The article is written by Greg Taylor, Director of Brand Provocation at Elmwood, London

Feeling under pressure? Caught up in a frenzy of non-stop socialising on Facebook, Twitter and Yammer? Constantly being bombarded by brand extroverts making the most of their newfound ‘transmedia’ opportunities? These days, it’s almost impossible to escape the various digital demands of ‘your community’ or the intrusive molestations of brands. It’s at times like this I long for Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk’s calming lyrics, ‘It’s, oh, so quiet shh, shh. It’s, oh, so still shh, shh. You’re all alone shh, shh. And so peaceful….’

Cider and juice producer Orchard Pig is unveiling a new look designed by brand design specialist Blue Marlin. The brand’s identity was redesigned to help the artisan brand move into the mainstream and make it easier for consumers to find the product on the shelf. The new dynamic and charming look, which has been adopted by 16 products of the brand, is rolling out this week.

Zappos.com is one of the companies, which recognize that aspiring creative minds can be a powerful force for the business, and so it does its best to support new talents. The online retailer kicked off a new initiative called Emerging Designer Program to help young designers get their lines selling at the major retailer’s store. The same idea lies behind the contest launched recently by Walmart, which also encouraged people to submit their creations for a change to get them sold at the supermarket.

Procter&Gamble, which is the global Olympics sponsor, is launching a new digital campaign dubbed 1 Thank You = 1 Chance to Win as extension on its ‘Thank You Mum’ activity dedicated to support Olympic athletes (the ‘P&G Thanks, Mom’ was launched back in 2010). The effort was kicked off yesterday, March 5, in the UK ahead of Mothers’ Day celebrated on March 18—it is expected to roll across other markets on respective national days.

Nike continues its football initiative together with Pep Guardiola, global ambassador for The Chance and FC Barcelona Manager. ‘The Chance’ 2012 project that they have launched together searches for football talent and gives young amateur footballers an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities on an elite stage. Since the program launch in 2010, thousands of footballers could take a chance to work on a global level.