The view from the studio

?3 months into 2022, what’s exciting me for this year? Mark Gass, Creative Innovation Officer at The Creative Engagement Group

I’m sitting in my usual spot as I write this. Looking up, I can see some poster-sized prints on the opposite wall. Some are typographic. Some design. Some are concepts, some are taken from pitches, and some are stills taken from in house animations.

Some made it. Some didn’t, including the giant bobble head ‘sound shower’ racing helmets we proposed for an event. Or the winged unicorn in swirling shades of pastels for an internal engagement campaign for a financial institution. It included sending out unicorn horns you could strap onto your forehead for the Teams calls. The thing is all of them were presented. And properly considered by our clients. We all have big creative ambitions for this year.

So, what does the next few months hold for us in the studio and for the world of technical innovation outside?

First up, it’s the gradual and welcome return to In-Real-Life (IRL) experiences. But it’s a different kind of IRL, with the pandemic significantly accelerating technological innovation… The new blend of digital with live throws up some really interesting possibilities. ?Gaming engines like Unity can be merged with VFX to create truly amazing streaming broadcasts. Systems like Notch open up whole new imaginary worlds for us to create and explore. You can add visual effects to live performances as they happen, allowing people to step between the real and digital world. Along with our own digital events platform heddle , these technologies present a great way to explore this hybrid world.

Taking this a stage further, AR platforms like Niantic’s Lightship show us the real world overlaid with rich, digital content. It's immersive on a whole new level, allowing us to play a virtual ball game in a real environment, or see virtual flowers grow in the park. ?So, when we consider our environment design, workforce training, capability development or events? we now also think about how to integrate a parallel virtual experience to complement it.

Speaking of exhibitions and environments, we expect COVID to cast its baleful presence over our live experiences for some time, so touchless interactivity is important.?That’s why our team in Plymouth are exploring what Ultraleap has to offer. Gesture recognition isn’t new, but their innovations in haptic?technology make it possible to search, select, open, close, expand and reduce content without having to use a trackpad or a mouse.

In turn, this means the content is richer and easier to explore.

IRL also means the return of real performers. Actors, dancers, musicians, puppeteers; remember them? Partnerships have always been important to us and we now look forward to working with both leading technologists and leading performance artists. We were also encouraged by the pioneering work from the Royal Shakespeare Company for their Dream production, utilising motion capture performances in real time, combined with game generated imaginary worlds.

Closer to home, the team has been looking to upskill and bring even more projects in-house where possible. A great example is animation. Over the last two years, we’ve witnessed more open collaborations between our in-house designers, animators and 3D modellers in the world of film.

A great example is the new brand film we created for our experiential division, WRG.

Another exciting development is the influence that our Behavioural Science unit is having on the day-to-day work. Whether we are testing a creative concept or looking for an exciting new direction, we are certainly seeing our experiences being positively shaped by their unique insights. A classic example is the work we’re doing in the employee engagement space. Overcoming a reluctance to participate by tapping into a key driver like social identities opens us up to ways to change behaviours we might never have thought of.

When it comes to wider influences, DE&I (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is having a big impact on our thinking. Take a look at the relatively recent website our employee engagement, Forty1 refreshed www.forty1.com . The people imagery reflects a wide range of enriched lives and personalities.

We are founder members of isla , which helps agencies create greener events. The choice of location, activities and materials all play a fundamental part in what we’re presenting.

Sustainability is now hardwired into most of our briefs and it feels as though clients and agencies are moving in the same direction.

When it comes to content, for me, it’s less about brand campaigns now and more about ‘brand seasons’ that integrate with year-long programs. Content programs that are carefully planned and coordinated with all of the existing touchpoints that tend to define a company’s output and culture.

Our in-house film team are buzzing about the potential of combining gaming 3D imagery with the latest green screen technology to create amazing real time content. And what about formats? They’re looking at everything from the authenticity of TikTok content right through to live event shows based on our TV broadcast experience. We could do a whole article just on that, without even talking innovations in production and post-production processes.

And of course, I can’t not mention the metaverse. What’s exciting for me is seeing our teams explore real-life applications for it – in learning programmes, corporate events. At our own hybrid Townhall event last month, we presented a segment from within the metaverse for a bit of fun, but it showed that it's a viable creative route.

So that’s where I am. Lots still to look forward to. Where I physically sit may not change much this year, but I know one thing for certain; with so much to do and so many amazing ways to do it...

I know we’re going to need a bigger poster wall.