Projection mapping is something that has caught my eye and interest. But like some of you, I did not even know the term Projection Mapping before reading this blog from Resource. As usual the team at Resource has taught me something new.

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3 Thoughts on Projection Mapping

Written By: Dan Ledman, Creative Director, ResourceSTUDIO

Since the birth of cinema, filmmakers have been using projectors to share their stories and content with audiences large and small. More often than not, these artists point their projectors at large, flat screens (i.e., the modern movie theater). However, as early as 1900 content creators were experimenting with projecting their motion pictures onto irregular surfaces to achieve optical effects that would otherwise not be possible on a standard flat screen or surface.

For much of the 20th century, this technique was largely confined to experimental and artistic efforts. However, recent advances in software technology have increased both the precision and flexibility of this technique—now known as projection mapping—to the point that several agencies and brands have used it to generate some very disruptive, awe-inspiring impressions at events like marquis product launches.

Many of the most buzzed-about commercial examples of projection mapping have involved projecting large-scale content on towering architectural facades and structures, thereby using scale to give consumers a massive experiential connection with the brand or product being promoted (think digital signage on steroids). Such projections are no doubt impressive for the passers-by who are fortunate enough to experience them in person; however, they don’t translate particularly well after-the-fact to anyone who wasn’t there to witness the performance in person. And like most new technologies, the novelty of projection mapping will wear off quickly unless it continues to evolve. To that end, here are three thoughts on some ways projection mapping can continue to surprise and delight consumers:

1. Think Small

Most of the examples (and search results) labeled as projection mapping involve large-scale architectural takeovers that are usually accompanied by towering budgets. According to a 2011 article in Fast Company Ralph Lauren’s 8-minute projection-mapped 2011 fashion show cost an estimated $1.5 million to produce. The show did net the brand 700 million media impressions online post-event, but a great deal of those impressions can be tied to the novelty of the technique at the time, and I’m willing to bet most brands would want more mileage out of a $1.5 million spend than an eight-minute performance.

Recently, examples have begun to emerge of brands and agencies using projection mapping as a pre-recorded element within productions that are designed to be more repeatable than the large-scale architectural examples. The example below from Louis Vuitton features a blank white trunk upon which a video clip of animated patterns is projected.

Brands should be looking to bring experiences like this into retail locations either as a way of disrupting consumers’ typical browsing habits or perhaps even enabling them to control the projection and view different patterns, colors, etc. on a given product.

2. Inject Interactivity

Extending then from this Louis Vuitton example is this notion of interactivity. Again, most early examples of projection mapping are fairly passive experiences for the live audience and certainly for the time-shifted viewers experiencing the content through video clips. But a new iteration of projection mapping is emerging that enables live participants to control the content that is projected in real time through mobile devices and gesture-enabled interfaces. I believe a natural next step is to enable both live participants and remote participants to connect to a projection-mapping experience and interact with the content from the comfort of their own homes, with their own devices.

3. Content is [Still] King

Projection mapping is like most any communication or marketing medium: A cool technology or deployment will carry a campaign or promotion so far, but it is no substitute for good content (as in the stuff being projected).

Time will tell if projection mapping is a flash-in-the-pan fad or if it matures into a medium that consumers continue to engage with. I feel strongly that a one-size-fits-all definition of projection mapping (“I’ve got an idea—let’s project something on a building.”) will only shorten its lifespan as a tool for marketers. But if brands and agencies use it as a springboard, think small, inject interactivity, and keep content king, we could be helping shape the foundation of a whole new consumer-brand experience.

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