Bonds SnooZoo

2022

The eternal question: how do we get our kids to bed easier without using hypnosis? Special Group and Bonds came to us with the answer, which of course, is to make bedtime rituals fun and interactive. We got noodling on an AR experience that would bring the cuddly creatures on their bedding to life, while Studio Pancho and Special Group whipped up this experience video that captured the happy app in-situ.

Cat-napper, Dino-snore, and Zzzebra.

The first step for Bonds’ “SnooZoo” campaign was to design the characters. We knew they had to be a cute and friendly bunch so that kids were instantly charmed, which meant there was careful consideration about the details that went into each of them.

Balancing the Elements

We were mindful of creating something that pushed all of Bonds’ buttons, not just the aesthetic ones. The goal was to design something visually appealing for all ages, but also a product that was carefully optimized to perform elegantly and smoothly on the chosen technology platform.

To achieve this, we had to limit the size of the app and the number of polygons we used. We designed characters out of simple, primitive shapes and used textures and patterns to add details.

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AR Buddies in the Bedroom

We came up with the interactive AR concept as a fun way for kids to get involved in their own bedtime stories. The AR component allowed them to move freely around the bed encouraging active participation (and the burning of their remaining energy).

An AR project functions a little differently from your typical animation gig, so outlining clear roadmaps and visual representations of how the puzzle would fit together was vital. Knowing that the children would be operating the AR world and its characters meant that the final animations had to be tip-top from every angle.

This was a full-scale BUCK operation — from the concepts to storyboards, UI, 3D modeling and rigging — you name it, we did it. All of the designed components were then put in the hands of our creative technology team, The Wizards, who took all of the creative pieces and sewed them together through careful coding to bring the entire experience to life.

Web AR is becoming more and more mainstream as browser and on-device processing gets more powerful. Audiences are embracing new ways of engaging with brands, and we love opportunities to bring our exceptional craftsmanship and storytelling to new and interactive spaces.

Using creative technology as a conduit is an exciting way of expanding how a brand message can feel as well as look.

Character Design Exploration ↓