case study
3M
3M applies science collaboratively to improve daily lives.
At A Glance
Scope
Created three enhanced visibility videos for 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material.
Developed the initial sales tools for 3M™ Greptile™ Gripping Material.
Defined and orchestrated the creation of comprehensive still photography libraries for the occupational and consumer markets of 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material, 3M™ Greptile™ Gripping Material, and 3M™ Thinsulate™. These libraries aim to showcase the products in various real-world conditions, highlighting their versatility, effectiveness, and applications.
Challenges
Seasonal Complexity: The projects required completion across three distinct Minnesota seasons, challenging the team with the extremes of inclement winter conditions and episodes of unseasonably hot weather. These weather conditions demanded meticulous planning and flexibility to ensure the quality and continuity of the work despite environmental challenges.
Videographer's Testimony: The experienced videographer regarded it as one of the most complex undertakings of his career. This acknowledgment highlights the project's sophisticated demands, from technical requirements to logistical coordination, setting it apart in difficulty and complexity.
Extensive Image Library Creation: The project necessitated orchestrating over 500 photography images, each meticulously planned to capture various scenarios. This extensive effort required securing models for every envisaged situation, ensuring a diverse and comprehensive visual library accurately representing the product's range of applications in real-world settings.
Challenging Night Shoots: A significant portion of the photography and videography happened during the darkest hours of the night, specifically between midnight and 2 a.m. This timing was crucial to capture optimal conditions to showcase the effectiveness of reflective and visibility-enhancing products. The nocturnal shoots presented unique challenges, from lighting to safety concerns, requiring exceptional dedication from the team.
Strengths
Financial Resource Allocation: 3M demonstrated a robust financial strategy by allocating resources to engage expert consultants, illustrating the company's commitment to achieving superior project outcomes. This approach allowed 3M to leverage specialized skills and expertise to ensure completed projects were of the highest standards and infused with solutions tailored to specific objectives.
Efficient Project Completion: These projects successfully concluded in an ambitious nine-month timeline thanks to 3M's strategic engagement of specialized outsourcing consultants. The effectiveness of 3M's project management and coordination capabilities demonstrated the company's ability to operate within tight deadlines while maintaining quality and achieving set goals.
Comprehensive Consultant Education: Skilled 3M personnel played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of these projects by thoroughly educating the consultants on the distinct features, benefits, and value of each product. This intensive knowledge transfer and collaborative approach enabled the consultants to accurately represent 3M's innovations, facilitating better-informed decisions and strategies aligned with the company's objectives and market positioning and ensuring that the projects' outcomes resonated with 3M's standards of excellence.
Outcomes
Outcome 1
Three enhanced visibility videos for 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material, encompassing strategy documentation, vendor selection, scriptwriting, producing, editing, finalization, and duplication. This initiative was crucial for raising awareness about the risks associated with the absence of reflective material during nighttime. Among the most impactful demonstrations captured was an experiment featuring four individuals walking towards a slowly moving vehicle at night, each dressed distinctly: one in all white, another in all black, a third in a neon sweatshirt, and the fourth in Scotchlite reflective material. This experiment vividly illustrated the significant difference in visibility among the attire choices, highlighting the effectiveness of Scotchlite reflective material in ensuring visibility at night.
Outcome 2
We developed the initial sales tools for 3M™ Greptile™ Gripping Material to enhance the grip for applications at work, play, and home. This advanced material offers a significant advantage by improving grip strength, which enhances performance. The engineered product was to aid workers and athletes in maintaining a firm grip on their tools with minimal effort. The high friction surface of the Griptile™ material ensured an exceptional grip and excellent release capabilities, even under wet or oily conditions, providing a secure handle and improving overall efficiency and safety in use.
Outcome 3
500+ Image Photo Library
Authentic Representation: Created a well-curated photo library for the authentic representation of products in action. It helped potential customers visualize the product in scenarios relevant to their needs and lifestyles.
Versatile Marketing Tool: Sales and Marketing utilized these high-quality photographs across various platforms, including print materials, online content, and advertisements, to create a consistent and compelling visual narrative.
Educational Resource: For products like 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material and 3M™ Thinsulate™, understanding each product’s feature, benefit, and value is crucial. Photos showcasing these products in use educated consumers and businesses about their practical applications and effectiveness.
Built Trust: Demonstrating how products perform under different conditions builds trust with consumers and professional users. It provided proof of the product's reliability and the 3M's commitment to quality and innovation.
Feedback and Development: A comprehensive photo library served as a feedback tool for product development teams, helping them to see how products perform in the real world and identify areas for improvement or new application opportunities.
