Product development for Product Video
SPACESUIT THERMO KING
Companies often want to find creative ways to advertise their products. A good stunt or clever idea can get you a lot of eyes, just when you need them. A common issue with these kind of marketing campaigns is that they get very expensive, very quickly. They require unique assets and custom designs that run up the bill. As a company you want to stand out, so what can you do to improve the quality of your campaign, and lower cost at the same time?
I. The Concept
In the spirit of looking for a solution to this issue, The Picture Element got in touch with us. They were in the process of realizing an unique marketing campaign to launch the Thermo King Advancer unit for their client, Thermo King. Thermo King is a global manufacturer of transport refrigeration and heating for trucks, trailers, buses, … The unit would be showcased as a part of a NASA-inspired space suit in a promotional video, and afterwards on expositions. As is often the case with these projects, no such part existed. (Property rights drawing: The Picture Element.)
With nothing more than a sketch and a short briefing, we were tasked to make them a backpack to fit that space suit. What a challenge! To pull this off, we would have to go beyond just 3D printing. And the 3D printing would also require some thorough research, as the finished backpack needed to have a slightly worn, metallic look to match the rest of the suit.
But we did much more than that.
II. The Design Phase
First off, we wanted to nail the project basics. We completed the digital 3D design for the backpack in 14 days, thanks to close collaboration with our client. During prototyping, we found a resin to perfectly match the requested metallic look, and added a few pieces of real metal mesh in order to make the design stand out even more. When developing the product in collaboration with you, we go further than only 3D printing in order to achieve the best result!
We made sure the backpack was comfortable when wearing, by making sure the ergonomics were spot on and by adding soft mousse shoulder pads. The internal backpack was also designed to hold a working ventilation system with a fan to provide cooling to the wearer. As a last little touch, we held the fixtures for the gloves and helmet in place with magnets, so it was easier for the wearer to put the custome on off.
III. The Outcome
In the end, Thermo King ended up with a fully custom space suit, inspired by NASA designs, within budget and deadline. The metal look of the backpack perfectly matches Thermo King’s original idea and the video shoot was a breeze, thanks to Kreate’s ergonomic design.
