Olympics closing ceremonies are never as highly regarded as the opening ceremonies. Some people don't even bother watching them. It's a shame, because while they lack the attention, scale and funding that the opener is afforded, they can still throw out some fantastic ideas and put on a hell of a show.

The London 2012 Olympics closing saw some inspiring moments - a VW van that morphs in to a massive glowing octopus, even better use of the audience LED cells than in the opening, STOMP, Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill and (if you're in to that sort of thing) the Spice Girls standing on light-studded taxis.

But amidst all of the the cream of British music, with all of the added flair, the bling, the pomp and circumstance, one thing stuck in our minds more than anything else...
...these fabulously surreal cyclists who were pulling the Petshop Boys!

The proliferation of TED is, one could argue, the biggest boost to creativity and new idea formation and dissemination since the birth of the internet. A great deal of their talks are captivating and thought-provoking, but occasionally one pops up that is particularly mind-blowing, with messages and concepts that can have a profound impact on our lives, and our work. Rob Legato's talk was proved to be one such experience. As Rob so eloquently explains... “When we're infused with either enthusiasm or awe or fondness … it changes what we see. It changes what we remember.” What emotion is more profound than that of  awe?

That is pretty much the theme behind Taiwanese-import theme restaurant "More Than Toilet" that sprung up recently in Shanghai's burgeoning Tianzifang complex.

Not really much else we can say on that one that isn't captured in these delightful images below. As much as we at Pure like pushing the boundaries of imagination (and sometimes good taste), this is still one experience we might be quite happy to pass up!

Pictures courtesy of smartshanghai

"Accept with simplicity everything that happens to you."
- Rashi

Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the world's shopping capitals, to an extent that Tokyoites have become pioneers and world leaders in turning mere shopping in to a quirky, involving experience. Hip concept store WISM (World Interest Souvenir Market) -  whose website is equally funky! - is part lifestyle centre, part coffee shop, part gardening tool supplier. With risqué statuettes, cool and often expletive apparel, random nicknacks from around the world and an upstairs leather sofa lounge, WISM is a haven of individualism. It goes to show that eccentricity and even the bizarre and esoteric can find its rightful place and even flourish given the right venue, a worthy lesson for any experiential marketer. 

So here's a headache-inducing question... If you go by the English expression that a picture says a thousand words, then how many words would it be if your words were pictorial themselves, as they are in China and Japan?

Over at one legendary printing press in Japan, Pure got to witness first-hand the mind-spinning precision of hand-operated letterpress machines, still championed by Japanese salarymen wanting to add a bespoke touch to their name cards. Something new to add to the office stationary wish-list for next year!