I’m an F1 addict. if you know me then you already know this. Symptoms include an ability to slide the topic into any conversation, severe hypertension before the red lights go out and mild nausea in between races.

I fill these days with the amount of re-runs I can watch, sites I can read and articles I can write for my F1 blog. The McLaren brand team has obviously been inside my mind. With their site intro and screensaver, they’ve managed to capture that obsession with a countdown to next race measured in seconds, drivers’ blinks and car updates (of which their better be plenty) amongst some other unusual measuring tools.

As well as stepping the performance on their car, McLaren have upped the anti on user interaction and engagement with their fan-base this season with a website that goes some way in reflecting their commitment to beautiful yet functional aesthetics. Openness and transparency has been the Formula 1 promise over the last year-or-so. McLaren have also added a tone of voice, which manages to keep junkies like me in check until race time.

Mars Blackmon was a Spike Lee alter-ego who starred in his seminal She’s Gotta Have It ‘86 movie.

The character gained cult status as iconic front man for Nike’s Air Jordan commercials in the late 80’s early 90’s, and they’ve given life to Mars once more through designer / art director Markus Eriksonn’s website and iPhone app work for Nike.

Go to the site (or customary iPhone app), choose your best body double, upload your pic and you an excellent way of bringing two iconic brands to you, the new ‘Mega-drive Generation’.

Do y’know? Do y’know? Do y’know? Well you do now.

You know Jay- Z the artist, you definitely know Jay-Z the brand, but anyone for Dan Tobin Smith the photographer? Didn’t think so, but Tobin-Smith, along with Nicola Yeoman, and Greg Burke are the trio responsible for Jay-Z’s recent album art for Blueprint 3,

At first glance you’d be excused for thinking it was some Photoshop magic, but delve a little deeper and you’ll be rewarded by work that is not just a strong concept, but an elaborate feat of production. The album’s aesthetic and concept actually owes more than a little nod to Tobin Smith’s earlier work for Athlete’s Tourist album, and uses some clever plays on perspective.

So why some keyboards in a corner you might ask. Well Dan (first name basis and all that) refers to the gathered instruments by saying: “These things are like the forgotten pieces in hip-hop…”

Did you realise that the 3 stripes were actually painted onto the instruments themselves? Me neither, but check out the behind the scenes video to appreciate the craft that goes into such a project, or for more from the horses mouth, go to itsnicethat.com, where Dan goes into great detail about the whole process.

The only question left to be asked is: Is New York really running it, or a couple of young designers from London?

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via Sleevage

Delphic – This Momentary from Delphic on Vimeo.

Stunning artwork from Indie band Delphic, by one of our favourite agencies Non-Format.

With stylish photography, well crafted typography, and die-cuts* to die for, you don’t even have to like the music to appreciate the band’s brand, though the music does have its benefits too.

Need proof? Then check out the This Momentary video, beautifully shot amidst the hardships of life in Ukraine.

*shapes cut from paper or other materials