Projection mapping – the new TV ad?
Projection mapping – “an exciting new production technique that can turn almost any surface into a dynamic video display”
Maybe it’s something to do with the sun going down at, oh, 4pm? But just as chocolate digestives go oh-so-well with a cup of tea, it seems dark winter evenings have been the perfect partner for projection mapping this year.
Projection mapping isn’t spectacularly new – we saw it in Covent Garden with Nokia back in April – but the last couple of months have served up a whole host of brands jumping on the bandwagon:
* Three nights of it for the launch of H&Ms flagship store in Amsterdam
*A pretty cool interactive installation for the launch of Xbox Kinect in Germany
* Canada’s largest ever 3D projection mapping event to date (with sound broadcast via mobile phone after dialling in, to avoid noise pollution) for toothpaste brand Sensodyne
*A more intimate affair for the Toyota Auris Hybrid launch in London, with 3D projection onto the car itself
* A ‘4D’ event (smell included) held on both sides of the Atlantic by Ralph Lauren
* a run-of-the-mill 3D outdoor projection for Disney to build buzz for the release of Tron: Legacy in Tokyo
Given the speed with which it’s catching on, it seems to be considered the hot new thing right now. Projection mapping definitely has the ‘wow’ factor and is pretty darn impressive on a dark winter night, but let’s take a step back for a moment. Yes, it’s brilliant technology and can lend an aura of digital innovation around the brand. And it’s a particularly useful dramatization for hi-tech brands to hammer home their advanced technological wizardry. But when the novelty wears off, we’re left with just another ‘push’ message from brand to consumer.
That’s why the Xbox Kinect installation gets my vote this Christmas – taking projection mapping a step further it gives people the chance to be part of the installation, rather than just being spectators. With engagement at its core, the whole event is built upon something much stronger than the smoke and mirrors effect that many other brands are doing.
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Hi,
I like the creativity. There is a sense of the public aspect that comes from say flash mobs. I particuallry like the interact aspects and the way the digital mapping and there real world interction. It seems to go beyond laser project. Thinking of Redbull or other companies user gorilla laser groups.
Thanks for pointing this out
Dara