Continuing with the advertising influence I grabbed these favourites from the bookshelves this weekend. They’re a continual source of inspiration and are small enough to have a good flick through.

Words of wisdom on every page, from advertising legend Paul Arden.

If you’re going to buy one book this week/month then Creative Mischief by Dave Trott is the one I would pick up. I can’t recommend it highly enough. It works for every creative discipline.

I won’t tell you why. You’ll understand once you’ve read it. Genius.

Dave Trott’s Blog

Very elegant branding, typography and layout from B&W Studio up in Leeds. The minimal application of colour and styling make for very strong, effective pieces of communication. They cleaned up at this years Roses design awards and will no doubt go from strength to strength next year.

Depending who you speak to, which newspaper or media you choose to read either you get the feeling that the current recession is improving or beginning to bight a little harder. Some smaller agencies I know are inundated with work whilst some of the big ad agencies are letting people go. Confusing times!

Well if you’ve have been through rough times or forgot to check for typo’s before going to print or publish this could be the book for you.

Design Disasters: Great Designers, Fabulous Failure, and Lessons Learned is an engaging record of misfortune and misadventure.

If you want a daily fix of design disasters you need to take a look at failblog.org an amazing collection of design and general life failures. A daily source of amusement in the studio.