Projection Advertising - 2010 Showreel from Projection Advertising on Vimeo.
You know I saw a cartoon not to long ago, it was a young graffiti artist standing beside an executive dressed in a suit ‘n hat ... both with spray cans in hand. Only the executive used capital letters and punctuation marks on his tags and he looks at the kid and says...”You bet! Correct Spelling and Punctuation- that’s the way I roll.”
It’s funny how true to form this cartoon really is. The advertisers of 21st century have taken a lesson out of the urban graffiti artist’s rule book and pulled down the cluttered unsightly and more often than not... ignored... billboards; opting for a more interactive and in your face style of medium. Down in the streets, right where the high volume traffic is. Using a medium guaranteed to grab and holding onto your attention. Ok, that is until the next best thing hits the scene. But for now, this is the next best thing!
It is however relatively new so accurate data and metrics are yet to be formatted and translated into some viable white paper as of yet. I don’t see this becoming a flash in the pan “come one day and go the next” fad. No this medium is here to stay and my guess is there will be a push to grab a hold of the attention of the public “out and about” in day to day (daylight) rush hours as well, because at the moment projection marketing is restricted to indoors and dusk /dark settings for optimum view ability. Stretching the time-line availability for the medium will provide for a bigger reach and the end result a bigger bang for the advertising dollar. Just like the advent of any new idea or technology, once the kinks are worked out, cost effectiveness kicks in which in the long run making the medium more viable for mainstream marketers to utilize. For all you nay sayers that say projection technology is for dusk/dark nighttime traffic only, limiting it’s uses ... look down at your iPad and tell me that again... I dare you!
Projection Advertising is well suited with the culture we live in now... where we anticipate to be “wowed” at every turn to even get our heads to turn. Movement is key in this culture. Moving Ads in the form of animations, laid the pavement towards adoption of video marketing and now eye candy of a medium. It just keeps getting bigger and better...can’t say I’m not liking it though, I am after all a part of this “entertain me culture.” (To catch a visual of how fascinating and effective projection advertising can be type in projection advertising - outdoor projection, video mapping into your web browser and buckle up for some pretty fascinating stunts.)
Video mapping has taken the still life out of advertising and replaced it with interactive “wow,” just about anywhere: on tables, buildings, floors, sidewalks, walls, windows and water even. One is only limited by the creative team it has hired and this is such a fun medium, I bet the juices and enthusiasm is at peak for each project. This form of advertising can be set up for short viewings like special events, outdoor stunts, as well as permanent installations. In many instances permits are not even required if the building being projected on is not owned by the vendor, but out of sheer politeness perhaps a heads up for the building’s owners would be appropriate. Just a thought!
Video projections are opening up doors for creative career potential as well. In my research i have came across many listings calling for creative staff with the skill to plan, design and co-ordinate video mapping activities. In addition I also ran across a free download of the type of program used for such mapping, for those who are curious as to the production process behind this highly creative interactive new form of graffiti.
I am excited about where projection advertising is taking us. That high rise which has become mundane has now the possibilities to transform it’s face into a moving, entertaining billboard. Yet unlike stationary billboards which change their face here and there, this high rise can host a multiple of attractive and interactive messages before the viewer can ever get bored with the message. Anyone want to hazard a guess though where we might venture to next? What ever it is, I am looking forward to it!
