daimler chrysler & ted conferences: bits of berlin
TRANSCRIPT
Daimler Chrysler &TED Conferences:
Bits of Berlin
Background Info:In 2013, Daimler Chrysler launched
Moovel, a new mobility app designed to integrate real-time
information for different modes of transportation in one place.
Launched in Germany, the app
continues Daimler Chrysler's current vision of expanding beyond
vehicle manufacturing and into transportation in general, as
evidenced by their venture into shared services like Car2Go.
Moovel partnered with TED Conferences to raise brand
awareness by targeting the select and highly influential audience of
one of TED's newest events: the TED Salon Berlin. Together, TED
and Moovel conceived "Bits of Berlin": a circuit of pop-up
performances and spaces across neighborhoods of Berlin.
Goals:My mission was to design and lead production of a print package to be
given to the event attendees, as well as a digital newsletter.
To enhance the Moovel experienceI proposed using the printed
materials as clues for a scavenger hunt. This print package / gift had
to contain all the necessary elements to help attendees
experience the city ‘tour’ of Berlin, led by TED Fellows.
Challenge:How might we use simple print
materials to prompt in-event audience experiences that are
memorable after the event ends?
Process:I set out to create a print
experience that could not only represent the brand at the "Bits of
Berlin" – but live longer than the event. For this, we interviewed
guests, performers and clients, both in Germany and the US. The
result of this research phase were three user principles, vital to create
a memorable, fun experience:
1) Our audience is drowning in a sea of event' collateral. To stand out we had to create something
that immediately felt valuable and special. Something worthy of
display. Thus, we decided to break away from the standard sizes of
flyers and invitations, and create a 7in x 7in print piece–a size
reminiscent of a small painting.
We then decided to use printing techniques not available for mass
production: our print package was going to be hand-printed, using
silkscreening to apply silver, red, and seafoam inks. It had to be as
close as possible to a limited-edition series of small works of art.
2) In addition to affinity with these high production values, users were
deeply interested in participating or being connected to the work of
contemporary German artists and designers, even more so if the work
showcased was a reflection of present-day Berlin. On that account, we partnered with
German designer and artist Mario Wagner, to create three exclusive
works–abstractions of the architecture and history of the
three main venues of Bits of Berlin: Wiesenburg, Holzmarkt and
contemporary art gallery SAVVY.
3) Lastly, the work created had to dare to be timeless. This meant not
only using durable materials with the highest standards of quality,
but also making a product that overcame the limitations of
common marketing materials, and became a stand-alone link between
high-end design and the Moovel brand. In order to do this, we only
used the brand's colors in all materials, but purposely laid out all
the event information on one side of the prints, thus leaving the front
only for the artist's work.
Results:We created a series of limited-
edition, high-quality "invitations". These small works of art showcased venues and neighborhoods of Berlin
as re-imagined by German artist Mario Wagner and design studio
In-House International.
To add another layer of surprise, the works were hidden inside white
envelopes, which had been stamped with randomized
silkscreen screens and the brand’s colors, creating a sea of overlap-
ping patterns, with over one hundred unique designs.
Attendees had to pick an envelope and discover what small work of
print art (and venue) they selected.
Lastly, we reclaimed assets from the print project and created a
series of digital newsletters, distributed before and after the event, to introduce the general
branding of the project and mechanics of "Bits of Berlin".
The result was a product that went beyond the expectations of our
clients, and has earned its place in bookshelves (and hanging frames) all over Berlin, including Moovel's.
A complete branding experience encompassing print and digital,
that made "Bits of Berlin" last on the memories of attendees for
much more time than one night.
Role(s):Creative Direction, Art Direction,
Project Management.
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