This week, I’ve got the coolest new innovation in branded swag, weird and wonderful artwork by a talented young illustrator, and a supremely creative digital experience by Stripe.

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Now your brand can be cooler than ever with custom ice cubes.

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Move over branded socks and enamel pins, custom ice cubes are the hottest new trend thanks to Icebow. Icebow is the creator of the “Joice Maker series,” which is the “world’s first commercial ice machine to produce custom designed ice cubes.” The cubes are designed with a pocket of air beneath the logo so it floats on the top of your beverage for maximum visibility.

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Warped, weird, and wonderful – Jer Dee 

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Jer Dee is a visual artist based in Metro Manila, Philippines whose main medium of work is digital art and illustration. He describes his work as “whimsical and energetic” and “reminiscent of East Asian art,” a nod to Dee’s Filipino-Chinese heritage. His works have elements of the hottest trends in illustration – vibrant colors, hard black outlines, and lots of sparkle – yet are a unique style in their execution. The figures contain an incredible energy in the severe angles of almost italicised poses. Coupling this with rich layers of color and form, the works are a visual feast to explore. Much of Dee’s work covers queer themes such as drag, pride, and ball culture. Dig in, his work is absolutely delicious.

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Warped, weird, and wonderful – Jer Dee 

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Stripe, known for its sleek, tech-forward aesthetic, took a surprising turn for Black Friday through Cyber Monday with their Business Flow Control Monitor (BF//CM). This retro-inspired machine, featuring retro displays and even a receipt printer, live-streamed 96 hours of holiday shopping transaction data.

The best part? The interactive web experience, where users could explore clickable data overlays and dive into a 3D spiral-bound manual filled with visuals and insights. It’s fun to click through to their modern, minimalist homepage — offering a sharp contrast to the BF//CM’s analog vibe. It’s a creative way to show that even a cutting-edge brand can find creative ways to present data. You can still explore the data they collected.