithms every single season.
Creativity vs. The Line - ASA Double Red Card
On the same day, two very different ads were punted: Diesel’s Katie-Price bikini shot (objectifying) and Mars’ Hollywood-style Twix car chase (unsafe driving).
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One tried to remix empowerment, the other leaned full Fast & Furious. But both slipped past edgy and landed in “irresponsible,” according to the UK watchdog. That’s the tightrope: grab attention, stay memorable, and avoid triggering the rulebook. Good ads need bravery; great ads add a built-in compass. It's harder than it sounds.
I’ve had the ASA knocking in the past, forgetting to put #AD in a thumb, lol. It's not an organisation to be messed with.
Dog Tug-of-War - I had to repost 😭
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I’m really appreciating my TikTok algorithm right now. It’s the perfect mix of ‘How to make great ads’ and ‘ridiculous video that makes me instantly burst out laughing’. Two pups are locked in a toy standoff, and whoever picked the soundtrack deserves a Grammy for timing. The beat drops in sync with their every move. It’s so perfect, it might be AI? (It’s not) |
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Spatial Ops - Ready Player One is here?
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I stumbled onto this TikTok and nearly face-planted my coffee. Two mates in headsets sprinting round an empty garden, but through the lenses it’s corridors and cover points. No bulky backpack PCs, no cables - just Meta Quest headsets, a mapped-out room, and the rest is magic to me. Surely the troops need a spatial ops day? |
ROCKY'S PICKS >
Can Shaq really save Reebok?
In the past decade, Reebok has almost been forgotten, despite some iconic footwear designs. After binge-watching Shaq’s latest Power Moves Netflix documentary about reviving Reebok. I’ve really been enjoying their new community-focused and wholesome approach. The documentary delves into the footwear industry, examining the intricacies of the design process and the passion required to create something meaningful. For anyone into sneakers, I’d highly recommend giving it a watch! With legends like Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson as the public faces of Reebok Basketball, I truly believe they can help set a new tone moving forward. I’m just not sure if the next generation will actually resonate.
Lego’s best kept secret.
| Picture this: I walk into the Lego store, hoping to find the last few mini F1 cars I need from the blind boxes, ideally a McLaren or Ferrari. Lucky for me, the shelves are fully stocked. Then I spot someone scanning the QR codes on the boxes with a minifig app, which actually reveals what’s inside before you buy. I couldn’t believe it. Was this even allowed? After I asked about the app and tried it out, a Lego staff member came over. I thought I was in trouble, but instead, she encouraged me to use the app and even helped me track down the cars I wanted. I was amazed.. how did I not know about this sooner?! |
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FLOP or FIRE: CSM’s latest fashion show
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Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion are world-renowned for producing fashion legends like Alexander McQueen, Grace Wales Bonner and Stella McCartney. Their latest show definitely lived up to the hype. Nearly 40 students wowed the crowd with some of the most creative and original looks I’ve seen in ages. Fashion is always pushing boundaries, and as someone who’s been through the exact system, I can’t wait to see where this talented group goes next - the future of fashion is in good hands. LINK |
Is Making the Perfect T-Shirt Harder Than Making Shoes?
You read that correctly. NTW Tees are on their way!
Over the past year, we have dedicated ourselves to meticulously perfecting every aspect of the T-shirt. From the design and cut to the GSM, intricate details, and packaging. Through countless samples with suppliers capable of realizing our vision, we encountered an incredible challenge. The t-shirt is crafted entirely from scratch: no white labels, no pre-made blanks - our own pattern, shapes, and identity.
Who would have thought that creating the ‘perfect’ T-shirt, something we all cherish, could be nearly as complex and time-intensive as designing a shoe? While T-shirts may have fewer components and sizes, this process has given us a newfound appreciation for product design in its entirety. The collection is currently en route and will arrive this quarter. We are prouder than ever, and we hope you will appreciate them as much as we do.
Designing 101: How to Survive Work Without WiFi
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All of last week, WiFi was completely down at NTW HQ - a classic first-world problem. While much of our design work doesn’t require constant internet access, as we primarily brainstorm and create using the Adobe Suite, losing access to many fonts, preset packages, and AI features was chaotic, to say the least. We found ourselves relying on 5G hotspots during meetings, visiting local cafés to download essential files, and even dusting off the old Bluetooth speaker since the office speaker required WiFi. For a business where connectivity is crucial, this experience was a reminder that creativity can thrive in many forms. It was, in many ways, refreshingly nostalgic. Perhaps it’s time to consider implementing a no-WiFi day? |
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