Z-Files

From OZ's Jessica Ames, a summary of research conducted in Japan which suggests that neurotic people tend to see faces in things. It is evolutionary. People who are tense and…

Fast Company explains how DAVIDsTEA is making tea cool. The chain already has more than 150 stores in the US and Canada, but it went public in June and is…

What are metaphor designers and how do they see the world? This man shares his perspective on how to create metaphors that change people’s perceptions of the world. He talks…

Thanks to OZ's Vanessa Herman for sharing this article about the PR struggles of Victoria’s Secret, and the corresponding rise of a competitor brand called Aerie (a spinoff of American…

I missed this when it first hit the news a few months ago, so better late than never… Coca-Cola has unveiled new packaging. You probably have seen this on your…

Bear with me for a minute.  I’ll get to the point. This is a story about archetypes and metaphors. As you probably know if you are in the US, two…

We always tell our clients about how you can communicate so much in a great image. It is at the heart of our research approach. The New York Times last…

The US Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the right of same-sex marriage had marketers everywhere celebrating the ruling. This article displays dozens of brand tweets that marked the ruling, including those…

What separates great mobile advertising from the less than great? The website think with Google has posted an insightful analysis of what makes a mobile ad “unskippable.” They tested three…

Buying a mattress sucks. There is no other way to put it. The amount of choice is overwhelming and you really don’t know how a mattress will feel until you…

This is the official new home for the Z-Files blog. To read blog entries dating back to 2009, please visit our archives.  

Ever go on a trip and feel like the return home was much quicker than the journey to your destination? Well, you are not alone, and this illusion is now…