Just when it seems like there’s nothing new to do in the world of advertising, someone figures out a completely unique way of communicating a commercial message. Amsterdam-based advertising and design firm MISTERWILSON developed RainCampaign, an innovative street advertising method that only appears when it rains, then becomes invisible when the pavement dries out.

The RainCampaign uses an environmentally-friendly method to print a message onto the pavement. When rain falls on the concrete the message is revealed for passers-by to see. But when the sun comes out and the rain dries up, the message disappears like it was never there in the first place. The message appears and disappears like magic for around eight weeks.

The campaign highlights a very real connection between advertising, the product featured in the advertisement, and the environment. What is more striking than a message that only appears with a change in the weather? The above campaign was developed for Continental Tires. The message reads “Stop Quicker With Continental Winter Tires.” It was placed in 500 locations around the Netherlands, and every location was carefully selected. Each place the message appears with rain is near a car park, a car park ticket machine or another location with plenty of foot traffic.

The use of environmentally-friendly methods to create temporary advertisements is a powerful statement, not only for the product being advertised but also for the advertising industry in general. Inventive campaigns like this one go to show that you don’t need colorful billboards or intrusive paper flyers to make an impact on viewers that will stand out in their minds longer than the campaign itself is viewable. And to prove their dedication to the environment, the firm behind the campaign donates a part of their proceeds to an international rain forest protection charity.

---

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Off the Wall Graffiti: 11 Artists Making Odd Marks

By now, we're all so used to seeing graffiti that we ignore it. But would you be able to ignore graffiti using a medium or a method you'd never seen before? 2 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

Drive the Friendly Skies: The History (and Future) of Flying Cars

Ever since the invention of the car and the airplane, dreamers have been trying to combine the two. Today, they may be closer than ever to making it a reality. Click Here to Read More »»

---

(image via: Julie_Berlin)

There are certain things that most of us take for granted – like well-lit streets. But leaving street lights blazing at all hours of the night, even in towns that don’t see much foot traffic, doesn’t always make ecological and financial sense. A handful of German towns are trying a rather unconventional solution – a program called Dial4Light, which requires users to activate lights with their mobile phones.

The small town of Morgenröthe-Rautenkranz first decided to turn off the lights altogether as a cost cutting measure, but residents weren’t too happy about having no choice but to stumble down pitch black streets. Enter the wonders of modern technology. With the Dial4Light program, pedestrians can activate the streetlights with a simple phone call.

(image via: Dial4Light)

Streetlights in each participating town are grouped into zones, each of which have an assigned six-digit code. To turn on the lights in that zone for a short duration (usually 15 minutes), users simply dial the Dial4Light number and enter the code.

“The technology is unique, easy to use, and you do not really need to install new equipment,” creator Dieter Grote, an advertising exec, told the BBC.

“The principle is that you use street lighting the same way you use your lights at home. That you switch on the light in the hallway when you get home, and switch it off when you get to the living room.”

(image via: The Star)

In most of the towns where the program has been implemented, users will pay no more than the cost of the phone call to illuminate their route. However, some towns have begun to charge for the energy used by the lights. Users of the program must also either know the codes for each zone ahead of time, or find the numbers posted on each streetlight within a given zone – a task made difficult by the absence of light. And without a cell phone, pedestrians are left in the dark.

Though the program has its drawbacks, and wouldn’t be suited for urban areas with lots of foot traffic, it certainly saves both energy and money. The rural town of Morgenröthe-Rautenkran, population 900, reportedly saves about $5300 per year. The slightly larger community of Dörentrup expects to save $14,000 annually.

---

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Your Future Is Calling: 15 Cool Cell Phone Concepts

Cell phone technology and styling continue to progress by leaps and bounds bu that still leaves a lot of wiggle room for creative engineers eager to answer the call for ever odder phones. Here are 15 of the hottest cellphone concepts around. 12 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

Incredible Human Conditions: 10 Head-Turning Medical Oddities

It's remarkable that human growth and development goes so smoothly, despite the numerous opportunities for errors. Here are 10 cases where things went wrong. 2 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

Human ingenuity knows no bounds. We’ve been inventing and improvising since the dawn of time, and we’ll continue to do so as long as we have the will to survive and be comfortable. These projects show just how creative people can be – from mashing up unrelated items to make a supergadget to reinventing an item’s purpose, these hacks, tricks and mods are an amusing testament to the creativity of mankind.

Thailand Improvisations

(images via: KK.org)

German photographer Thomas Kalak delights in photographing the unusual, the offbeat, the oft-overlooked quirky parts of everyday life. Traveling through Thailand, he noticed the unshakable cheer and endless ingenuity of people there. When they have a need for an item that doesn’t exist, they simply make it out of available materials. The above images show two ingenious hacks: brake lights made from plastic bottles, red wrapping and light bulbs; and bike reflectors made from old CDs.

(images via: KK.org)

The improvisations documented by Kalak often involve simple solutions to everyday problems. The Coke can above is filled with water and suspended from a picnic table’s covering to keep the tablecloth from blowing away. The device next to it gives old, unmatched socks a new purpose: cleaning floors as a creative mop. And the idea of using plastic bags as makeshift drink bottles isn’t new in many parts of the world, but these photographs show that it’s an almost mainstream practice in Thailand. Simply stick a long straw in and you’ve got a portable drink container. These photographs and others can be found in Thomas Kalak’s fantastic book Thailand – Same Same, But Different.

Bike-Powered Lawnmowers

(images via: art.net and Treehugger)

If you saw one reel lawnmower attached to a bike, you might think the person who invented it was extremely creative – which would, of course, be true. But there are so many of these contraptions out there that it’s nearly reached phenomenon status.

(images via: Treehugger)

Whether the mower is mounted in front of or behind the bike, the bike mower is an ingenious way to use the environmentally-friendly gas-free reel mower with the superior strength of the lower body. Of course, some of these homemade mashups probably work better than others. But there’s no denying the creativity that goes into combining a bike with a lawnmower to create a Flintstones-type riding mower.

Soviet Household Inventions

(image via: FolkArsenal)

In the former Soviet Union, household items were often difficult to find and/or afford. So when there was a need for an item, creative people found a way to make it possible. The door mat above is made of beer bottle caps nailed to a piece of wood. The bottle caps helped to scrape the mud off of the shoes of people entering the home. These inventions and many others were compiled by a young Russian man named Vladimir Archipov. He collects them to preserve the folk culture of his country.

(images via: FolkArsenal)

Above left is a plastic bottle recycled to make cottage cheese in the home kitchen. Above right, an insulated drink bottle made by placing a small bottle inside a larger one, filling the space between the two with expanding insulation, and cutting away the larger bottle. Bottom, a ceramic tea kettle is revamped with a new welded metal handle after the original handle broke off. While sometimes amusing, these inventions are all a poignant reminder to us that we can (and most often should) make do with less clutter, less waste, less over-consumerism. These amazing hacks and improvisations can be found in Archipov’s book Home-Made: Contemporary Russian Folk Artifacts.

Mobile Phone Charging Booths in Uganda

(image via: Jan Chipchase)

Electricity isn’t always easy to come by in Uganda. The country is in the middle of an energy crisis with no end in sight, and many homes aren’t even on the electric grid. So how do Ugandans keep their mobile phones charged? Enterprising individuals have set up phone charging booths on the street. People simply bring in their mobile phone (or just the battery) and pay 500 Ugandan shillings (about 30 cents US) to give their phone enough of a charge to last through two or three phone calls.

(images via: Jan Chipchase)

Jan Chipchase, part of a Nokia research team, traveled to Uganda to research phone sharing and the street mobile charging booth trends. The team found that some of the problems inherent in this type of commercial phone charging setup are the perceived threat of phone theft, the fact that phones can’t be used while charging, and the risk of the customer’s battery being swapped for an inferior one.

---

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Mods: 26 Sexy Steampunk Gadgets & Hi-Tech Hacks

Steampunked stuff that may make you want to go back in time, from images of virtual vintage to pictures of real retro gadgets, gear, art and design. 7 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

25 Hardware Hacks: Old Tech Turned into New Gadgets

Repurposed gadgets let your inner eco-geek blossom. Here are 25 hardware hacks and magnificent manipulations of e-waste repurposed to functional geeky gadgets. 3 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

Lean, mean and sometimes even green, concept motorcycles often make us want to head out on the highway and look for adventure. These bikes may not be quite ready to tear up the road as we zoom into the wind, but we wish they would move from concept to reality very soon! As we take a look at concept motorcycles, here are 20 of the most bad-ass bikes to hope for in 2010.

Lamborbiker Inspired by Lamborghini

(image credits:tuvie)

Flavio Adriani took his inspiration from two great names in invention, engineering and design, Nikola Tesla and Ferrucio Lamborghini. Flavio has created some stunning motorcycles from his concept. We want this bad boy to become reality soon!

Nuclear Fusion Motorbike 2050

(image credits:The Design Blog)

Romain Herment has a motorcycle concept that uses nuclear energy as a power source. He calls it “Motorbike 2050 version 2.” This futuristic bike uses two inexhaustible natural elements, deuterium and tritium, allowing a sustainable ride in the days to come. The motorbike consumes 1 liter of water for a 100 km drive.

Mad Max Aitu Motorbike

(image credits:coroflot)

The Aitu seems to be rough and rowdy, ready for Mad Max to take it for a spin. Designer Renato Gschwend is hoping to attract adventurous souls who want to make heads turn if this bike ever hits the street. It features a powerful V-twin 1800cc engine and non-silent exhausts to ensure you’re heard roaring down the highway.

Electric Motorbike: ZEVS

(image credits:www1.uni-ak.ac.at)

Three designers Bernhard Ranner, Anders August Kittilsen and Rudolf Stefanich, worked to make ZEVS, “The first electric motorcycle for the “real biker.” It’s designed for “real men” and dusty roads, in the spirit of Harley Davidson, Custom Chopper culture and the good old Route 66 romance.

Carbon Fiber For Fast, Light Cruise

(image credits:The Design Blog)

Designed by Julian Silva, this concept motorcycle is covered in carbon fiber for a fast and light ride. The framework is made of aluminum and wrapped with carbon fiber panels that store the mechanical systems. This motorbike was designed to encapsulate the pilot´s arms, legs and back through the secondary red panels and to keep the driver safe in case of a fall.

Super Green Super Dangerous Super Bike

(image credits:Yanko Design)

Designer Pierre Yohanes Lubis thinks if you would like a very fast, very dangerous, very tiny motorcycle, then the Halbo might be for you. If it gets beyond concept and hits the main highway, let’s just hope you don’t hit the pavement too because it could be much worse than road rash. However, it does have a BMW stamp on it and is electric powered.

Super Skinny Swordfish & Stalker

(image credits:coroflot)

Designer Alexander Kotlyarevsky peered into the future and then created both these concept motorcycles. He molded their alloy frames into a minimalistic design. The sleek silver hotrod is called Swordfish while the metallic pink bike is called Stalker. This futuristic duo is like his and hers for a rebel ride.

Harley Davidson Circa 2020

(image credits:Yanko Design)

Will the Harley Davidson Hog of the future resembles this beast? Designer Miguel Cotto believes so. The large 883cc engine is coupled with a Tron-like body. The wheel hubs are actually giant bearings.

STRIDER – Super Hero Motorcycle Concept

(image credits:Industrial Design Served)

Designer David Gonçalves has created more than one futuristic motorcycle. This project, however, started with a request from one of his clients who needed a bike for a cartoon superhero. A female superhero at that. Inspiration struck him and the concept of Strider was born.

Sleek Sci-Fi Superbikes

(image credits:The Design Blog)

Designer Matt Williams created a superbike called KTM Motorbike. Vroom must have been the mantra playing while creativity blossomed. KTM looks ready to leap forward, looks fast even when parked. The V-twin engine is hidden within the frame. Its hub-center steering system provides a more usable steering angle than telescopic forks while the center is a more stable and predictable ride.

Icare Bike Concept

(image credits:hypebeast)

Conceptualized by Enzyme Design, the Icare motorcycle is meant to be the Aston Martin of the two-wheeled world with a six-cyclinder 1.8 Honda engine. It looks like a muscle motorcycle of the future, ready to rip up the road and outrace the cops in hot pursuit.

Jaguar M-Cycle

(image credits:m-cycles)

This roaring jaguar is the brainchild of motorbike fanatic Barend Massow Hemmes. The Jaguar concept motorcycle has only been taken up to speeds of 55 mph, but you better believe heads turn as fellow bikers drool. The big cat is powered by 1200cc Harley-Davidson V-twin engine. The shape of this sleek cat is not suitable for anyone under 6 feet, meant to have feet propped far up front on the pedals as a real drag-style riding machine.

The Bull Concept

(image credits:m-cycles)

Designer Barrend Massow Hemmes was struck again with inspiration after the Jaguar and tackled this shiny bull. He had to think hard and long to figure out how to get the bull’s horns positioned on this bike. Red, loud, and shiny, the Bull concept motorcycle will surely call to some bike lover to be made into a reality.

Ghost & Devil Motorcycle Concepts

(image credits:En Derin,En Derin)

What does a ghost and devil have in common? They’ve been turned into slick speed machines, or at least concept motorcycles. Designer Muhammad Imran designed Ghost while keeping a flying falcon in mind. He was also inspired by the bike tribute of “Ghost Rider.” Ghost calls out to the young and reckless and will hopefully offer fantastic future fun to those who really have a need for speed. Designer Robert Liddell aimed to give his motorcycle features fitting for the name Devil Bike. He created it with V-twin engine, so this shiny black bike will fit the personality of the young with a passion for speed and style.

2015 Honda CB 750

(image credits:Yanko Design)

Designer Igor Chak came up with this concept bike, 2015 Honda CB 750. The brains of the bike is the on-board computer that can be controlled through a 5” OLED multi-touch display positioned right on the fuel tank. There are 3 menus: GPS, drive modes, and diagnostics mode. CB 750 gets its power from a four-cylinder liquid hydrogen engine. Ready, set, rocket outta here!

Speed Racing Motorcycle Inspired By Aliens

(image credits:Tuvie)

Designer Daniel Bailey was inspired by two things, making them clear in his concept motorcycle. Speed and the alien characters in “Alien.” This speed racing bike is rugged yet sleek. The design is aerodynamic and based on Kawasaki ninjas stats (height, wheel base etc…), so will future road ninjas or aliens be seen riding it?

Magic Tricycle

(image credits:Car Design News)

Iranian designer Javad created the Magic Tricycle to drive on all three wheels for normal highway use, but can rotate around a longitudinal axis running from the front to the rear right wheel with the left wheel elevated into the air so the vehicle can be ridden as a motorcycle in more congested areas. To facilitate this, the seats rotate to keep the occupants sitting upright and the airborne wheel opens up blades which work like a helicopter tail propeller to aid stability.

Ferrari V4 Superbike Concept

(image credits:autoblog)

Designer Amir Glinik conceptualized this Ferrari V4 superbike. He created his design around the theoretical application of the Ferrari Enzo’s V12 engine, chopped down to four cylinders and modified to drive in a motorcycle frame. Hopefully this hot puppy will be hitting the highway soon. It’s lean and mean.

Dodge Tomahawk Concept Motorcycle

(image credits:allpar)

Born to be wild? Get your motor runnin’ and head out on the highway. The Tomahawk is a Viper V-10 based motorcycle, a 500 horsepower engine with four wheels beneath it. It practically breathes fire. Chrysler sold nine replicas through Neiman Marcus for $555,000 each. If the price tag didn’t feel like a punch in your solar plexus, then here’s the evil part: lookin’ for adventure? Well, these motorcycles cannot be driven on public roads.

---

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

Cycling into the Future: 15 Crazy Concept Bicycles

These wacky concept bicycles are adaptable, portable, amphibious and often strange but undeniably imaginative. 31 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

LocoMotives: Steamin’ Hot Prototype & Concept Trains

These ambitious concept trains move beyond the dream of steam to a new world of locomotive power. Clear the track, the train is back! 4 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

Umbrellas have come a long way since the first scraps of material arranged to keep the rain off – and nowadays, they have evolved into the elegantly designed multi-spindled construction we’re so familiar with…and, well, bored with. Isn’t it about time umbrellas became fun again? From the best in pugilistic umbrella-mayhem to the sweetest way to woo a loved one, these 15 examples are guaranteed to chase the clouds away.

(Images via: Alex Woolley Design)

The rain is scything down, and let’s face it, your umbrella isn’t going to help much. It’s not about keeping dry: it’s about keeping your temper. And what better way to do that by taking out your frustrations in a sneaky water-fight against your companions? The Water Pistol Umbrella only works when it’s raining, by catching the falling water in the top of the umbrella and feeding it down the shaft into the handle-mounted pistol.  And if your target returns fire (as above) – the umbrella doubles as a shield! Eat my rain.

(Images via: ThinkGeek)

Here’s one not to take round Japan (unless you’re fond of being rugby-tackled by policemen). This Samurai Sword Handle Umbrella looks worryingly ready for business – for extra effect, it even has a nylon sheath you can draw it from…which would look even better when strapped to your back. Unsurprisingly, reactions to this product have got a little out of hand. Oh dear. (It’s an umbrella, dude).

(Image via: Yanko Design)

Continuing the theme of umbrellas that have people crossing the street to avoid you, we have Yoel Mazur’s Self Defence Umbrella. Cunning designed to look less assembled than whittled & hacked, this mean-looking lump of wood affixed with sword-like blades also opens out to become a half-umbrella. Even the rain will feel intimidated.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO8G5zsQohg 468 310]

But when it comes to raw, hair-raising formidability, the kingpin of umbrellas has to be the Unbreakable Walking-Stick Umbrella. It is used by the bodyguards of the president of the Philippines – because not only does it keep the rain off nicely, it’s strong enough to support your weight, will take any amount of battering – and can split a watermelon in half with one blow. Maybe best left to the professionals, this one.

(Images via: Gizmodo)

It had to happen. Umbrellas simulating real-life weapons? So, like, what about lightsabers? Yes, it’s true, if you’re happy to be seen out in public with the accoutrements of a Jedi Knight, go grab this umbrella, the handle of which is a replica of a black lightsaber. (That’s if you can find it – the product page is no longer up). No, this beauty doesn’t light up…

(Images via: CrunchGear)

…but this one does!  While not official Star Wars canon (the comments at Crunchgear point to something similar being seen in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner), the glowing centre-poles of this umbrella definitely evokes A Galaxy Far, Far Away. Yes, practical – but oh-so-terribly geeky.

(Images via: Waylou)

If you regularly use your rain-shield in the big city, you’ll know how annoying it is when you’re always catching the sides of your umbrella on other things (such as other umbrellas). The Polite Umbrella – which had to have been invented by a Brit or a Canadian – makes room for the intruding personal space of others by drawing its arms in and hunkering down. A bonus? When it gets windy enough to threaten turning your brolly inside-out, this is the idea way to fight back!

(Images via: Book Of Joe and I New Idea)

But enough of fighting. Can’t we all just be friends? The Double Umbrella works like a tandem bike, by bringing people closer together – and if love blossoms, what better way to offer up your affections than with a Rose Umbrella? (Watering unnecessary, but inevitable).

(Images via: Gizmodo)

We have developed a special branch of furniture to deal with umbrellas, hats and coats – but if you prefer a more unobtrusive place to store your brolly, how about in the wine-rack? The Is.A.Brella Wine-Bottle Umbrella uncorks, sorry, unfurls from the depths of a cannister shaped exactly like a bottle of plonk (albeit one in a more livid color than you’re used to, so there’s no mistaking it when you’re rushing out the door).

(Images via: Senz Umbrellas and The Greenhead)

When the wind starts to howl, umbrellas become a problem. Rain? Perfectly shaped. Wind? Perfectly-shaped to trap it, yes – and there’s nothing like an umbrella for dislocating your arms in a gale, or exploding inside-out. Since the shape is the problem, the clever people at Senz have gone back to the drawing-board and made a brolly that tackles the wind aerodynamically. They claim their umbrellas will never invert, and are safe at windspeeds up to 60mph  – at which point we say, what lunatic goes out in a tropical storm holding an umbrella?

(Images via: InventorSpot)

Also handy for those moments when the wind gets a grip is the Burera Coiling Umbrella Handle. It wraps itself around your arm, your leg or any other appendage you might chose (careful how you go), and stays fixes in shape in the same way as a pipe-cleaner. A hands-free umbrella – who woulda thunk?

(Images via: Yanko Design)

And how about an umbrella that recycles as you go? The Eco Brolly is nothing but the frame – and you provide the material to stretch between the tines, using litter! Plastic seems ideal. Newspapers? Well, not so much, despite the example used above.

(Images via: CrunchGear)

Setting another good, green example is the Melt Umbrella: it springs open with the help of cylindrical pieces that automatically snap together (that’s not the eco-friendly bit), and once it reaches the end of its days, the whole unit can be safely buried – its biodegradable garden film and bamboo will “melt” back into the ground. There are even plant seeds embedded in the handle, waiting for the right moment to become a corner of your garden.

(Images via: Tuvie)

Last and certainly not least – a brolly that generates clean energy. The Parasolar mops up solar energy during the daytime (from being either propped up in the sunshine or used as a parasol), and when night comes, you’re keeping the rain off with a big green gadget-powering battery. If you’re one for walking for hours with your mp3 player blaring away, you don’t have to let weather or power capacity limitations get in the way. However, we have an even better idea for v2: catching the sun is clever, but why not harvest the rain as well?

---

Want More? Click for Great Related Content on WebUrbanist:

15 More Marvelous Modern Mirror Designs

Mirror, mirror, on the wall... where would we be without these shiny, silvered glass panes that reflect so well - sometimes TOO well? While it's true that mirrors aren't all they're cracked up to be, these 15 marvelous modern mirror designs may just be the fairest of them all. 3 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---

7 Modern Wonders of Green Technology: Conceptual and Actual Ecological Designs of the Future

Green architecture comes in many forms though lately it seems like these forms are stranger than ever. 57 Comments - Click Here to Read More »»

---