Personal Project

After much research and deliberation I have decided that for my honours project I will produce an advertising campaign for a fictional brand/product. After creating the initial graphic design work and overall aesthetics of the product I want to produce a 15-30 second video advertisement/motion graphic to promote the product. I will produce a basic website which will primarily be built to host the motion graphic but will also include some other simple functionality. If I have time I will add more content to the site. The main aim of the project is to incorporate a Projection Mapping element, similar (within reason) to the examples I’ve posted on this blog over the last month or so. I feel that this cutting edge technology is a great marketing tool and has the power to create a memorable brand experience in today’s saturated market.

I will also continue to research consumer behaviour as well as the psychological and sociological methods employed by advertisers. I hope this will help me to produce an advertising campaign that appeals to my target market, has a contemporary approach but most of all is memorable.

Projection Mapping on 3D Geometry

This projection mapped installation was created by www.superbien.fr, and was described as “An experience-based video mapping advertisement. It was designed by the agency Superbien New Media Agency/Auditorium. The public were invited into the cube to discover an artistic vision of the event tagline: Transforming the Mobile Experience”. This installation was produced for the customers of Samsung Mobile at the last Mobile World Congress.

ENVISION : Step into the sensory box from SUPERBIEN on Vimeo.

1024 Architecture - Perspective Lyrique

I seem to be finding these amazing examples of Projection Mapping on a daily basis now. Here is an amazing interactive 3D Projection which was created by the French company 1024 Architecture. The animation is controlled and deforms with the audiences voice. Here's what the company had to say about it:

"With reference to the lyrical arts, which stood prominently in the "Grand Theatre" in its infancy, Perspective Lyric interactive device is based on the voice and the singing of the public: a system of visual distortions on voice command."



www.1024architecture.net/en/2010/11/perspective-lyrique

Samsung 3D Projection Mapping

WOW! I found this today and It is one of the best examples of what I have come to know as Projection Mapping. On Thursday the 20th of May 2010, Samsung was the first to introduce a large-scale commercial 3D-Outdoor projection in the Netherlands, at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. Between 22.30 and 00.30 on the evenings of the 20th, 21st and 22nd of May, the public was able to view the addition of a new dimension to this historic building. On the adjacent square, visitors are able to try out the new Samsung 3D LED TVs, and are offered a chance to win one of their own every night. Foursquare and YouTube have been used as a part of the integrated campaign.

This is a very fine example of a 3D projection advertisement and is probably of the best online. Follow the link below the video to the official YouTube page where they have animated the normal YouTube layout to crumble around the video as it plays. They have also integrated a game where by you must click as many butterflies before the end of the clip. Very Impressive.



www.youtube.com/user/Samsung3devent

Ostrich Flash/ Webcam Motion Cursor

I came across this today after looking in to some of the interactive advertising work created by Projection Advertising. It's a Flash based program called Ostrich Flash/ Webcam Cursor, it lets designers and developers easily capture webcam motion from even the cheapest of Web cams and uses that motion as a gesture interface or art pieces. This can be used to activate buttons or have effects follow your motion for example.

www.ostrichflash.wordpress.com

Ostrich Flash/ Webcam Motion Cursor

Interactive Advertising

The company Projection Advertising that I mentioned in my last blog also have a wide range of interactive products which are very interesting and open up a whole world of possibilities. These products include Adwall which is a gesture-based interactive projection which reacts to your movements; people can use their hands and feet to interact with games, promotions and adverts. Other products include Adfloor (much the same as Adwall), Adwindow which turns any sheet of glass into a huge touch screen, Adtable which is an interactive touch screen table with an inbuilt PC and AdTrace which is a new video-mapping technology which maps paths of light onto buildings, signage or any other object. AdTrace re-writes the rule book on outdoor projection and totally reinvents the notion of digital signage.

Here are a few examples of an installation in action.

Adwall

AdWall Demonstration from Projection Advertising on Vimeo.

Adfloor

Projection Advertising - AdFoor Showreel 2009 from Projection Advertising on Vimeo.

Projection Advertising

I found this videos today on YouTube produced by a company called Projection Advertising which I was very intrigued by, I can't say I have seen anything like this before. There's more information about the company and the services they provide below.

www.projectionadvertising.co.uk

"Projection Advertising Projection Advertising provides light projection solutions to a wide range of clients across the UK and abroad. We use the latest technologies to create the brightest, most engaging projections to guarantee your event or campaign is a real success.

"Cutting edge technologies, engaging displays, interactive technologies and digital POS. Interactive projection technology for interactive marketing and memorable brand experiences. Pushing the boundaries of Outdoor Projection for advertising, PR stunts, guerrilla marketing and TV. Custom gobo projections, daylight readable digital signage solutions and video-mapping systems. Innovative solutions and interactive experiences to make your launch or exhibition remembered. Impressive and interactive displays - projection transforms any environment in an eye catching way. Memorable interactive experiences to take people on an exploration of your brand and products."

Adtrace Waterloo - Projection Advertising

AdTrace Waterloo from Projection Advertising on Vimeo.

Lunalight

Lunalight are an Australian company that produce light animated advertisements in the form of signage, street furniture, billboards and wide format, point of sales, bus shelter posters, headed cards and bottle labels to name a few.

A typical advertisement produced by Lunalite consists of a sequence of lights which are triggered in a preset order over a set period of time, this giving the advertisement an animated appearance. The technology isn't ground breaking or particularly new but it is more attractive than a standard 2D, static, flat image.

www.lunalite.com.au

Motion Graphics

It's been a while since I updated my blog so I thought I would share some of my research finding of the last few weeks. As part of my project I have been researching motion graphic and their use within advertising. I have focussed particularly on 2D and 3D animations in the 15-30 second range. Here are a few well produced examples created by Nando Costa.

Nando Costa

Costa is a Brazil born graphic designer turned broadcast designer. Nando has headed many companies over the years and he has become internationally renowned for his unique style. Use the link below to find out more about the artist and to see an archive of his work.

www.archive.nandocosta.com


Network ID for Fuel TV

"Assembly" for FuelTV from Nando Costa on Vimeo.

'Sopranos' Promotional Animation

"Sopranos" 30" for Warner Channel from Nando Costa on Vimeo.

"Defective" For Getty Images

"Defective" for Getty Images from Nando Costa on Vimeo.

Advertising Research

I have been very busy investigating my chosen field of research which is primarily advertising. I have been focusing my concentration mainly in online and TV advertising but my research has lead me to some interesting forms of advertising which are a good example of advertising agencies thinking outside the box.

Below are some clever forms of Guerrilla advertising that I have found along the way.

"The concept of guerrilla marketing was invented as an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional; potentially interactive and consumers are targeted in unexpected places. The objective of guerrilla marketing is to create a unique, engaging and thought-provoking concept to generate buzz, and consequently turn viral" Wikipedia.

Spiderman 2

While they risk being dismissed as mere publicity stunts, guerrilla tactics are often less expensive than TV time or print space, and generate invaluable street buzz—delivering a return on investment that's hard to argue with. And with consumers' growing use of camera phones and online sharing sites such as Flickr and YouTube, companies using guerrilla ad strategies are poised to benefit from ongoing free, digital distribution of spectacular campaigns.


Cool Car - Volkswagen Polo Twist

In 2004, a ghostly car was parked on London's Belvedere Road — a full-sized Volkswagen Polo Twist, rendered in ice. Sculptors had spent 350 hours chiselling a nine-ton block of frozen water to create the VW. Conceived by the DDB London ad agency, the ice car melted away in just 12 hours. But it generated four weeks' worth of press in Britain, and invaluable buzz among Londoners.


The Day After Tomorrow

To promote the 2004 global-warming disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow to Indian audiences more likely to buy tickets for the latest Bollywood extravaganza, Indian ad agency Contract created a dramatic outdoor campaign for the Mumbai theatre Fame Adlabs. They planted a billboard in the sea not far from Mumbai, so that it appeared submerged under water. In addition, the firm placed what looked like the tip of the Empire State Building further out to sea. The idea was to mimic the effect of Manhattan being overwhelmed by a giant wave in the movie—albeit off the Indian coast.


CSI

To get Asian audiences to pay attention to American TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Sony Entertainment Television's action-themed AXN network enlisted Saatchi & Saatchi to develop a show-stopping campaign. The agency staged what looked like gruesome murder scenes (like this one) around Singapore. The yellow police tape was printed with CSI viewing schedules.

Research Question?

It has been a difficult few weeks trying to come up with a solid concept for my personal project. The difficultly I have is linking a research question with a suitable project, and one that I am truly happy with. I want the research to be the driver of my project and not the other way about. In order to achieve this the research needs to be interesting. So I asked myself the question "what subject matter do I find intriguing yet know very little about?”. The answer, the psychological methods employed by advertisers and how these processes affect our behaviours as consumers.

For decades advertising companies have been faced with the uphill struggle of trying to compete for the attention of a consumer within a saturated market. On a daily basis society is faced with thousands of advertising appeals which have numbed our sensitivity and have made us more immune to the constant barrage of information. As a result advertising companies have turned to psychology and other unconventional techniques to cut through and reach their target market.

I find this subject area fascinating and would love to use the research as the driver for my project......the question now is "what is the project?"

The seeds are planted.....

Honours Project Diary

I have created this blog to document my progress throughout my Honours Project at Abertay University, Dundee. I plan to keep a record of my research, concept development and creative approach in the development of my ideas. I hope this will give an insight into my interests as well as what inspires and motivates me as an artist.