The time around the first days of January is just perfect for making resolutions for the whole year, and since 2012 promises to be very sportive with the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, a plan for this year should include a bunch of sport related goals. Nike supports both renowned athletes and ordinary people who just like to keep fit and encourages them to make a pledge on Twitter on how they will #makeitcount in the coming 12 months.

The article is written by Darren Foley, Managing Director at Pearlfisher, London

December. Presents are lit up in every shop window, emblazoned across every advert and in the front of everyone’s mind. Every magazine and editorial page recommends the best Christmas gifts. Over recent years, we have seen the rise of the alternative ‘charity gift’ and, as Present Aid states, «it’s the gift that keeps giving». However, more recently, an extended range of brands have also woken up to an altruistic approach, challenging the traditional charity giving language and aesthetic.

Today’s Popsop interview (the last one this year) is with Darren Foley, Managing Director of Pearlfisher studio in London, a packaging design specialist with fresh approach, unique culture and a long list of happy international clients. We asked Darren about how the UK design industry came through the post-recessionary 2011 year, about overseas opportunities and his vision on what’s to come in 2012.

Earlier this year, Honda Civic proved that it’s good for everyone, even the most weird creatures and personalities (including zombies and woodsmen) as part of the ‘To Each Their Own’ campaign. Now, the auto brand is targeting digital savvy consumers with the interactive ‘Off the Grid’ film which takes viewers into a 360 degree photographed environment and offers them to explore the virtual space following the Google Street View-like red line (which works almost like a white rabbit).

Not only new generations can’t imagine existing without social networks but the old chaps like Santa go online to connect to the audience. Santa prefers YouTube and Twitter these days.  With help of Telefonica’s O2, Santa has created the hashtag #O2santa so that followers can tweet him a message that they’d like read out, and Santa will create personal short video on YouTube.

To spice up the holiday season and remind adult consumers that Christmas is a great time to drink and share Guinness, the popular beer brand launches a festive ‘two colored’ push in the UK. The campaign, which is running under the strapline ‘Celebrate this Christmas with a Guinness’, is built on the idea that this white season the clack colour (which refers to the iconic black pint of Guinness) is a perfect fit for the festive occasion.