Nice job: D & AD's Augmented Actuality Awards
With the pandemic putting the entire live events space on hold, D&AD needed a new way of thinking to virtually celebrate the 2020 award winners. "Winning a D&AD pencil is a career-defining achievement for many. That's why we wanted this year's winners to feel special when there wasn't a personal award ceremony," explains Laura Kelly, D&AD Marketing Director.
"We wanted to recreate the surprise and thrill of going on stage and give the winners their 'photo op' so that despite the lack of a physical event, they wouldn't fail to remember such a momentous occasion."
According to Kelly, this was particularly true of the New Blood Awards as alumni faced disruption and confusion even in their final tenure. “And what better way to show the winners the pencils and give them to them? the ability to simulate accepting it as through augmented reality? " She says.
Above and above: Images created by Soft Power for the D&AD New Blood Festival
“Since our audience is mostly on Instagram, a filter for Instagram Stories was the optimal solution. The winners had their own unique “pencil moment” that they could share immediately without leaving their living room. "
As part of the wider Imagine Everything campaign for this year's Professional Awards, D&AD commissioned Studio Dumbar to create a digital 3D model of each of its iconic pencils and convert them into AR filter effects. The AR is activated when the rear camera is activated. The pen appears floating and spinning in situ and can be resized and positioned in the frame as it orbits the winner's head. The masterpiece? The all-important pencil color doesn't show up until they hit "Record" to ensure that the winners' enthusiastic responses are captured.
Activations like these demonstrate the potential of Facebook platforms not only to amplify events by sharing content, but also to create compelling shared experiences for participants.
“We are no longer limited to a single moment on a single stage, but can celebrate winners over time and distance,” says Rich Kivell, creative strategist at Facebook. "This allows for a deeper look into the work and the evaluation process, with interactivity and inclusivity built into every content."
D&AD worked with Studio Dumbar and Soft Power to create the D&AD Awards and New Blood identities
Both agencies then worked with Facebook Creative Shop and Spark AR to virtually bring the awards to life
D&AD has replicated the same AR functionality for New Blood, working with Soft Power to create a complex, animated background in the distinctively vibrant style of New Blood 2020's This> That campaign. "The pencil turned into a crown around the winners' heads," reveals Kelly.
Both Studio Dumbar and Soft Power worked closely with Facebook Creative Shop and Spark AR to design and create the filters. A solution was developed that enabled individual winners to receive customized private links to their results.
"At Creative Shop, we're particularly interested in transforming businesses and how our technology can connect people and brands in a meaningful way," explains Kivell.
We are no longer limited to a single moment on a single stage, but can celebrate winners over time and distance
“For D&AD, the physical presence of their awards ceremony and festival for creativity was an integral part of their business model. It was therefore an interesting challenge to help them develop – not only to present the best in the creative industry, but also to offer graduates a platform and secure the future of the industry. "
Since this was a completely new approach, D&AD had no idea what to expect in terms of adoption. Fortunately, the engagement was phenomenal: the filters generated over 55,000 impressions. "From tears to cheers, from pets to pints, we had a lot of fun watching the winners get creative with their reactions," says Kelly.
The winners received customized private links to their results
Your enthusiastic reactions to opening were then recorded
Kivell adds that despite the many challenges facing the events sector during the pandemic, with the right technological solutions, forward-thinking organizations can continue to engage people on a global scale. “While the world will undoubtedly return to some sort of normal, remote presence is becoming increasingly important for making human connection, even when we are physically separated,” he says.
Looking ahead to 2021, D&AD is already considering building on the success of the virtual presentation. "Our winners are based around the world and even under normal circumstances not everyone can travel to London to receive their award in person," says Kelly. "The AR element is a great way to connect with our global community."
Great Work is part of Inspire, a partnership between Creative Review, Facebook and Instagram to showcase outstanding creative work on both platforms. The Creative Hub of Facebook and Instagram was launched to help the creative communities understand mobile marketing. The online tool allows creatives to experiment with content formats and create models that they can share with customers and stakeholders. It also shows successful campaigns for mobile devices.
Try the mock-up tool at facebook.com/ads/creativehub and check out the inspiration gallery at facebook.com/ads/creativehub/gallery