Swedish Tourist Council "Stockholm, The Musical"> While the sheer glut of websites utilizing personalized rich media is quickly robbing the gimmick of some of its shine, this effort from Swedish agency Farfar still stands out as one of the best we've seen. The concept is simple: tell the website your gender and first name, and, so long as you're in the database, it'll instantly spit out a QuickTime of a slick, personalized musical in which the cast implores you, dear [X], to make the trek to Stockholm. It's not only funny, it's also pretty dazzling from a technical standpoint. No wonder it won Gold at Cannes.
Advertising/Design Agency: Farfar, Stockhol
Interactive Creative Director: Nicke
Bergström, Matias Palm-Jensen
Art Director: Johan 'hrn
Copywriter: Tom Eriksen
Interactive Designer: Per Hansson/Erik Norin
Technical Director: Anders Gustafsson
Producer: Jon Dranger
www.stockholmthemusical.com

Nike "Swing Portrait"> Created by Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, the web portion of the Nike Swing Portrait campaign contains a simple idea executed beautifully. Using footage shot on a high-speed 1000pps camera by Anonymous Content director and photographer Malcolm Venville, Swing Portrait provides an elegant, multi-angled view of Tiger Woods' celebrated mechanics. Backed by a stately classical music soundtrack, Swing Portrait is lovely enough from a purely aesthetic standpoint, but for the hardcore golfer always tweaking his swing, it's practically invaluable.
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland
Creative Director: Hal CurtisArt Director: Ken Meyer
Copywriter: Tatum Shaw
Agency Producer: Todd Moritz
Photographer: Malcolm Venville @ Anonymous Content
www.nike.com/nikegolf/swingportrait

Verizon "Beatbox Mixer" > An audio mixer in a Flash environment isn't exactly a new idea, but this design from RG/A looks and moves so spectacularly that it hardly matters. Created to promote Verizon's broadband service, Beatbox Mixer allows you to choose your own crew from a stable of real-life hip-hop beatboxers and then take their skills to the studio, where you can arrange and tweak an entire track from their palette of pre-determined samples. There's also a menu of making-of videos and a mix gallery where you can hear what other knob twiddlers came up with.
No credits provided.

http://www.beatboxmixer.com

Volkswagen "The Gypsy Cab Project" > Taking its cue from HBO's Taxicab Confessions, which features real-life conversations between unwitting taxicab customers and their charismatic drivers, the Gypsy Cab Project airdrops Colorado filmmaker and erstwhile Big Apple virgin Steve into the life of an NYC cabbie, and then films each encounter as he attempts to pilot a Volkswagen Rabbit-turned-cab through 100 fares in two weeks. Boasting impressive depth of content, a slick interface and some genuinely compelling interactions, this is a rich counterpoint to the typical interactive car campaign.
Agency:Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, Miami
Chief Creative Officer: Alex Bogusky
Executive Creative Director: Andrew Keller
Creative Director: Rob Strasberg
Interactive CD: Jeff Benjamin
Creatives: Rob Thompson, Kat Morris
Interactive Art Director: Conor McCann
EPs: Rupert Samuel, Winston Binch
Integrated Producers: Marcelino J.
Alvarez, Myke Gerstein
Freelance Producer: Anthony Nelson
Technical Director: Scott Prindle
www.gypsycabproject.com

YoungGuns "Worth The Pain"> The first thing you're confronted with upon dialing your browser to worththepain.com is a gigantic, lily-white posterior topped with an oversized thermometer. It's the site's loading dialog, but it's also a metaphor for YoungGuns' prevailing theme: creative is pain. The rest of the site continues in a similarly humorous vein, boasting creative-specific urine, hemorrhoid and ulcer tests and a potted fern that doubles as a font of creative neurosis: roll over it and a giant sock puppet pokes out and screams things like "it's been done before" and "where's the funny bit?"
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, New Zealand
ECD: Mike O'Sullivan
Creative Director: Toby Talbot
Interactive Creative Director: Tom Eslinger
Campaign Originators: Dave Bowman, Matty Burton, Toby Talbot, Steve Back
Art Directors: Matty Burton, Dave Bowman, Steve Back, Chris Jones, Brian Merrifield
Copywriters: Dave Bowman, Matty Burton, Toby Talbot, Andy Dilallo, Jay Benjamin, Tom Hazledine, Cameron Harris, James Mcleod
www.worththepain.com