Live-action filming for the purposes of introducing your new products to the world is great, but it has its limitations. Some details can simply not be easily captured on video, nor adequately represented and highlighted. For this reason, many have begun taking the captivating approach of using 3D animation. After all, this form of communication is stunning, immersive, and captivating enough to show your product off in an incredible way.
If you are doubtful about 3D animation actually helping your business consider the following three strategic points that this mode of communication brings to the table:
- It shows off your product in a more unique way than any other method can
- It communicates the product’s value
- It allows you to show the world what a product that is still being developed will look like for the world to see before it has even been put together
We looked around for some great examples to illustrate the power of 3D animation and came up with 5 fantastic examples that we believe solidify our point.
Nike LunarEpic Flyknit
As the global leader in sportswear and trainers, Nike is still in heavy competition with some other big-name brands in the industry. However, for the LunarEpic trainers, they wanted to present the product most uniquely and be able to highlight its unique style and features that adequately reflect the brand’s bold name.
This video’s breathtaking animation stands out as the 3D animation company creators were able to link its namesake to the moon itself, a feat that could not be accomplished through live video. On top of that, Nike was able to give viewers an extremely close-up and in-depth view of the shoe’s intricate detail.
Lamy pico/Special Edition 2019
Some products are tough to make exciting without the use of 3D animation. Nowhere is this more evident than the advertising of LAMY’s new pen. While live-action advertising of a writing utensil could leave marketers in a head-scratching fit, the 3D animation was able to put a ‘fine point’ on the pen, making the introduction to the product fun, exciting, and captivating before the viewer even knew they were watching an ad for a writing utensil.
3D animation was able to bring this otherwise simple product to life. The 3D animation studio brought the pens to life, showing them in an exciting, dynamic 3D space. Each type of pen got its own 3D video, showing each pen as a unique, bold personality. The cherry on top of the fantastic animation was setting it against crisp, bouncy, bass-driven beats to really accentuate the pen’s presence.
Shopify Chip Reader
Shopify is certainly known for its online sales prowess, but when it was time to promote their physical chip reader for their pop up shops, they needed something that really stood out and transported the idea of the online world into the real one. To do so they chose to display their new technology through 3D animation.
3D animation allowed the chip reader to take on different forms, all related to Shopify themes including an engagement ring box and a record player. Rather than risking damage to the actual chip readers, Shopify was able to use the 3D animation effects to display how it could be used effectively and in an engaging manner.
Pepsi Music – Tasty
Not that Pepsi needs to get its name out there, but they did want to put a little extra effort into promoting their Pepsi Zero product. They chose a method that involved 3D animation in a hybrid combination with live-action shots and music that sounded like the percussion instrument was the cracking open of a Pepsi can.
Pepsi Music – Tasty from ManvsMachine on Vimeo.
The animation allowed for awesome effects like a drop of Pepsi rippling waves, an ice cube bouncing around the top of a Pepsi filled glass, and the Pepsi Zero can manifesting into existence from seemingly out of thin air. The clever inclusion of live-action shots promotes the perception that Pepsi can be found behaving in these ways in reality. Ultimately, the result is a short, but fun and effective clip that connects the idea of fun, music, and appeal, all tied to the new Pepsi product.
Sunesis – Trade Show Video
Sunesis is a company that designs and builds modular schools from start to finish. This unique service required both illustration and text-based explanation of the company’s intricate planning process in an easily digestible way.
5 Incredible Product Animation Examples
Seeking to effectively illustrate, their modular design and the unique floor plan layouts they offered at a trade show would have been challenging regardless of the company’s standing. Add to that the company provided a service without a tangible product, it required something unique to really drive the clear and dynamic advertising message. Luckily, 3D animation allowed for all of these aspects to be incorporated.
Using 3D animation, Sunesis was able to tell their brand’s story, walking the viewer through the design process to illustrate the final building result. The animated display of floor plan layouts was a fantastic visual aid that allowed all of the necessary information to be clearly communicated. While they had no finished projects at the time of the trade show, they did include picture renderings of potential school buildings that would result from their layout plans.
Final Thoughts
3D animation is capable of presenting the effects one often cannot achieve with real-life footage like defying gravity and transplanting a product to the moon. 3D animation opens up a world of possibilities in a powerful and effective form of communication in marketing. 3D animators love to work with both 3D and 2D graphics and are more than happy to put together a medley of live-action and animated clips to promote your product in the best, most effective, and coolest way possible.