Visualization
Virtual prototyping for every step in the consumer journey
During the development phase, we use visualization to explore packaging communications and structures, and provide a true-to-life representation of designs and aesthetics. Our cloud-based packaging visualization capability generates 3D packaging renders and enables real-time amends and approvals, accelerating and streamlining development. We use the latest technology to give you fast and cost-effective images, including multiple executions in a 360˚ environment.
Well before the finished product is available, we can create highly-accurate, photo-quality 3D renders as hero imagery for a variety of uses. These include sell-in materials, trade assets, and images for POS, out-of-home and advertising campaigns – improving time to market and enabling pre-launch promotion.
Additionally, through an automated workflow, we can create cost-effective packaging renders for large quantity e-commerce and online needs, providing consistent quality, lighting and angles across full product ranges.
Still and moving renders promote the brand well ahead of its launch
Premium packaging, with its multiple layers of complex finishes, materials and print effects, has a reputation for being very difficult to prototype – especially when glass materials are involved. But with the latest CGI technology, we can bring these luxury products to life, as photorealistic 3D visualization assets. And that’s exactly what we did for Scotch whisky brand Balblair.
With a vast range of print intricacies and innovations, Balblair’s 10- and 15-year editions are sold featuring an elegant glass bottle with multiple labels, cap and closure designs, all encased in secondary gifting cartons. The hero products, 18- and 25-year impressions for travel retail, come in stunning rigid presentation cases with slide-out drawers, finished with multiple high-end print effects and ribbons. These are luxury purchases with prices to match.
Visualising highly complex packaging
The highly customised glass bottles used by premium spirits brands are extremely complex to visualise. A physical prototype of a glass bottle with an intricate printed label can be as expensive and time-consuming as going into full commercial production – and often also require a commitment to the supplier. 3D printing offers an alternative, but the material used doesn’t really look or feel like the real thing. And that’s before you even get into print effects.
Despite these challenges, Balblair needed to bring its packaging to life and secure retail orders in advance of the bottles rolling off the production lines. To make that happen, we ingested the graphic design files from and crafted 3D CGI imagery of the redesigned bottles and presentation cases. Our imagery replicates every last physical feature of the product, right down to paper textures, reflections in shiny surfaces and the glint of light on precisely moulded glass.
The result of our work was a portfolio of still and moving photo-realistic renders that Balblair used to promote their new brand design. The brand used our renders at an International Beverage global summit in spring 2018, before launch in April 2019.
This is just one example of how our Product visualization can add tangible value to your process. Others include AV applications in new product development, and building activation campaigns ahead of final product availability.