How to creatively market services by showcasing motion in print
The Brief
Freshly Cooked asked the question, "How do we market motion design effectively in static print?" Here is what we came up with:
Our first idea was to have a QR code that takes the user directly to our website and browse our portfolio; however, we wanted to leverage this opportunity for Freshly Cooked to stand out in the competitive and often overcrowded landscape of marketing materials. We brainstormed and concluded that if we could learn and execute a simple augmented reality postcard, the user experience would be a more positive and memorable interaction. The end result was a fun and quirky animated cat/plant AR experience with the option to click on our logo, which will take the user to our website. This project highlights Freshly Cooked's ability to provide and execute creative solutions within limited constraints.
The Approach
We started at the drawing board with concepts and brainstorming ideas. As a husband-and-wife duo, we took this opportunity to explore visuals with a personal yet playful concept that was relatable to fellow marketers. Everyone loves funny cat videos and plants, so we combined them to create this art experience. Plus, our studio has lots of potted plants!
To execute, Jess (illustrator) sketched out designs, and we selected our favorite design to vectorize in Adobe Illustrator. Matt (animator) took the elements into Adobe After Effects. The elements were animated and exported individually to give us the most control when moving the assets to AR. Using Adobe Aero, Matt maneuvered them into position and gave them interactive attributes. Our goal was that no matter what you touched, something would happen (i.e., a plant grows, the cat appears and paws at a plant while staring very suspiciously into the viewer's soul, or the audible sound of a cat meow, etc.).
Why it Matters
AR offers clients and companies a unique opportunity to go beyond the surface, providing enhanced visuals and an engaging, guided experience that invites users on an entertaining journey. The technical and digital worlds are undeniably valuable tools: let's harness their full potential.