This week, TCH launches TCH Singapore which joins our list of geo-targeted sites - TCH UK and TCH AUS.

A big welcome also to our Brazilian readers. As of this week, TCH will have a weekly column in O Estado de S. Paulo, one of the most important newspapers in Brazil with a daily readership of 1 million.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the numerous print magazines/newspapers that have publsihed feature stories on TCH and our numerous projects.

There are a million ways we can say this. But we’ll keep it straight. As of today, thecoolhunter.net reaches more than one million unique readers per month. And now boasts 1.8 million pages views. Hoorah for us!

We’d like to take a quick moment to thank you for coming back day after day. And can only trust that you continue to feel you’re “in the know” as we “roam the globe” for inspired content.

Every day we’re told by thousands of readers how TCH makes them think bigger and bolder. Most of you stumble upon us by chance, via Google or Twitter and Facebook, which didn’t exist when we first launched.
But of course we hope it’s the quality of our posts that keeps you coming back. This game ain’t a popularity contest! We're selective with what we feature, much like a curator in a museum. TCH works to the principle of “global information channeling” - it’s not regionally specific, but based on worldwide relevance.

As we all know, the media landscape is going through a massive shift. We connect more directly and we connect as we want to. As it serves us. Right now.

If you’re an advertiser or brand wishing to have intimate, relevant dialogue with TCH’s readers, please get in touch at xxx and we’d be happy to discuss creative branding opportunities. We have a million different ideas ready to go. - Bill Tikos

Stay in the know by signing up to our free newsletter, our facebook page for more visual inspiration and our twitter page for interesting links.

In just over 2 weeks, over 21,000 readers signed up to our Facebook page featuring links to a lot more goodies we don't publish here - along with a further 21,500 on Twitter. Stay in the know by receiving our free weekly newsletter which reaches over 110,000. Because being connected makes you so much more interesting.

It's incredibly rare for one individual to achieve major success in two different creative or business fields in the one lifetime. Just ask Madonna, who, while being an indisputable icon of pop music has failed dismally in her attempts to move into movies, on both the acting and directing fronts. If Madonna, with all of her resources, contacts and indefatigable energy couldn't pull it off, then no one could. Her experience was a warning to all super-successful geniuses out there - be content with the success you do have, don't bother trying to conquer the world outside of your own walls.

Which is why we had seriously low expectations for Tom Ford's debut in the film world, as the director of A Single Man. How could Ford, who had pulled off one of the greatest fashion reinventions in history with Gucci (and consequently shaped the dominant style of a decade), possibly do it again, in a totally new and notoriously difficult medium such as film. Most people regarded Ford's move into film as a vanity project; one that if actually realized would be all style and no substance, a glorified TV commercial of beautiful people.   

Well. He proved us all wrong. Ford, it appears, is one of those rare people who can transfer their genius. A Single Man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, has been lauded by critics. W magazine called it "...poignant, stunningly realized tale of loss and long."  Screen International heaped similar praise, "Tom Ford gets it spectacularly right,” while Variety deemed it  “an impressive helming debut.”  

The film, adapted from the 1964 novel by Christopher Isherwood,  tells the story of a college professor played by Firth, who is confronted by the sudden and tragic death of his long time partner.  Since the movie's premiere in September at the Venice Film Festival (where it received a 10-minute standing ovation and the best actor prize for Firth, who is now the subject of major Oscar buzz), it has enjoyed acclaim at most of the world's major film festivals. It will be interesting to see what it does at the box office, upon its opening in the US in December. We expect to see Madonna, front row, taking notes.- Laura Demasi 

Much has been said about the state of Dubai since its lightning speed of development almost ground to a halt, thanks to the global financial crisis. What, everyone is wondering, will come of Brand Dubai?

The Cool Hunter Platinum team has visited Dubai regularly over the last few years and on our most recent trip we asked ourselves the same question. Aside from the fact that Dubai was (and still is) trying to cram 100 years of development into less than two decades - the making of Dubai marks one of the most audacious and epic branding exercises undertaken in modern times. The task, to transform a Middle Eastern port into an ultra-modern global financial, business and cultural centre, has been attacked with gusto, to say the least, funded by incredibly deep local pockets. Like a new brand of soft drink, the marketers approached Dubai like a product and brought it to life.

The seemingly unending supply of money sparked an unspoken competition between developers and business leaders to create the most ostentatious - biggest, tallest, widest et al - of absolutely anything, not least the 'super' buildings, created by international star-architects, all vying for 'icon' status. More than anything, this was the cornerstone of Brand Dubai. Which worked quite well for a while. And then the world changed. The bubble burst and everything that Dubai stood for - overt displays of wealth and conspicuous consumption fell dramatically out of vogue. 

So where to now? We wondered, looking around at all of the unfinished skyscrapers on a recent trip.

Like a soft drink brand that has misjudged its market, Dubai needs a 're-brand' to reposition itself - that much is certain. The world doesn't like the flavour or texture of Dubai anymore, so R&D needs to go back to the drawing board.

Snapping at its heels are other centers in the region, such as Qatar, which appears to have learned from Dubai's mistakes. It too has dizzyingly deep pockets but appears to be taking the path of relative restraint. Which, in a world still reeling from the GFC, is totally on-brand right now. - Laura Demasi

We're getting ready to launch the real estate portal of TCH next month - The Cool Hunter Living, an uber-luxe real estate listings portal which connects vendors to a discerning, hard-to-reach market of high-income architecture and design aficionados.

For the first time, The Cool Hunter Living gives vendors access to this hard-to-reach market. The site also offers vendors an unparalleled opportunity to “position” their properties amongst the best and most luxurious in the world, endorsed by the highly-credible voice of The Cool Hunter, which has become a global authority on design.



The Cool Hunter Living offers technology savvy agents and vendors a completey new way to market their properites in a “designer” online environment, unlike other ‘real estate’ sites which are pitched at a mainstream audience and offer low value aesthetics in terms of site design.

TCH Living showcases properties in an unparalleled design-led, online-editorial environment positioned amongst the world's great architecture and design. Properties will be hand picked by our editorial team. For pricing, more info - contact bill@thecoolhunter.net
 


We'll also be adding rentals and commercial properties, so next time you find yourself in a new city setting up an office and home, you'll have to look no further than TCH Living - a gateway to inspiring design you live in.

Follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, because being in the know makes you so much more interesting.

TCH wins best culture blog for 2007 & 2008!

It's official. We are proud to announce that we have won the Best Culture Blog category at the Weblog Awards for 2008. We are thrilled to take out the prize, our second, after also winning the same category at last year's awards.



A huge thank you to all of our very progressive and active readers who voted for us. We thank you for supporting us. We look forward to continuing to inform and inspire you with our finds.



Pics via TCH Platinum

The web's most read culture, architecture and design site will soon launch in early 09, The Cool Hunter Living, an uber-luxe real estate listings portal which connects vendors to a discerning, hard-to-reach market of high-income architecture and design aficionados.

Since its inception in 2004, thecoolhunter.net has amassed a global readership consisting of close to 1 million unique visitors a month who visit the site for the absolute latest in innovation and inspiration in all disciplines of design - from the most awe-inspiring architecture to the coolest new artists and products. 

The site's subscriber list reads like a who's-who of the international design, media, fashion, architecture and publishing industries. For the first time, The Cool Hunter Living gives vendors access to this high end market. The site also offers vendors an unparalleled opportunity to "position" their properties amongst the best and most luxurious in the world.



Also, in 09, we'll launch The Cool Hunter Hotel booking service, an online store, global job lists, Cool Hunter TV, magazine, retail stores and some major offline events. We’re eager to see our efforts translated into major global markets such as India, China, Japan, Singapore, Italy, Brazil and more. STAY TUNED!

New site designed by TCH Design

The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms - the first in a series of the cool hunter-branded books has just been published by Harper Collins Publishers (US). Next in the line will be The World's Coolest Houses, The World's Most Creative Work Environments, The World's Most Innovate Retail Stores, The World's coolest kids spaces/playgrounds and a few other special book projects.