Generating extra buzz around marketing campaigns worldwide is 3D projection mapping, a relatively new technology that animates stationary objects with 3D video. With added sound effects and music, the result is a remarkable and immersive experience.
“Projection mapping can provide a great double whammy if used right, because you get a great live event, followed by a compelling video and PR opportunities. But, if that’s the aim it’s important to think about the film when planning the projection — the sense of scale you get live won’t be replicated on YouTube,” cautions Matt Smith, director of strategy for The Viral Factory.
“Good camera work, slick editing, and a rocking soundtrack will all help drive the film, but if the projection is too detailed it will still get lost.”
So, while we wait to see if this a temporary craze or soon to become standard in the marketeer’s toolbox, take a look through our gallery of great examples of such projections on buildings. This list is by no means exhaustive, so please let us know about any impressive versions you’ve seen in the comments below.
1. Samsung 3D Projection
Samsung’s whimsical projection to promote its 3D TV products works well.
2. Vienna 3D Building Projection
Vienna’s Tourist Board gets in on the 3D projection action with this classy effort.
3. NuFormer
Sony turned two buildings into giant football-themed pinball machines in Madrid. The spectacle was watched by around 1500 people on the day, and by nearly 20,000 more since.
4. 3D Projection Mapped on Building
A perfectly synced soundtrack helps the effect as this building sings to the transfixed audience.
5. Hot Wheels Secret Race Battle
Customs House in Sydney, Australia gets virtually wrecked by Mattel’s “Hot Wheels Skull Racers.”
6. 3D Projection Mapping
The lucky residents of Sugarland, Texas got to witness this spectacle live on New Year’s Eve 2010.
7. 555 KUBIK
This arty German projection imagines “how it would be, if a house was dreaming”.
8. ACDC vs Iron Man 2
ACDC go up against Iron Man on the backdrop of front facade of the Great Keep at Rochester Castle.
9. BMW JOY 3D
BMW uses not one, but two office buildings in Singapore with its joy-themed projection.
10. Projection Mapping on the Kharkov State Building
You can hardly imagine a more impressive backdrop for a 3D projection than the Kharkov state building in the Ukraine. The building’s architectural features are used to great effect in this brilliant example.
As diligent as we are about keeping you abreast of absolutely every awesome new gadget that hits the market, every once in a while even we miss a real gem. Case in point: Arcade Forge’s SLG 3000 scanline generator, which gives your seemingly flawless HD display a throwback makeover. As the name suggests, the rather diminutive board acts as a middle man between your VGA compatible device and your TV, bringing back the sweet imperfections that marked early console gaming. The thing enlists a series of DIP switches and a potentiometer for setting scanlines and resolution to your specifications. You can land one of your own at the source link for €50. In the meantime, though, we suggest you check out the video after the break to see why we couldn't bear to let this one get away — even if it is a few months old.
For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos — mostly with the help of Casio’s line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec’s TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer — the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio’s cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps, and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It’s only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn’t roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can’t afford the $29,900 price tag? If you’re in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries — enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action.
Actor Danny McBride, in character as Kenny Powers from the HBO show Eastbound and Down, walks in to a boardroom continuing a conversation on his cell phone, “…I don’t expect to be standing in an [expletive] parking lot with my pants around my ankles with a tranny!”
For the next four minutes, McBride/Powers goes on to berate executives from K-Swiss and make a list of demands including a “big-ass trailer” stocked with porn, a tattoo “of a naked Russian chick on my arm.” Next, he floats some ideas for a K-Swiss commercial, including one scenario where he rips off a fighter’s head and dropkicks it out of the ring.
What is this? Is it advertising? A skit? Both? Actually, it’s a hybrid often filed under the broad category of “branded entertainment,” which has drawn top brands and A-list comedic talent together. In recent months, Ford, Denny’s and Juicy Fruit, among others, have tapped well-known comedians and writers to create campaigns that sport a level of wit that is more sophisticated than most mass-market advertising. And, in some cases, the campaigns appear to hitting goals set by the marketers — to create social media chatter and skew the brands younger.
A prime forum for this new type of advertising is Funny Or Die, the website founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Chris Bruss, producer of branded entertainment for the site, says the site produces about 10 to 15 branded entertainment pieces per quarter. The model that the site is using — a sponsorship approach vs. straight-up advertising — is on the rise. According to Internet Advertising Bureau stats released last week, revenues for sponsorships grew 88% in 2010. “Obviously, everyone is gravitating towards doing things online and moving away from traditional media,” Bruss says. “Marketers aren’t just buying some ad units on the site, they’re partnering with us to create content.”
Not surprisingly, others are looking to get in on the action. Earlier this year, actors Jason Bateman and Will Arnett launched DumbDumb, a production company that creates branded entertainment. DumbDumb’s first such effort, Always Open for Denny’s, launched in early March. According to research from YouGov, the series, which features Dave Koechner, Sarah Silverman, Bateman and Arnett, among others, has raised the brand’s profile among 18-34 year-old consumers. YouGov based its findings on a daily online survey of 5,000 people. The scores average positive views of the brand (+100) with negative ones (-100).
Likewise, Ford’s online-only campaign around Doug, an orange puppet, may have contributed to skewing the brand younger, according to the chart below. But the effort, which features Paul Feig, a director for The Office and Freaks and Geeks, and The Simpsons writer Rob Cohen, among others, was primarily designed to get people talking in social media about Ford’s 2012 Focus. Jon Beebe, digital marketing manager for Ford, says the campaign has met that goal. So far, Doug has racked up more than 700,000 views on YouTube and has gotten 19,000 fans on Facebook. “We call him a provocateur,” Beebe says of Doug. “We wanted to get people talking about it and saying ‘Did you see this puppet thing?’”
In each instance, the branded entertainment campaigns are sharper than the TV campaigns you’re likely see from the advertisers. On the other hand, K-Swiss has been so enamored with the foul-mouthed Kenny Powers character that it has featured him in a cleaned-up TV ad. Glenn Cole, co-founder and creative director at 72andSunny, the ad agency behind that campaign, says the brand knows that the character is polarizing. “But to the consumers that matter, Kenny is kind of worshiped.” Thanks to the affiliation, the brand “is in the sports/cultural conversation for the first time since the ’80s,” Cole says.
As proof, K-Swiss vice president of marketing Chris Kyle points out that Footwear Newsrecently listed K-Swiss as the brand with the biggest jump in buzz. “It’s led to a lot of reset thinking as to what K-Swiss is about,” Kyle says. “It gets them talking about a brand they thought they knew.” In this case, a tongue-lashing from the Powers character (given to actors standing in for K-Swiss execs) was a small price to pay.
For a look at some of the other funniest branded entertainment efforts of late, see the video gallery below. Please let us know in the comments if you think this is a smart strategy for these brands and which videos you thought were the funniest.
Note: Many of the videos use NSFW language.
K-Swiss Meeting with Kenny Powers
Danny McBride, in character as Kenny Powers of HBO’s Eastbound and Down insults K-Swiss execs and demands porn for his trailer in a meeting hashing out his endorsement deal. This is possibly the most profanity-laden “commercial” ever.
Snoop Dogg vs LL Cool J: The Ultimate Halo Smackdown
The two rap legends go mano a mano in a game of Halo and, for some reason, the guy from Chuck is playing too. So is a Las Vegas legend who makes a cameo at the end.
Jeremy Piven for Hot Wheels
Jeremy Piven plays a nerdy guy who desperately wants to join the Hot Wheels team.
Always Open with David Koechner for Denny’s
Dave Koechner and Jason Bateman discuss primal screams vs. sighs in a seemingly improvised dialog.
The Prom Date with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett for Orbit Gum
Orbit Gum has a magical, mystical power in this 5-minute skit featuring Jason Bateman as a dad whose daughter is about to go on a date with a sleazy Will Arnett.
Press Conference: Ford Taps Doug (the Orange Puppet) as 2012 Focus Spokesperson
Ford’s new spokesman’s affinity for the ladies is evident in this skit, which shows him being introduced in a disastrous press conference.
Serenading Unicorn Serenades Sarah Silverman for Juicy Fruit
Sarah Silverman’s unicorn boyfriend seems to be two-timing her, but she doesn’t care. Must be the animal magnetism.
Epic Nerf Battle: Life in the Trenches
Two dorks get caught up in a Nerf battle that has consumed all their energies for the last few days. Good thing there’s plenty of pizza to go around.
Piranha 3D: For Your Consideration
Pirahna 3D never really had a shot at winning an Oscar, but members of the cast make a case anyway.
What Would Keith Stone Do? for Keystone
Keith Stone, spokesman for Keystone beer, has all the answers for a guy who’s considering dumping his girlfriend via text.
