What caught my eye this week? The colors of Rio. Most notably, the Specialized road bikes with a new paint that changes hues as the temperature rises. And the number of commercials during the Opening Ceremony, which brought me to pause and others wish they could just fast forward.

“Specialized fires up color-changing, heat-sensitive paint for Olympians (and you)” via BikeRumor.com. I had to find out more about this story after watching the cycling road race in Rio this weekend. Depending on the heat, the color can change from deep red to bright yellow. I can see where this innovation would provide a helpful cue to the athletes to better gauge their hydration and nutrition needs as their bikes act like a chameleon that doesn’t quite blend in.

“Here’s Why NBC Believes Viewers Are So Frustrated With Olympic Ads” via Adweek.com. Are we really less tolerant of commercials than we were during the London games? Or are we just spoiled by our Netflix binge viewing habits now? One thing is certain, we’re a lot more vocal on social media. What I know for sure is that my friends at the pool were not happy about it the next day.

“You Are Not Your Work” video by Rohan Gunatillake via 99U. An interesting talk on what motivates consumers and creative folks like us.

“The Best Instagram Accounts to Follow for Design” via Fast Company Design. More eye candy and some inspiration.

“How to write good obnoxious copy” via Digiday.com Really? Does one need tips for that? It’s a fun article on some pretty bad copywriting out there. I couldn’t help rubbernecking at this one.

Of course, if you just need some good copy or want to connect, feel free to reach out at ameliaostroff@gmail.com.